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RIO DE JANEIRO -- The Olympics are normally a prime place for politicians to schmooze, tout their work and bask in the limelight in hopes of boosting popularity or gearing up for a re-election bid.But a presidential impeachment trial and widespread anger over corruption and a tanking economy are making for strange times in Brazil. Top politicians have stayed away from Olympic venues and stayed mostly silent on social media.The Aug. 5 opening ceremony was the last time a top Brazilian politician was seen anywhere near an Olympic event, and it didnt go well: Interim President Michel Temer was blasted with boos by thousands at Maracana Stadium when he declared the games open.Since then, he has congratulated Brazilian medal winners on Twitter and visited the media center but has otherwise stayed holed up in the capital of Brasilia. Temer aides confirmed that he wont attend Sundays closing ceremony.Suspended President Dilma Rousseff has also stayed away. Rousseff was impeached in May for breaking fiscal rules in her management of the federal budget. Rousseff has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, calling the movement to remove her coup.Next Thursday, just days after the games end, the Senate is expected to begin several days of debate that will culminate in a vote on whether Rousseff is permanently removed. Brazils first female president was invited to the opening ceremony but chose not to attend, in her words, in a secondary position.Alexandre Barros, a political consultant in Brasilia, said the unsettled political situation has likely paralyzed Temer and Rousseff, as it has the country over the past year.We have a suspended president, an interim president and another former president with an uncertain future, said Rousseff, referring to ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Nobody knows who is in charge.Silva spearheaded Rios winning Olympic bid in 2009, but his popularity tanked when he got caught up in the probe of a kickback scheme at state oil company Petrobras. He now faces a trial on obstruction of justice charges, and the man most responsible for getting the games to Rio has not attended any event.Both Rousseff and Temer have also been at the epicenter of the colossal investigation that has led to the jailing of dozens of politicians and top businessmen. Much of the corruption at Petrobras happened during the 13 years that Rousseffs Workers Party was in office. While Rousseff has not been personally implicated, many blame her for not doing more.Temer, meantime, has been fingered for bribery by witnesses who have reached plea deals with prosecutors, though so far he has not been charged.Brazilians have a lot to be mad about. Latin Americas most-populous nation is mired in its worst recession in decades. Inflation remains high, and layoffs are a daily occurrence. The Zika virus, which kept some Olympic athletes away, has ravaged thousands of families in poor, northeastern states. And the political crisis has both exacerbated problems and made enacting much-needed reforms all but impossible.The AWOL politicians stand in stark contrast to the two previous Olympic Games in Beijing and London, when leaders were often seen making the rounds. Just think of then-London Mayor Boris Johnson dangling from a zip-wire in Victoria Park during the 2012 Summer Games.In Rio, even lower-level ministers -- including the sports minister -- stayed away.Said Sen. Camilo Capiberibe of the Brazilian Socialist Party: People dont feel represented by us. They dont want us in the Olympic arenas because they feel we didnt help make things better in Brazil.---Mauricio Savarese on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MSavaresePeter Prengaman on Twitter: http://twitter.com/peterprengaman Blue Jays Jerseys China . - NASCAR announced a 33-race schedule for the 2014 Nationwide Series with virtually no changes from this years slate. Cheap Blue Jays Jerseys . At a Manhattan federal court hearing, attorney Jordan Siev said his law office has gotten more evidence nearly every day to support its lawsuit accusing MLB and Selig of going on a "witch hunt" to ruin Rodriguezs reputation and career. He said the defendants went "way over the line. https://www.cheapbluejays.com/ .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore. Custom Toronto Blue Jays Jerseys .com) - The Calgary Flames aim to bounce back from their first regulation home loss of the campaign on Friday night when they host a Detroit Red Wings club that they swept in three meetings a season ago. Wholesale Blue Jays Jerseys . 1, meaning problems for the doping controls at both major international sports events next year. The World Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended the Moscow Antidoping Center on Sunday, saying its operations must improve or a six-month ban on the facilitys accreditation will be imposed. Good luck, selection committee.After No. 2 Clemson, No. 3 Michigan and No. 4 Washington all lost on Saturday -- the first time that has happened on the same day in 31 years -- the 12 members of the College Football Playoff selection committee had a bit of a mess to sort through to determine its third of six rankings.Here are the top questions facing the committee in Week 12:1. How much does head-to-head matter? Some outside the committee meeting room think Louisville deserves to be ranked ahead of Clemson in spite of the Tigers 42-36 win over the Cardinals on Oct. 1. The Amway Coaches Poll this week moved Louisville up to No. 3 and dropped Clemson three spots to No. 5 after the Tigers lost at home to an unranked Pitt team. The Associated Press poll did the same. While there might be some committee members who agree, the group has collectively shown in the past that it holds head-to-head results in high regard. Last week, the committee did not drop Texas A&M below Auburn in spite of the Aggies loss to Mississippi State because Texas A&M beat Auburn. In 2014, the committee dropped TCU from No. 3 to No. 6 in its final ranking in large part because of TCUs loss to Baylor.The committees protocol requires the use of head-to-head results as one of the tiebreakers when evaluating teams with comparable résumés, but its certainly not the only factor. Strength of schedule is also a major component, and Clemson has three wins against teams currently ranked by the committee (Auburn, Louisville and Florida State), while Louisville has one (Florida State). Clemson also has five wins against teams over .500 and Louisville has two (FSU and Wake Forest). Louisville, though, did not lose to an unranked Pitt team at home. Will it be enough to sway the committee in favor of the Cards?2. Will Washingtons strength of schedule sink the Huskies? According to ESPNs Football Power Index, Washington has played the third-easiest schedule in the FBS, and its nonconference strength of schedule is dead last at No. 128, with wins against Rutgers (2-8), Idaho (6-4) and FCS Portland State (3-7). Washington still controls its destiny in the Pac-12 North, and shouldnt be eliminated as a playoff contender after losing to a surging (and ranked) USC team, but the Huskies strength of schedule will now be placed under a microscope by the committee.3. How high can a two-loss team climb? Last year, Stanford finished the season as the committees highest-ranked twwo-loss team at No.dddddddddddd 6 after winning the Pac-12 title. Can the Big Ten surpass that? The Big Ten has two legitimate two-loss contenders in No. 7 Wisconsin and No. 10 Penn State, and ESPNs FPI projects a 43 percent chance theyll face each other in the Big Ten championship game. If Penn State wins out and Michigan loses another game, the Nittany Lions will win the East. No. 11 Oklahoma has been the Big 12s highest-ranked team -- ahead of one-loss, No. 16 West Virginia -- in spite of early losses to Houston and Ohio State. ESPNs FPI projects there is an 80 percent chance that at least two Power 5 conferences will have a champion with more than one loss. The Big 12 is still the most likely (76 percent), followed by the Pac-12 (63 percent) and Big Ten (58 percent).4. Is the Big 12 alive again in the CFP race? The Big 12 is still on life support, but isnt eliminated entirely. The conference needed chaos at the top of the CFP ranking, and certainly got it on Saturday. Not only did three of the top four teams lose, but so did No. 8 Texas A&M and No. 9 Auburn. That should have a trickle-down effect and give OU a boost in the ranking, even if by default. Oklahoma is still undefeated in league play; West Virginia has just one loss and is playing tough defense; and Oklahoma State owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Mountaineers. Both WVU and Oklahoma State have some work to do, though.When asked last Tuesday about Oklahoma States controversial loss to Central Michigan, selection committee chair and Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt said, Were viewing it as a loss. Its not within our purview to decide wins and losses. The committee is aware of what transpired in that game, and by the same token believe that we have Oklahoma State ranked in the appropriate spot that they deserve this week.Can the Cowboys overcome that and win the Big 12 title? West Virginia has to overcome its loss to the Cowboys and a weak schedule. When asked last week about the Mountaineers, Hocutt said, At this point in the season, theyve only played one game against a ranked College Football Playoff opponent, and that was to Oklahoma State, whos ranked No. 13 in this weeks rankings, and West Virginia lost that game. West Virginia just needs to continue to win and build their résumé in the eyes of the committee. ' ' '