us. If a knockout comes thats great but my job is to get another win,

CHICAGO -- The fatal shooting of NBA star Dwyane Wades cousin in Chicago is part of a sharp uptick in gun violence in the nations third-largest city this year. Among the other innocent people caught in crossfire have been young children playing outside and a father paying bills at his kitchen table.Wades cousin, Nykea Aldridge, who was shot Friday while pushing her baby in a stroller near a school, was one of nearly 20 people shot between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, police said. Three others were killed.Heres a look at whats happening in Chicago:---HOMICIDES UPThere were 441 homicides in the city between the start of the year and Aug. 21, a nearly 50 percent increase over the same period last year, police said. Thats also more than 80 percent higher than at the same point in 2014, when the city ended the year with just over 400 homicides -- the least in a half-century.Other cities, such as Los Angeles and Memphis, Tennessee, also have seen homicides rise, according to a midyear survey by the Major Cities Chiefs Association. But experts say it isnt enough to suggest a trend, noting numbers are down elsewhere, such as Oakland, California, and Miami.---SHOOTINGS SOARMuch of the increase in Chicago homicides is related to more shootings, which have been climbing since 2013 but have spiked this year to 2,228 as of Aug. 21.Thats 48 percent more than in the same timeframe last year, and easily surpasses the total recorded in all of 2014, when there were 2,084.---BUT WHY?There isnt a clear cause.Chicago police and Mayor Rahm Emanuel frequently point to gang violence and the easy availability of guns. The city once had some of the nations strictest gun-control laws, but many are no longer on the books. Last year, the police department said it confiscated nearly 7,000 illegal guns.Others point to a loss of trust between police and the community, a long-standing problem that grew worse after Chicago police released a squad-car video in November that showed a white police officer fatally shooting a black teenager 16 times. The video of Laquan McDonalds death set off weeks of protests.Many of the neighborhoods on the citys South and West sides where the violence is concentrated struggle with gang membership and high unemployment and poverty rates.---INNOCENT BYSTANDERSPolice said Aldridge, a 32-year-old mother of four, was going to register her kids for school Friday when two men walked up and shot at a third man, hitting her in the head and arm.She is among the many innocent people who have been hit by stray gunfire, including a growing number of young children.In the first six months of the year, 15 children younger than 10 were shot, none fatally. Thats seven more than in the first half of 2015.The victims included a 6-year-old girl who was drawing with sidewalk chalk when she was shot in the back with a bullet intended for rival gang members. A bullet pierced the cheek of a 4-year-old boy as walked down a sidewalk, holding his mothers hand.Wade, a native of Chicagos south suburbs who signed with the Chicago Bulls in July, bemoaned whats happening in some neighborhoods, saying The city of Chicago is hurting.Redskins Jerseys China . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off. Cheap Redskins Jerseys . Despite dominating possession, Schalke needed an own goal from Nicolas Hoefler for the breakthrough a minute before the interval. The Freiburg midfielder misjudged Jefferson Farfans corner and bundled the ball into his own net. http://www.customredskinsjersey.com/ . Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel said. Custom Redskins Jerseys . PETERSBURG, Fla. Custom Redskins T-shirts . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night.With less than two weeks to go before Vijender Singh defends his WBO Asia Pacific belt against Francis Cheka, pre-bout trash talk is already underway. Its mostly been one-way traffic, however, with the Tanzanian promising to hit him (Vijender) in the face, bring him down and end Vijenders career.Vijender meanwhile, as he has for the course of his seven-fight long professional career, said he would let his hands do the talking.Even if it is often delivered with a wink and a nod, the bluster before the bout is a time honoured tradition of the professional circuit. Its part of an act that culminates with the post-weigh in stare down. Its meant to convince punters that if they put out cash for a ticket, they will get to see a fight between two men who dont really like each other. Yet while Cheka is doing his bit, Vijender, ahead of his first title defense, is seemingly not playing along.I just cant do the trash talk. It doesnt come naturally to me, says the 31-year-old over the phone from Manchester, where he is training. While there is no doubting the fact that he has delivered in the ring - as a perfect 7-0 record will suggest- Vijender admits hes been asked to perhaps try some verbal sparring too. My management sometimes ask me why dont I try (to trash talk). But you cant force me into doing something like that. Ive told them I want to be a good boy, he says with a laugh. Vijender wants to keep his mind on his bout.As his professional career progresses, that seems increasingly important. Vijenders first few opponents were part-time scaffolders and firemen. His more recent ones have been a definite step up in class. Vijenders last opponent Kerry Hope was a former EBU middleweight champion. Cheka, holds a minor (WBF) world title but has also fought Fedor Chudinov who formerly held the major (WBA) super middleweight title. But Vijender puts a positive spin to this. Each bout is getting steadily harder. But at the same time it becomes easier as well. For my first few bouts, I had no idea what kind of boxer my opponent was because they hadnt fought much. But now I can just type their name on Youtube and see their fights, he says.Adapting is key Its gotten a lot easier for Vijender to prepare as well. The first year will be simply about adapting, senior boxing commentator Steve Lillis had said of the Indian who made his professional debut in October last year. Professional boxing is different from anything he has done before and he will be away from anything familiar, Lillis had said.A year-and-a-half into his professional career, there are few unknowns for him in training as well. He has got used to the cold and dampness of Manchester and the solitude of training and his apartment away from family and friends.Adapting to his new surroundings was easier. Relearning his game was a lot harder. Especially after, he realized that the boxing shorthand in Lee Beards gym, was different than the one he had learned in India. Its like learning a new language. I knew boxing, but initially everything felt new to me. I didnt understand everything that Lee would tell me, recalls Vijender. When Beard would call to lead with three snap left punches - jab, jab, jab - Vijender says he didnt know what that meant.I didnt get the difference between a block and shield (you shield with your shoulder, block with your gloves). In India I thoughht a shield was the shell guard.dddddddddddd But now I get the boxing code. When Lee says stiff arm, I know what he is referring to. (he meant the defensive technique which taller boxers stick their hand out in an opponents face to keep distance).So Im learning a lot faster now, he says.Staying motivated This doesnt mean that its all been smooth sailing. Sometimes you get bored because you have been boxing for the last 20 years. You have good days where you are excited about going to the gym and training and there are days when you wonder what it is you are doing. But then you tell yourself come on, you have to do it. You have to be a warrior. And ultimately I do it because I love boxing. I cant see myself doing anything else, he says. What Vijender has also understood and come to terms with is his style as a boxer. His technical approach isnt the most crowd friendly approach but its definitely effective. Its also incredibly frustrating for his rivals.Vijender recalls how one of his sparring partners - Jimmy Kelly - nearly quit in frustration. I always had my left arm next to my body protecting me. So he couldnt catch me with a punch. Jimmy said it was ridiculous trying to box me. But that is my game. Its very technical, recalls Vijender. V (Vijender) doesnt throw a lot of punches but he is very accurate. He only needs his right hand to land once and thats enough to end the fight, says trainer Lee Beard. Indeed Vijender says professional boxing is all a matter of energy.Its all about how you control your energy. You cant box aggressively for ten rounds. If you go all out from the start, you will tire yourself out after six rounds and be in a lot of trouble in the last few four, he says. And while his sparring sessions have helped, Vijender says the best learning has come in the ring. I got a lot of experience fighting Kerry Hope. I was fighting at home so there was a lot of pressure but I got myself to focus a lot more. I told myself Stay calm and dont be in a hurry, That resolve will likely be tested once again at the Thyagaraj Stadium on December 17th .While the crowd will expect Vijender to deliver a knockout - his seventh in eight fights -- he himself is a lot more cautious. If a knockout comes thats great but my job is to get another win, he says. Sparring three times a week, Vijender is doing his best to assure himself of the win. But uncertainty is ever present in the sport. Only this past week, he was sparring someone he only calls a really strong kid. I was doing quite well when suddenly he caught me with a right hand. Boom Usse to hil gaya (it shook me). I was able to recover and finish the session but it woke me up, he says.Bahut maar khai hai maine sparring me, (Ive taken a lot of beating in sparring). Ive been cut a few times. But jitna ring ke bahar lagegi utni ring ke andar kam khun bahegi. (the more you prepare outside the ring the less you bleed inside it, he says. These arent really the fighting words that would get the blood pumping and you can almost imagine Vijenders managers shaking their heads. But he himself is not too bothered.Talking doesnt matter. Its not something I like doing. What I like is boxing. My job is to fight and Im going to be good at it, he says. ' ' '