Red, White & Trending: Sept. 16-22

What are Team USA athletes — Olympians, Paralympians, hopefuls and more — up to when they're not competing? They're training. They're practicing. They're traveling to competitions and meets and games and tournaments. They're relaxing. They're getting engaged and married. They're taking hard-earned vacations. They're coping with the raw emotions that come from losing and winning. And they're sharing. Through the reach of social media, we're able to follow along on their often extraordinary journeys. We'll catch you up each week on what's "Red, White & Trending."

Closing Time

At long, lamenting last, the Games of Rio, both Olympic and Paralympic, have come to a conclusion. We’ll keep you posted on the comings and goings of athletes with their eyes now firmly on PyeongChang for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2018 and beyond, including Tokyo for the next summer edition of the Games in 2020. Still, it’s not quite time to move past Rio just yet. With that, we take a look back at the final few days of the Paralympic Games, beginning with breakout swimming star and three-time Rio gold medalist Becca Meyers …

Meyers, by they way, has made it home safely … to her dog, who was more than a little excited:

Also reunited with his dog: Brad Snyder, who broke a 30-year-old world record on his way to Paralympic gold in the 100-meter freestyle (he also won gold in the 400-meter freestyle and silver in the 100-meter backstroke) …

Looking back, breaststroke silver medalist Sophia Herzog offered heartfelt gratitude …

Eighteen-year-old Colleen Young, never shy with a social media quip, offered a heartfelt caption with her bling …

Alana Nichols became a Paralympian in her third sport, kayak, and made the most of her trip to Rio (more on that later, too) …

One of the best ever, four-time Paralympian and 23-time medalist Jessica Long with a few of her friends …

Side note: Among the more compelling images captured during the Games, this moving poolside shot featured Long and teammate Mallory Weggemann:

Sitting volleyball gold medalist Alexis Shifflet …

Wheelchair basketball gold medalist Abby Dunkin …

Of course, there was the Closing Ceremony, led by Army veteran and 7-a-side soccer defender Josh Brunais, who not only managed to keep popsicle off his shorts but also arrived in style …

Brunais’ entry into the stadium looked a little like this …

The flag bearer, predictably, became a pretty popular guy, first with his teammates …

Then with the men’s sitting volleyball team …

And … that’s … all … folks …

Extracurricular Activity

Nichols had herself an emotional Games, but the adventurous Paralympic star also managed an epic side trip.

Field Days

Only a few weeks of the Major League Baseball season remain, and its teams are making the most of what’s left with arms borrowed from Rio’s returning athletes.

San Francisco Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto may have a wide assortment of pitching deliveries, some of which are unconventional, but he can apparently impart wisdom as a pitching coach. Here, the beneficiary is Rio gold medalist gymnast Aly Raisman:

Two-time gold medalist water polo player Courtney Mathewson even used the otherwise thrilling occasion of throwing out a first pitch to chirp her coach:

Adam Krikorian did not take things lying down …

Wrestler Kyle Snyder’s amazing year continues: 2015 world champion, 2016 NCAA champion, 2016 Olympic champion … and throwing out a first pitch in his native Maryland …

Separated by 14 years as No. 1 overall picks out of UConn by the Seattle Storm, 22-year-old Breanna Stewart and 35-year-old Sue Bird, both of whom won gold in Rio (Bird’s fourth), joined forces in Seattle …

Kevin Cordes earned gold in the men's 4x100-meter medley, but, as a noted Cubs fan, this had to rank among his most special moments of the past few months …

Team USA made some impact on the gridiron, too, as experienced through the remarkable Lopez family …

But we’ll see if five-time Olympian Steven Lopez is treated so kindly by the Houston Texans after taking out their mascot:

Red Carpet Treatment

The Shot Diva, Rio’s Olympic shot put champion Michelle Carter, lives up to her name here, making her elegant way to the 68th Emmys.

Alpine skiing legend and gold medalist Lindsey Vonn also pulls off the athlete-turned-entertainment-star look …

A mere week ago, Vonn was nearing terminal velocity on the side of a mountain in Chile.

Next up for Vonn? Besides more skiing? You may be seeing her on bookstore shelves. Her sister’s rave review:

#NerdLife

If you’re going to nerd out, this is the way you do it. Cody Miller proposed to Ali Dewitt nearly a year ago, and it’s now time to take some pre-wedding pictures. They are Harry Potter fans. Of the highest order. Miller notes in his Twitter bio that he is a … “Movie Buff • Olympic Gold Medalist • Motivational Speaker • 4x American Record Holder • Puppy Enthusiast • Nerd • 3x World Championship Medalist • Hogwarts MD” However, after this photo op, he may have the proper cred to put some emphasis on Hogwarts.

We Love LA

Football is back in Los Angeles, home to Hollywood, all sorts of entertainment dreams, enviable weather, spectacular views and one of the more impressive casts to stump for the Olympics, including Michael Johnson, Greg Louganis, Dawn Harper-Nelson, Cobi Jones, Haley Anderson, Samantha Peszek, Kyla Ross, Jessica Hardy and Raj Bhavsar.

Mountain Division

This time of year, a handful of Team USA’s alpine skiers and snowboarders are wintering in South America, including two-time Olympic alpine skiing champion Ted Ligety, who managed to catch himself under an almost impossibly blue sky …

… that would make for a nice matched set of bookends with another shot taken a week earlier:

What About Bobsled?

Speaking of winter athletes … What good are biceps if you’re not rocking them for FlexCam at a Canadian Football League game? Congrats, Olympic bobsled bronze medalists Jamie Greubel Poser and Aja Evans.

Making A Splash

On the East Coast two weeks ago, two-time Rio swimming medalist Conor Dwyer is back on the left coast, making the most of things. Over the weekend, he hooked up with actor Zac Efron and his brother for a charity triathlon in Malibu.

Earlier in the week, he made that splash literal.