SAN DIEGO -- Theyve had their shots, have an all-star coaching staff and are probably as acclimated to Rio de Janeiros tricky conditions and foul water as sailors from any other country.Theyll be using Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf Mountain as reference points as they sail just off Rios famous party beaches, Copacabana and Flamengo.As prepared as the U.S. Olympic sailing team might be, the great unknown is whether it can return to the medals podium after an embarrassing shutout on the English Channel in 2012.The U.S. has won 59 Olympic sailing medals, the most of any nation, although its 19 gold medals trail Britains 26. Among the American medalists are some of the biggest names in sailing: Lowell North, Dennis Conner, Buddy Melges and Mark Reynolds.In 2012, the American team failed to medal for the first time since the 1936 Berlin Olympics.We moved on a long time ago, said Josh Adams, who took over as managing director of U.S. Olympic Sailing right after the London flop.The American sailors with the best chances of medaling in Rio are the womens 470 crew of Annie Haeger of East Troy, Wisconsin, and Briana Provancha of San Diego; the mens 470 crew of Stuart McNay of Providence, Rhode Island, and David Hughes of Miami; and Laser Radial sailor Paige Railey of Clearwater, Florida.Others might break through. But its a young team and many sailors are working toward 2020.Still, Adams wanted to give the squad a fighting chance after London. He set up a training base at a secure yacht club in Niteroi across Guanabara Bay from Rio so sailors could spend as much time as possible there, acclimating to both the unpredictable conditions and the poor quality of the water, which is fouled with sewage and trash.He also hired two-time Olympic medalist Charlie McKee as high performance director.McKee in turn added big-time coaches to those already in place.Among them is Reynolds, the most successful U.S. Olympic sailor with two golds and a silver, who coaches Laser sailor Charlie Buckingham of Newport Beach, California, an Olympic first-timer. Dave Ullman, a National Sailing Hall of Fame inductee and former Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, is coaching Haeger-Provancha. Former Olympic medalist Morgan Reeser is coaching McNay-Hughes. McKees brother, Jonathan, a two-time Olympic medalist, is coaching the Nacra 17 catamaran crew of Bora Gulari of Detroit and Louisa Chafee of Warwick, Rhode Island.Luther Carpenter is coaching Finn sailor Caleb Paine of San Diego. Carpenter has helped four American teams win medals in three different types of boats in six consecutive Olympics. The team technical adviser is Dave Dellenbaugh, who was tactician and starting helmsman for the winning crew in the 1992 Americas Cup.Its an all-star squad, no doubt, Paine said. When you get that much wisdom, youre learning something every time you have dinner with them and hanging out. Everything they spit out is valuable.That was the point, Charlie McKee said.We recognized that one of the things that we can do to help the athletes try to perform well is surround them with a staff that has a lot of experience in the Olympic arena, he said. Obviously, were super gratified and happy and confident that that part is in really good hands. We have a great history of Olympic sailing in the U.S. and weve gotten a lot of those people to want to come back and help this current team.Paine, who beat 2008 silver medalist Zach Railey for the Olympic berth, said hes spent more than 200 days training in Rio. Haeger and Provancha have made 15 trips.We feel good about the time and resources invested in Rio, Adams said. Its a complicated place to learn. We feel the team has done the right things to prepare.After that, it comes down to performance.Haeger and Provancha won the test event in Rio a year ago. Although relatively new to the 470, theyve been teammates since 2008 and sailed together while at Boston College. Earlier this year, Haeger was named US Sailing Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year.While their top rivals are Olympic veterans, Haeger and Provancha are Games rookies. With that said, we have the skill set, coaching and mental capacity, Haeger said. Theres no reason to aim for silver when gold is in our grasp. Our goal is very much black and white. Our goal is to win the gold medal.McNay and Hughes have medaled regularly during the last two years, including consecutive golds in 2015 at the World Cup and the prestigious European Championships. They got the bronze at this years Europeans.Is that a guarantee of a medal at the Olympics? For sure not. But it does mean were on the right path, absolutely, Hughes said.---Follow Bernie Wilson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/berniewilson Curtis Granderson Jersey . JOHNS, N. Yangervis Solarte Jersey .J. Jefferson has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend. http://www.officialbluejaysgearshop.com/Blue-Jays-Kendrys-Morales-Kids-Jersey/ . 4 Villanova with a 96-68 drubbing on Monday. Wragge hit 9-of-14 from behind the arc, matching Kyle Korvers school record for 3-pointers in a game set in 2003, as Creighton (16-3, 6-1 Big East broke a conference record with 21 treys in the rout. Brett Anderson Jersey . Lack made 20 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Canucks blanked the St. Louis Blues 1-0 in the first post-Olympic game for both teams night. Justin Smoak Jersey .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed. Some of the sports stories The Associated Press is covering Tuesday. A full Sports Digest will be sent by about 3 p.m. All times EDT:- CLEVELAND -- The Chicago Cubs are back in the World Series for the first time since 1945, starting Jon Lester against a Cleveland Indians team going with Corey Kluber and eyeing its first title since 1948. Game starts 8:08 p.m.- CLEVELAND -- A city that waited more than 50 years for a championship steps to the center of the sports universe -- the Cavaliers get their NBA championship rings on the same night the Indians host Game 1 of the World Series.- Theo Epstein is restless in a way most of us are not. Now he is trying to repeat in Chicago what he did in Boston a dozen years ago -- win a World Series in a town that measures its disappointment in decades.- OAKLAND, Calif. -- Kevin Durant debuts with Golden State alongside two-time reigning MVP Stephen Curry when the mighty Warriors open against a San Antonio Spurs team now without Tim Duncan. Game starts 10:30 p.m.- CLEVELAND -- After a ring ceremony to celebrate last seasons title, LeBron James and the Cavaliers play a New York Knicks team no fortified by Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. Game starts 7:30 p.m.- MINNEAPOLIS -- On the anniversary of Flip Saunders death, this family remains with the Timberwolves organization, determined to carry the vision he had for the organization as part of a family reclamation project.- Even after missing four games with injuries, LSU running back Leonard Fournette just might be able to make some noise in the Heisman Trophy race. Probably not enough to catch Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson.- The NCAA committee that proposed football recruiting reformss wants to create more transparency and access for coaches and players in a process that has been accelerated in recent years.dddddddddddd- AUBURN, Ala. -- The Auburn Tigers have come a long way since a 1-2 start, winning four straight games, obliterating Arkansas and surging to a No. 15 ranking.- NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Titans coach Mike Mularkey wants Marcus Mariota to be aggressive, yet smart. He also wants to make sure his quarterback hangs onto the ball. That will be paramount when Tennessee hosts Jacksonville on Thursday night.- HOUSTON -- Brock Osweiler and Houstons offense are still struggling. Now, after a mistake-filled loss to Denver on Monday night, the Texans have a short turnaround when they play Detroit on Sunday.- DURHAM, N.C. -- Mike Krzyzewski is embracing the grind of another year at Duke after an offseason that was exceptionally busy, even for him -- four surgeries and an Olympic gold-medal run.- EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Miles Bridges might be the best player Hall of Famer Tom Izzo has coached in more than two decades at Michigan State. And Izzo has had some good ones: Denzel Valentine, Draymond Green, Zach Randolph, Jason Richardson.- SINGAPORE -- Angelique Kerber wins her second straight match at the WTA Finals, beating Simona Halep 6-4, 6-2. In the days second match, Dominika Cibulkova plays Madison Keys.- MADRID -- Lionel Messi is off to one of his best starts, with 14 goals in 11 matches. In fact, the Barcelona great has two more goals than the combined total of Real Madrids Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema. ' ' '