Arpoador rock formation in between Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches.

PITTSFORD, NY -- A year ago at this time, Rory McIlroy shuffled into the media room at the PGA Championship and faced a number of questions about his poor play. He was asked how he would rate his year (he gave it a B). He was asked about the inconsistency in his game (he said he needed to play more). And he was questioned about whether it was possible to play as he did when he won Congressional by a record margin (he said hed love to play like he did then but it would be pretty unlikely). Fast forward to this year and McIlroy is being asked almost all the same questions. Where is his game? What is the cause of the problems? Can he find things this week? He didnt offer up a grade of his 2013 campaign but judging by his record and his comments, its unlikely hed award himself anything close to a B. In fact, he might be headed for an F if he cant figure things out. But at the very least, hes working hard (he has once again been putting in marathon practice sessions this week) and has some good perspective on his troubles. "I was sort of in this position coming into this tournament last year in a way," said McIlroy, who last finished in the top 10 back in May. "I was coming off a fifth place in Akron, but the run of events before that wasnt so good. So obviously, yeah, you never hope to struggle or not to play well, but its going to happen. Its inevitable." In golf, more than any other sports, there are more lows than highs. A solid career can be one where you win only three or four times in 200 or 300 starts. You dont always win. In fact, you rarely win. Its just that, unfairly or not, we figured after such a wonderful start, McIlroy was bound to keep running up titles, competing for majors and taking on Tiger and Phil. At the very least, we believed hed play a whole lot better. With the slide, the fingers have been pointed at the causes. Could it be the equipment? His girlfriend? His change of agents? His moving to Florida? Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. And maybe. Certainly the rest of the world has felt comfortable chiming in on the issue. Nick Faldo said it was the equipment change. Gary Player suggested it might be the girlfriend. McIlroy believes it can all be attributed to something rather basic -- a poor swing, one that hes had trouble correcting. "First and foremost," he stated, "I just havent been swinging it the best this year. I got into a couple bad habits with my golf swing, and its just taken me a little bit longer to get out of them. Obviously when youre fighting that so much, its hard to play the golf that I want to play, which is fluid, which is free flowing, I guess. Thats the way I play my best." Listening to him talk, even though there are smiles and laughs, theres a sense that hes tired of struggling, tired of playing bad golf, tired of answering the questions. It bubbled over at the U.S. Open when he creased the shaft in his nine-iron after another bad swing. "Thats the thing," he said. "Theres been times this year where Ive really gotten down on myself and thats something that hasnt helped at all, and something that Im trying to get better at." When asked about his Ryder Cup teammate, Ian Poulter tried to put a little perspective on matters. "You know, I think sometimes we forget how young he is and what hes been able to achieve at a very early age. So the second he feels comfortable again, whether thats with his swing or equipment or whatever it is, then, you know, Rory will be winning golf tournaments. That natural swing of his doesnt just disappear overnight and I think hes had to cope with an awful lot of things and changes that hes had in the last 10 months, and its not just equipment and its not just media. I think theres been a lot of off-the-golf course things that have happened, management, etc., etc., that have all been a factor in whats happened this year." Theres a good way to answer all the questions, put an end to the comments and stop all the frustration -- just win. Might that come this week, just as it did a year ago? It seems unlikely but this is golf, a major, where anything can happen. Colin Moran Pirates Jersey . LOUIS -- St. Francisco Cervelli Jersey . -- Ty Montgomery had 290 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and fifth-ranked Stanford held on to beat No. http://www.pittsburghpiratesprostore.us/Kent-Tekulve-pirates-jersey/ . The Dutchmans tenure got off to a poor start when referee Guido Winkmann awarded a penalty within two minutes for Niklas Starks clumsy challenge on Alexandru Maxim. Bill Mazeroski Jersey . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive. Josh Bell Pirates Jersey . The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Lions have not announced the hiring, which was first reported by ESPN. Lombardi, the grandson of former Green Bay Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, has been an offensive assistant on Sean Paytons New Orleans staff since 2007. RIO DE JANEIRO -- With the Olympics just a few weeks away, Brazil faces a litany of problems: an economy in freefall, the Zika virus and a political crisis with an impeached president. But for those brave -- or foolhardy -- enough to make the trip, Rio de Janeiro is a city rich with potential rewards. Broadcasters have already deemed the citys backdrop for the Summer Games the most telegenic ever. But no matter how good this teeming seaside metropolis -- where the urban jungle and the literal jungle meet -- looks on TV, footage simply cant compare with the experience of actually being here.Heres a Q&A on tips for visiting Rio, from staying safe to samba parties:---Q: Is Rio safe?A: With an estimated 85,000 police and soldiers patrolling the streets during the games -- twice the security contingent in London in 2012 -- Olympic and local officials have insisted Rio will be the safest city on earth during the Aug. 5-21 games. Still, violent crime is a fact of life in this city, starkly divided between haves and have nots, so its best to keep a low profile.For Cariocas, as Rios 6 million residents are called, low-key dressing is de rigueur for both safety and practicality. Havaianas, the Brazilian flip-flop brand, are Rios uncontested footwear of choice. And the citys golden-sand beaches make board shorts and T-shirts, or hot pants and tank tops, a uniform for rich and poor alike. (While Rios Southern Hemisphere winters tend to be mild, thermometers can dip in August into what Cariocas consider the bone-chilling depths of the mid-60s, so pack a sweater or light jacket.)Watches and jewelry not clearly made from plastic are best avoided, as is using cellphones in public or conspicuously carrying camera equipment. Electronics are extremely expensive in Brazil, and a smartphone can cost several months worth of salary for locals, so its best to keep them under wraps.If you do get mugged, dont react or fight. Hand over your possessions calmly and without hesitation. Its only money and/or stuff. And no matter how much of a pain the ensuing nightmare of card cancellations proves, its not worth getting injured.---Q: Do people speak English?A: In a word, no. Outside Olympic venues and high-end hotels and restaurants, most Cariocas only speak Portuguese, though they might know a few words of English or Spanish. On the other hand, most people are eager to help foreigners and will resort even to pantomime to get their point across.---Q: Whats for dinner?A: If you go to one of the myriad churrascaria (shoe-hass-car-EE-ya) all-you-can-eat Brazilian barbeque joints, the answer is meat, meat and more meat. Roving waters brandishing spits stacked with cuts of prime beef, lamb chops, pork sausages and even wizened black chicken hearts will insist on refilling your plate till you verge on bursting.For vegetarians or those recovering from a meat overdose, options are limited. Best bets include corner juice bars offfering a cornucopia of freshly squeezed tropical fruit juices, as well as acai (ah-sa-EE) -- a deep purple Amazonian palm berry thats frozen, blended and served slushy.dddddddddddd---Q: Is there public transportation?A: The citys metro line is being extended to serve the beachfront Leblon neighborhood and reach the far-western Barra da Tijuca neighborhood, where Olympic Park is located. But the project is behind schedule and may not be finished in time for the games. Buses are confusing, packed, dangerous and generally best avoided. Cabs are plentiful and decently reliable -- just make sure your cabby turns headlights on after dark. (Many wont.)---Q: Besides sports, what is there to do in Rio during the games?A: Plenty. And the good news is, the best things in Rio are free.Rio was hard hit by the recession, with the economy shrinking last year by 4 percent, sending unemployment and inflation soaring. The nosedive of the local currency, the real, has made Rio much cheaper for visitors spending dollars or euros. But the cost of hotels and restaurants can still be shocking. Savvy travelers can staunch the bloodletting by taking advantage of the citys many free attractions:-Sugarloaf Mountain: The sheer granite outcropping that presides over the waters of the Guanabara Bay will no doubt prove a breathtaking backdrop for the Olympic sailing races. But rather than just ogling the iconic rock, why not hike it? A guide is necessary to scale the Sugarloaf itself, but its stumpier twin, the Morro da Urca, is doable without help. A mud path winds through tropical vegetation to a summit with peerless views over the citys dense patchwork of towers, hillside favela slums and mist-enshrouded rainforest.-Sunset at Arpoador: Take in the suns spectacular nightly performance as it sinks into the Atlantic from atop the Arpoador rock formation in between Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches. The crowd there raucously applauds the glittering show, night after night.-Pedra do Sal: Experience a roda de samba, or live samba music, at the birthplace of Brazils most famous musical genre. Monday nights bring hordes of aficionados to this former slave market in the Gamboa region of historic downtown for an open-air dance party.-Centro: Rios beaches tend to steal the thunder, but the Centro downtown region, where the city got its start 451 years ago, is a treasure trove of colonial-era churches and historic monuments. Perhaps the most stunning among them is the Mosteiro Sao Bento, a Baroque church and working monastery where monks perform Gregorian chants during Sunday Mass. Get there early to snag a seat. Also in Centro is the Portuguese Royal Reading Room, a 19th century gem of soaring jacaranda hardwood bookshelves and stained glass windows, tucked into the newly rehabilitated Praca Tirdentes. ' ' '