NEU » me but in the end played 44 of the Broncos 58 play

RIO DE JANEIRO -- A few months before U.S. table tennis player Tahl Leibovitz left his home in Queens, N.Y., for the Rio Paralympic Games, his wife, Dawn, heard a bang late at night. They didnt identify the source of the noise until their neighbor told them her air conditioner had fallen onto their car.The neighbor was low on money but wanted to pay for the damage eventually. Leibovitz refused the offer.He understands what its like to be in a dark place, his wife said.Amid a childhood scarred by an uneasy relationship with his father and long periods of homelessness, Leibovitz found table tennis. A three-time Paralympic medalist, the 41-year-old competed in his fifth games in Rio, losing in the quarterfinals. He said he hopes to continue playing another eight years, pointing toward a possible Los Angeles 2024 Games.I would define my self-value and self-esteem, he said, through winning and through playing table tennis.He often competes in able-bodied tournaments but meets the classification standards for the Paralympics because he has osteochondroma, which causes benign bone tumors that can limit movement.Previously a substance abuse counselor, Leibovitz works at New York Families for Autistic Children.I tell my patients that although they believe they are not OK, in reality they are actually OK, he said. Their circumstances may not be.When Leibovitz was a young teenager, he broke a basement window at his house. Tensions over that incident with his father began an eight-year period of on and off homelessness, he said.In addition to staying away from home, he stayed away from school. Sixth grade was the last year he completed.The Boys & Girls Club in Queens opened at 3 p.m. on weekdays. There, he could play table tennis until the club closed around 9 p.m. He slept on subway trains at night.I dont know if (returning home) was really an option for me at that time, Leibovitz said.He and his twin sister, Maja, said their father, Ernest, physically abused them. His father, when reached for this story, said he did not consider his treatment of his children abuse.I wasnt hitting him because I was getting mad and upset. I was hitting him because I was trying to make a point, Leibovitzs father said, adding that his son was a problematic teenager.His mother, who was divorced from his father, died in 2006. His father said he wasnt aware of his sons perpetual homelessness. His son told him he was living with friends.Leibovitz and his father now see each other about once a month, they both said, living just over a mile apart.He feels bad about me being homeless for that many years, but he said it made me very tough and who I am, Leibovitz said.Leibovitz played in his first table tennis tournament at the Junior Olympic trials when he was 15. At a tournament in New Jersey in 1995, an international referee told him he might classify for Paralympic sport because of his condition.The next year, Leibovitz won gold and bronze at the Atlanta Paralympics while still homeless. Soon after, he moved in with his twin sister.Leibovitz, who also won bronze at the 2004 Games, is self-coached. Angie Bengtsson, the U.S. table tennis head coach in Rio, said they communicate over the phone to discuss his training. At training camps and tournaments, Bengtsson said Leibovitz helps younger players.They have a lot of respect for him, Bengtsson said. A lot of them want to be just like him.In addition to his athletic success, Leibovitz earned his GED and said he has bachelors and masters degrees from Queens College and a second masters in social work from NYU.Pieces of his past show in his outlook on his sport.Whether I win or lose, Im OK, Leibovitz said. Im not going to say it doesnt matter, but it doesnt change who I am.In 2002, Leibovitz used an inheritance from his grandfather to buy a three-bedroom condo, which he said is too big. Its a problem, he said, he never thought he would have.Im sure theres a lot of it that he wishes he didnt have to go through, his wife said. Even though it was all bad that happened, it will be applied to his life to help others. Thats what hes doing with it now.---Emily Giambalvo is a journalism student at the University of Georgia. Penn State and Georgia are partnering with The Associated Press to supplement coverage of the 2016 Paralympics.Antonee Robinson USA Jersey . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Walker Zimmerman Jersey . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed. http://www.usasoccerauthority.com/dax-mccarty-usa-jersey/ . For the Wild it was their first win of the season and they now have a record of 1-1-2 while the Jets fall to 2-2. Jets start a six game home stand Friday with another divisional game, home to the Dallas Stars. Alejandro Bedoya Jersey .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Justin Morrow USA Jersey .ca. Kerry, Just watched the shootout in the Coyotes/Leafs game and I have to ask, why was the James van Riemsdyk goal allowed to count? All of the video replays we were shown on TV were inconclusive about whether the puck had entirely crossed the line or not.ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The?Denver Broncos?are planning to have wide receiver?Demaryius Thomas, who is dealing with a left hip injury, on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts but will have him go through pregame warm-ups to make sure he can play, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.Broncos coach Gary Kubiak formally listed Thomas as questionable for Sundays game?but added that Thomas looks like hes heading towards playing.Thomas was held out of Broncos practice Monday but worked out Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. After Fridays practice he said, I feel good.He suffered the injury on a 6-yard reception with just under three minutes remaining in the first quarter of the Broncos season-opening win over the Carolina Panthers.Thomas briefly left the game but in the end played 44 of the Broncos 58 plays on offense against the Panthers. Unless Thomas has an additional problem in pregame work Sunday, the Broncos expect him to be in the lineup against the Colts.I think his steps continue to be good toward game dayy, Kubiak said after Fridays practice.dddddddddddd Hopefully hell continue to get better [Saturday] as we get to Sunday.Despite having to battle a variety of injuries in recent seasons, including a previous hip injury as well as neck and hand injuries, Thomas has not missed a game since 2011.Defensive end Derek Wolfe (neck) was also listed questionable for Sundays game, but Wolfe also practiced Friday.I trust those two guys, because theyve both played without practicing, theyre going to shoot straight with me, Kubiak said. As a coach you just want a player to tell you the truth and, Hey I can get it done today, or Im not sure I can.I trust those two, Kubiak added. Thats what I ask of everybody on the team, just look me in the eye the morning of the game and tell me if you can do it or not. You just trust if they say they can be there for you [that] theyre going to be there all day. ' ' '