Archive for March, 2020

Red Bull Suggests F1 Drivers Get Coronavirus, NCAA Votes Extra Season Of Eligibility, Funny SEC Shorts

MOTORSPORTS

Helmut Marko, part of Red Bull motorsports’ management team, suggested the Formula 1 drivers for his team should join together so they all could get infected with the coronavirus. According to Marko, “They are all strong young men in good health. That way they would be prepared whenever the action starts.” The rest of the team’s management vehemently dismissed the idea.

NCAA

The NCAA voted to grant an extra season of eligibility to spring sports athletes whose seasons were canceled because of the coronavirus. The waivers apply to athletes competing in spring sports including, baseball, softball, outdoor track and field, tennis, golf, rowing, lacrosse, men’s volleyball, beach volleyball, and women’s water polo.  The waivers do not include winter sports such as basketball. Athletes normally have four seasons out of a five-year time frame to compete in college sports, but this ruling will extend the eligibility for these athletes.  According to Council chair and the athletic director at the University of Pennsylvania, M. Grace Calhoun, “The council’s decision gives individual schools the flexibility to make decisions at a campus level. The board of governors encouraged conferences and schools to take action in the best interest of student-athletes and their communities, and now schools have the opportunity to do that.”

For a much-needed laugh this morning, check out SEC Shorts, a hilarious compilation of videos about football in the south. They recently put together a new video preparing fans (thanks to virtual reality headsets) for a year without football. Check it out.

 

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Tokyo Olympics Rescheduled To July 2021, Tiz The Law Wins Florida Derby Qualifies For Kentucky Derby

OLYMPICS

The Tokyo Olympics have been rescheduled due to the Coronavirus. The games were supposed to begin on July 24, 2020, but now they are set to begin on July 23, 2021.

HORSE RACING

Tiz the Law easily won the Florida Derby on Saturday getting enough points to qualify for a spot in the Kentucky Derby. The race at Gulfstream Park took place without any spectators or owners present. The Kentucky Derby would normally run in five weeks but has been rescheduled to September 5th. The practice continues, the racecourse is still open and from here you can still see this! The race was particularly meaningful for us as my good friend Roger Sofer is one of the 32 owners of the horse. Sofer was diagnosed with Leukemia just four days before the Florida Derby, and this will be his first time in 18 years in the horse racing business he’ll have a horse at Churchill Downs. Sofer told Fox26, “I came up with an F-bomb. FU cancer, I’m gonna beat you too. It was very emotional. Started crying. Then everybody started calling. It was a big lift for me (Saturday).” We love you Roger and know you’ll beat this and win the Run for the Roses!

 

 

 

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Globetrotter Fred “Curly” Neal, Curry’s Interview With Fauci Attracts 50K Views, Manning Crashes Online Course

BASKETBALL

Fred “Curly” Neal of the Harlem Globetrotters passed away on Thursday at the age of 77.  Neal joined the Globetrotters in 1963 and played for the team for 22 years, appearing in more than 6,000 games. He was nicknamed Curly (ironically as his head was shaved), and along with teammate Meadowlark Lemon, was one of the most recognizable and revered players. In 2008, Madison Square Garden retired Neal’s No. 22, and North Carolina Sports inducted him into their Hall of Fame. In 2016, Neal told USA Today, “Being a Globetrotter, especially during that time, was as much a responsibility as it was a job. We weren’t just entertainers. I truly believe that we helped ease many of the tensions that pulled at the country. It didn’t matter if you were black, white or whatever — laughing and enjoying our games made those barriers disappear.”

Stephen Curry’s interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci on Instagram Live attracted 50,000 viewers including former President Barack Obama and pop star Justin Bieber. If you missed the interview, you can watch the full 28-minute episode here.

FOOTBALL

Peyton Manning crashed an online lecture at his alma mater, the University of Tennessee in order to send a message of encouragement to the students. Professor John Haas surprised the class by introducing Manning as Mr. Thompson and scolding him for being late for class. Manning appeared on the screen explaining he’s been out of school since 1996. Watch the students’ faces as they finally realize who is on the screen with them.

 

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Steph Curry Interviews Dr. Fauci, MLB Opening Day On Strat-O-Matic

BASKETBALL

The Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry will host an Instagram Q&A with Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. As the head of the White House task force on the Coronavirus, Fauci will answer questions about COVID-19 via Instagram Live at 1:00 pm ET.

BASEBALL

Today would have been Major League Baseball’s opening day. MLB is still talking about starting the season in June, but who knows if that’s realistic. In the meantime, Strat-O-Matic is offering a simulated version of baseball based on each day’s games, complete with box scores and standings. Strat-O-Matic’s director explained to USA TODAY Sports, “We’re still able to bring baseball to people’s homes and people are able to enjoy the game that way.”

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Panthers Release Cam Newton, Noah Syndergaard Undergo TJ Surgery

FOOTBALL

Cam Newton is no longer a Carolina Panther. The team released the quarterback on Tuesday, bringing an end to his nine-year run with the franchise that included a Rookie of the Year award, an MVP award, and a Super Bowl appearance. No word yet on which team will need Cam’s help.

BASEBALL

The Mets’ Noah Syndergaard (nicknamed Thor) announced he will undergo Tommy John surgery on Thursday. Syndergaard likely won’t be back in the lineup until next year’s All-Star game, but with baseball season delayed, his decision to undergo surgery now might make sense.

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2020 Olympics Postponed, Gostkowski Released From Pats

OLYMPICS

Olympic Committee member Dick Pound announced on Monday afternoon that the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games will be postponed due to concerns over the Coronavirus. He said, “On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided. The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know.” Pound said the games will likely be postponed until 2021. The Olympic games have been canceled three times due to wars (in 1916 due to World War I and in 1940 and 1944 due to World War II) but have never been suspended.

FOOTBALL

The New England Patriots made another big move on Monday when they released their longtime kicker Stephen Gostkowski. Gostkowski played for the Pats for 14 seasons and will go down as one of the franchise’s best kickers. Helping the team win three Super Bowls during his tenure, he was selected to the Pro Bowl four times and is a three-time All-Pro.

 

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Pats Sign Hoyer, Winston Says Goodbye, Gobert Can’t Taste Or Smell

FOOTBALL

The New England Patriots signed (for the 3rd time) Brian Hoyer to compete for the starting quarterback position. Hoyer returns to the Pats after a season with the Indianapolis Colts (who signed Philip Rivers). At 34 years old, Hoyer joins Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler to fill the immense void created by Tom Brady heading to Tampa Bay.

With the signing of Brady, the Buccaneers said goodbye to Jameis Winston, the first overall pick in the 2015 draft. Winston was the team’s all-time leader for passing yardage and touchdowns thrown but was inconsistent. He threw a league-high 30 interceptions last season. Winston wrote on Twitter “It’s been a great 5 seasons as a Buccaneer. All love and respect, I love Tampa and I look forward to seeing y’all again in February #SBLV #202oVision #Dreamforever.” The Super Bowl will be at Tampa Bay Stadium in February.

BASKETBALL

Rudy Gobert announced on Twitter he has lost his sense of smell and taste while battling the Coronavirus and wondered if others had the same symptoms.

 

 

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Rams Cut Gurley To Save $10.5 Mill, Falcons To Sign Him, Matthews Cut, Foles A Bear, The Ocho Returns

FOOTBALL

In a big NFL free-agency move, the Los Angeles Rams cut running back Todd Gurley ahead of a deadline that would have guaranteed him $10.5 million. Gurley made $38.5 million since he entered the NFL in 2015 as the #10 pick and is still owed a $7.55 million bonus this year. In breaking news, the Atlanta Falcons just announced on Twitter they were signing Gurley.

The Rams also released linebacker Clay Matthews hours before he was supposed to earn a bonus of $2 million.

The Chicago Bears had a big trade yesterday bringing quarterback Nick Foles over from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Foles only played for the Jags for one season and only started four games (winning none of them).

THE OCHO

ESPN2 will air their fourth edition of ESPN8: The Ocho on Sunday, March 22nd. The event features 24-hours of “the world’s most bizarre, innovative and entertaining sports.” For the past few years, the network aired this unusual day of sports on 8/8 in honor of the 2004 movie “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” which featured a fictional sports channel called ESPN8: The Ocho. The line-up includes World Hamburger Eating Championship, professional arm wrestling, live cornhole, and of course dodgeball. 

 

 

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Tom Brady Goes To Tampa, Edelman’s Tribute, Rivers A Colt, Kevin Durant Tests Positive

FOOTBALL

In a stunning move, Tom Brady announced he will join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. According to reports, Brady will sign a two-year deal worth approximately $30 million per season. As soon as fans heard the news, Ticketmaster sales for Bucs season tickets exploded.

Julian Edelman posted a heartfelt video tribute to Brady, to the tune of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.”

In other free agency moves, the Indianapolis Colts will sign 38-year old Philip Rivers to a one-year deal worth $25 million. Rivers has played for the Los Angeles Chargers (previously the San Diego Chargers) his whole career and is sixth on the NFL’s all-time passing yards list.

BASKETBALL

The Brooklyn Nets announced four players have tested positive for the coronavirus including Kevin Durant. The number of publicly known cases of NBA players testing positive is now seven.

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Tom Brady Will Leave Patriots, Texans Trade Hopkins, Vikings Trade Diggs, MLB Delayed, Derby Postponed

FOOTBALL

Tom Brady announced on Twitter he will be leaving the Patriots. In a post named “Forever a Patriot”, the six-time Super Bowl champion announced he will become an unrestricted free for the first time in his career.

“To all my teammates, coaches, executives and staff, Coach Belichick, RKK and the Kraft family and the entire organization. I want to say thank you for the past twenty years of my life and the daily commitment to winning and creating a winning club built on great values. I am grateful for all that you have taught me- I have learned from everyone. You all have allowed me to maximize my potential and that is all a player can hope for, Everything we have accomplished brings me great joy and the lessons I have learned will carry on with me forever. I couldn’t be the man I am today without the relationships you have allowed me to build with you. I have benefited from all you have given me. I cherish every opportunity I had to be a part of our team, and I love you all for it. Our team has always set a great standard in pro sports and I know it will continue to do just that. Although my football journey will take place elsewhere, I appreciated everything that we have achieved and am grateful for our incredible TEAM accomplishments. I have been privileged to have had the opportunity to know each and every one of you, and to have the memories we’ve created together.”

In other NFL trade news (and a head-scratcher for most analysts and fans), the Houston Texans announced they will trade one of the best receivers in the league, DeAndre Hopkins, to the Arizona Cardinals for running back David Johnson and a 2020 2nd-round pick and a 2021 4th-round pick.

The Minnesota Vikings announced they will trade Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills for a 2020 1st-round, 5th round, and 6th round pick as well as a 2021 4th-round pick.

BASEBALL

Major League Baseball delayed the start of their regular season until at least mid-May due to the CDC’s recommendation to cancel or postpone all events involving more than 50 people over the next eight weeks.

HORSE RACING

The Kentucky Derby will be pushed back to September 5th.

 

 

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