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Conor McGregor has turned into what he once condemned: a bully and a bum

The Irishman’s tiresome act is doing more to destroy the UFC’s hard-won credibility than any stomach-turning brawl or failed doping testWatching Conor McGregor racing through the loading dock at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Thursday, throwing dollies at a bus like some crazy-eyed hooligan, I could only think of John McCain. It was the US senator who years ago denounced the UFC as “human cockfighting”, affixing a label of lawlessness on mixed martial arts that pushed them into the corners of what was considered acceptable adult behavior. The UFC has worked for years to combat this image, with brain safety and doping mandates that helped attract a corporate buyer and led McCain to reconsider his opinion. Related: Conor McGregor charged with...

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US Open: Why Arthur Ashe Stadium is the worst sports venue in America

The 22,547-seat behemoth’s size means most fans are isolated from the action on court. The once sparkling newcomer has become a loathsome dinosaurTwenty years ago, Arthur Ashe Stadium opened as the centerpiece of the USTA’s National Tennis Center with a stirring dedication ceremony headlined by Whitney Houston. It’s been mostly downhill from there.Aerial shots of the US Open’s octagonally shaped main show court have become a signal of New York City glamor beamed round the world. But while the pictures may look attractive to the millions who will never get the chance to attend the season’s final grand slam in person, the real-life experience is anything but. Clumsy design, tepid atmosphere and just plain bad luck have all conspired to...

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