By Olivia Day for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 10:00 PM EDT, March 17, 2024 | Updated: 10:04 AM EDT, March 18, 2024

TEMPE, Ariz. – For the past six years, no matter how early the Angels players and staff arrived at Tempe Diablo Stadium, every morning they saw a crowd of Japanese media standing on Tempe Butte Mountain overlooking the team’s spring training complex. This was not a recreational sunrise hike. Every camera was zoomed in, waiting for the arrival of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.

While spring training means early mornings for players, coaches and reporters, the group assigned exclusively to Ohtani made everyone else think twice about their red flags. Ohtani Watch started at 5am, when most of the Cactus League was still asleep. There were no free weekends and no wiggle room: everyone was looking for that one shot, every day, for the entire six weeks of camp.

“Good luck beating them here,” Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon said of a group that routinely consisted of 50 reporters and could swell to more than 70 for special Ohtani occasions, such as his first-ever press conference during spring training, that the team had to keep. stay in an off-site hotel for crowd control.

“They said they had to be here,” Angels bench coach Ray Montgomery said, shaking his head. “I asked why, and they said in case Ohtani showed up early.”

Ohtani’s enormous celebrity and the attention that came with it never calmed down. When he came to Tempe in 2018 as a 23-year-old Japanese star, no one was sure how Ohtani’s talents as a pitcher and hitter would translate. There is no doubt that the three-time All-Star, two-time AL MVP, two-time Silver Slugger and Rookie of the Year is a generational talent.

Ohtani’s star power now resides 26 miles away at the Dodgers camp in Glendale. If you’ve been living under a rock, the Dodgers signed Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million contract last offseason. If you’ve lived near Tempe Buttes, the view just got a lot better.

So what happens when the mountain is empty again? What is life like when the Ohtani circus leaves town?

“Someone said in recent years that maybe this was what it was like to be with the Beatles,” Rendon said. “You don’t get used to (the attention), but you expect it. Now it’s like being kicked out of the band.”

The biggest change, other than the fact that no one saw the team members getting in and out of their cars, happened in the clubhouse. It is and has always been the players’ space. But when Ohtani was there, that huge contingent of reporters made some Angels players feel like guests in their own home.

“It’s nice to get our space back a little bit more,” Angels outfielder Taylor Ward said.

Losing a nine-WAR player doesn’t make any team better. But it made them breathe a little easier.

“Sometimes players were intimidated by a lot of media,” said Carlos Estévez, the Angels’ veteran closer. “A few younger guys. They said, ‘I’ll stay away.’”

Pitcher Patrick Sandoval was one of Ohtani’s closest friends, but even he acknowledged it was a “weird dynamic” to have the Japanese reporters ask him one question about himself, and then 10 more questions about Ohtani. If cameras even caught you nodding to the superstar, the media would ask you to talk about it.

“I always felt that (players were wary of us). We are actually here to cover one man, but we are trying to get other cases related to that one man,” said a Japanese reporter who has regularly covered Ohtani for years and requested anonymity to speak freely.

The Angels PR staff, often inundated with requests, tried to rotate which players they asked to speak about Ohtani, who usually limited his media availability until after his mound had begun. Angels communications manager Grace McNamee, who speaks Japanese, would take notes on Ohtani’s unique schedule and coordinate photo opportunities.

With Ohtani gone, “I’ve never seen Grace so relaxed,” Montgomery said.

A year ago, there was barely enough room to walk down the alley-like hallway in the Angels’ spring training locker room. Now catcher Matt Thaiss and fellow backstop Chad Wallach have enough room there on a March morning to toss a football back and forth as part of an impromptu fielding drill.

Gone are the Ohtani signs and stadium paraphernalia from the stadium and around Tempe. But if you’re one of the thousands of fans who made Ohtani’s jersey the bestseller in all of baseball last year, fear not: It’s still in active Angels circulation.

Ohtani’s number – the famous red and white number 17 – now belongs to…drumroll, please…non-rostered invitee Hunter Dozier, who has a career minus 2.6 WAR, or wins above replacement. Dozier wore No. 17 for almost his entire seven-year career with the Kansas City Royals and signed a minor league deal with Anaheim in mid-January. In the weeks before spring training started, he started wondering: Would the Angels give it away so quickly?

He got his answer on the first day of camp. The 32-year-old utility man emphasized that number 17 has no special meaning for him; it was exactly what the Royals gave him when he started his career.

Now, that number could make him one of the hottest non-roster invitees in Tempe Diablo Stadium history.

“There could be a lot of 17s (in the stands),” said Dozier, who has already been transferred to minor league camp, meaning he won’t make the Angels’ Opening Day roster. “Just don’t look at the last name, but at the number.”

And don’t look too close in the left corner of the clubhouse.

Angels starting pitcher Reid Detmers was surprised when he arrived at camp expecting to be in his normal locker — only to find he was given Ohtani’s old space directly to the left of the clubhouse door. Each end spot in baseball clubhouses is typically occupied by veterans and stars, allowing for plenty of room (they often use the locker next to it for overflow) and a quick exit from the media.

“It was a bit sad,” Detmers said. “But at the same time it was pretty cool. Obviously it’s a great locker, and Shohei was incredible. Great guy. Easy to talk to. Talk to him about anything. It is special to have his old locker.”

What has quickly lost its appeal are the incessant questions about The Guy Who Ain’t Here. The Angels players, who were still dealing with daily Ohtani questions all spring, had much bigger questions heading into camp, such as: Will there still be sushi?

Each spring, the Angels send a survey to players to gauge their nutritional wants and needs for the upcoming season. Without Ohtani, several players feared that the steady flow of Japanese cuisine would slow to a trickle, leaving the question: “Are we still going to eat sushi?” a common registration question. The answer was yes. Ohtani wasn’t actually the biggest daily sushi consumer on the team; that title probably belongs to Mike Trout or Logan O’Hoppe.

Trout is also the only current Angels player who remembers Life Without Ohtani, and the fact that Ohtani’s arrival in 2018 didn’t actually result in more sushi, or any other food at the team’s spring facility. Ohtani had a nutritionist in Japan who communicated with the Angels staff during an early meeting. During the season he often brought his own food. In Tempe, one of Ohtani’s first English statements to staffers was: “I’m good.”

After a disappointing 2020 season, Ohtani used blood analysis to determine which foods produced his best results and optimized his recovery. The timing was equally crucial. Working on a fairly tight schedule, his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara often sent order requests ahead to the Angels’ kitchen staff so that Ohtani’s food – a rotating menu that always included lean proteins, vegetables and carbohydrates – would be ready when it was needed, which was rarely . during the players’ lunch rush. Ohtani’s schedule was so unique that he often ate with just Mizuhara and infielder David Fletcher.

Still, Ohtani’s absence will be felt in the dining room. Last year he brought Japanese Wagyu beef to the kitchen a few times to cook for the team. Several angels mourned the loss.

Aside from potential iron deficiencies, everything is a little calmer for the Angels post-Ohtani. There is plenty of parking at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Tickets are easy to obtain. The signature lines for players entering and leaving the stadium are minuscule compared to previous years. The Angels’ senior guard focused much of his attention on Ohtani and the crowd of fans and reporters entering and exiting his court. Even Mizuhara often had fans with signs waiting for him as he exited the team bus. As one player described it, there is much less commotion now.

“He brings such an audience, not a bad thing, because of the way he handled himself on the field,” Trout said.

‘I’ve never been around someone so big. I don’t think baseball has seen anyone that big,” Rendon said. “It was weird, right? In hotels and other places, many people would try to find him.

Now the eyes that track Ohtani’s movements have been shipped to Los Angeles. Just a short drive, but a world away.

(Top image: John Bradford / The Athletics; Photos: Aaron Doster/Getty; Michael Owens/Getty)

LUKE LITTLER got carried away as he prepared for his match against Nathan Aspinall on Thursday night.

The pair met in evening seven’s semi-final of the Premier League in Nottingham after Littler eliminated Michael van Gerwen in his quarter-final opener.

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Littler was still riding high through his crushing MVG and opposite a mate in Aspinall he seemed to forget his place in proceedings as he played to the crowd.

The 17-year-old lost himself in Aspinall’s iconic walkout, music ‘Mr. Brightside’ by The Killers, and you could see him singing along as the crowd sang it back to him.

But after doing his best Brandon Flowers impersonation, he forgot he was throwing second and stepped to the oche to start the game.

The teen sensation was quickly reminded that it was Aspinall who would aim for the cork first, hilariously doing a 180-degree turn to head back to the crowd and wait his turn.

Fans enjoyed the awkward moment and shared their reactions on social media.

One wrote: “He’s very nice isn’t he, no matter how hard some people try not to be.”

While another said: “Absolute love for this boy – I laugh every time I see him play.”

And a third simply posted: “Never change boy.”

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Unfortunately, the match ended about as quickly as Littler’s karaoke as Aspinall’s experience got the better of the rising star in a 6-3 win.

It is the first time Aspinall has defeated Littler, with the youngster winning their two previous matches this year.

But Littler’s training partner couldn’t go all the way as he suffered a loss of his own at the hands of Cool Hands Luke Humphries in Thursday’s final.

The world number one showed why he is world champion by coolly chasing a second successive Premier League victory thanks to a 6-3 victory over Aspinall.

And the 29-year-old has credited his girlfriend Kayley with his recent success for turning him on SLEEP IN.

He said: “Thanks to my girlfriend. She could easily make me get up at six in the morning to take care of my son who wakes up then. But she lets me sleep in.

“She understands the importance of rest. If she wanted me to get up at those times, I would.

‘But she is the woman who supports me the most. I give her a lot of appreciation.

“She makes sure I come home from playing darts and have the rest time I need. While a normal father gets up at six in the morning for the children.”

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By Monique Friedlander for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 7:33 PM EDT, March 13, 2024 | Updated: 7:49 PM EDT, March 13, 2024

By Carina Stathis for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 7:57 PM EDT, March 10, 2024 | Updated: 5:56 AM EDT, March 11, 2024

Leave fetish clothing at home and always sit on a towel; these are just some of the rules that apply when it comes to nude cruises.

Texas-based travel company Bare Necessities has been operating clothing-optional ship charters since 1990, and over the years has developed a set of rules to ensure that all passengers “enjoy a wonderful, stress-free, clothing-free experience.” ‘

Bare Necessities’ nude cruises were thrust into the spotlight this week when a 67-year-old man opened up about his experiences aboard one of the ships and answered a host of questions from fascinated Reddit users about what life was like aboard the ship is.

During his sensational Q&A, he mentioned several rules put in place to protect passenger privacy – and now DailyMail.com reveals the exact list of strict rules being implemented on board Bare Necessities trips to ensure safety comfort for everyone on board.

For all its excursions, it outlines nine key “rules of decorum,” the first being that all passengers must be dressed “throughout the ship, including balconies,” when the boat is docked at a port or while port authorities are busy. plate.

Only then can clothing be removed after announcement by the captain or another staff member.

The next rule concerns nudity while dining.

Depending on the ship, the rules regarding clothing and the different restaurants vary.

For example, for one of the excursions on Norwegian Pearl, Bare Necessities tells passengers that the self-serve buffet on the pool deck is a clothing-free area, but that “clothing is required for all meals consumed in the dining areas.”

For those unsure of what to wear, it states: ‘Bathrobes are not permitted in the dining room.

‘If you are unsure about what constitutes appropriate clothing, simply confirm that breasts, buttocks and genitals are fully covered by clothing that is not considered fetish wear or lingerie.’

The next line on the agenda reiterates that “lingerie, fetish wear and excessive genital jewelry are not appropriate at any time.”

For first-timers, the tour company’s next rule outlines a bit of “standard nudist etiquette” that must be “observed everywhere,” meaning they should “always” sit on a towel or a bare-bottomed garment or in a thong. or G string.”

To protect people’s privacy, no photos, videos or electronic images of anyone on the ship can be taken without their “express consent,” regardless of whether they are clothed or naked.

There are also ‘no photo zones’ around the ships’ swimming pools and dance venues, and violators will have their ‘photo capture device’ confiscated if caught breaking this rule.

Bare Necessities emphasizes in its marketing materials that its trips are not sexual and that its main purpose is to “dispel the misconception that travel is anything but natural and beautiful.”

It adds: ‘We have made progress in the acceptance of nude holidays and our wide range of cruise charters is testament to our success.’

As such, it warns guests that “fondling or inappropriate touching of personal body parts or those of another person, overt sexual activity or any form of solicitation of sexual acts is strictly prohibited.”

Finally, the tour company states that “dangerous or abusive behavior will not be tolerated at any time” and that passengers must comply with U.S. federal law regarding the possession or use of illegal substances.

If a passenger fails to adhere to the rules of decorum and etiquette, the company warns that he or she may be dismissed from a cruise without a refund and that transportation will not be provided from the port of disembarkation.

• Evans, 32, has filed for divorce from Eason in a North Carolina court
• So far, she has indicated no plans to file for divorce
• Eason was previously criminally charged for allegedly assaulting Evans’ son Jace

By Brian Marks for Dailymail.com

Published: 6:09 PM EST, March 4, 2024 | Updated: 6:48 PM EST, March 4, 2024

Idris Elba took a trip down memory lane at the 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards and recalled a hilarious story about Robert de Niro.

“When I first started in this company, I was 19 years old. I was conned into Robert De Niro’s office in Tribeca. Auditions took place for A Bronx storyand they started that week,” Elba, 51, said on Saturday, February 24, during the “I Am an Actor” segment.

Elba explained that even though he was “very late and wasn’t even invited,” he used his “English charm” to convince a security guard and receptionist that he had an appointment — and he was successful. (The 1993 film starred De Niro, 80, and Chazz Palminterion the occasion of De Niro’s directorial debut.)

“Now the woman sent me into the elevator – remember when the elevators had a key and you went in and went up?” he said, adding that he “psyched” himself in the elevator and did his impression of De Niro.

He continued, “And then I ended up A Bronx story. No, I’m lying now. I was not there A Bronx story. I was kicked out of the office by Robert De Niro’s production partner at the time. A gesture that I thought meant, “Boy, you’re going somewhere.” I’m Idris Elba and I’m an actor.”

The “I Am an Actor” segment began at the first SAG Awards in 1995 and has since featured several stars at the annual awards show. In addition to Elba, also this year’s celebrities Michael Cera, Colman Domingo And Hanna Waddingham.

For her segment, Waddingham, 49, recalled playing the Lady of the Lake in the West End production of Monty Python’s Spama lot.

“I had a quick 47 second change under the stage to come back up through the floor, holding the Holy Grail – as you do – and preparing to sing into the face of the legendary and very fantastic Jim Carrey,” she said on Saturday.

The Ted Lasso star explained that she felt “these kind of muscle cramps” at the top of her dress, but when she extended her arm, the movement stopped, so she “didn’t think about it anymore.”

“The next night, this is after a matinee and evening show, I went to take off my costume, but I noticed that there was a rather embarrassing, acrid stench hanging around me all day,” she said. “I went to air the dress, and a mouse flew out of the dress, hit the wall and landed on the floor. So that’s one show with a live mouse in my dress, and two shows with a dead mouse. Oh, the glamour!”

A man who was cleaning cars at a traffic signal in Telangana’s Nizamabad was run over by a tipper truck after he was kicked by a government official following an argument.

Telangana News: In a shocking incident, a man who was cleaning cars at traffic signals for a living in Telangana’s Nizamabad district was crushed to death by a tipper truck after he was allegedly kicked by a government official who was driving his car following an argument between the two .

According to police, the shocking incident took place on Thursday evening when an officer stopped his car at a traffic junction in the Armoor district. While the officer waited for the signal to turn green, the victim, as per his usual procedure, came to his vehicle and began cleaning the windows of the car, despite the officer telling him not to do so.

However, the man continued to clean the windows and seek money for his services, resulting in an argument with the officer, who got out of his car and allegedly kicked the victim, throwing him into the path of a tipper truck coming from behind.

Because he was kicked away on the road, he could not get out of the way in time, the window cleaner ended up under the wheels of the heavy vehicle and was crushed to death on the spot.

Police said the victim belonged to an underprivileged family and cleaned cars at traffic lights in the area – often without permission – in search of money for his services.

A senior police officer said a case had been registered under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against the “person driving the car” based on a complaint filed by the family of the victim.

The suspect, said to be a senior government official, has still not been identified and efforts are on to identify him, the officer said, adding that further investigation in the case is underway.

Meanwhile, a case under IPC Section 304A (which causes death by negligence) has also been filed against the driver of the tipper truck, he added.

(With PTI inputs)