Archive for August, 2020

Kittle Highest Paid TE, BodyArmor Wants To Surpass Gatorade, Curry Could Have Own Brand, Kobe Bryant Day

FOOTBALL

The San Francisco 49ers made tight end George Kittle the highest-paid tight end in NFL history. Kittle will make  $75 million over five years, including an $18 million signing bonus. $30 million guaranteed at signing and $40 million guaranteed for injury.

OTHER

BodyArmor is trying to surpass Gatorade as the #1 sports drink. The company lists James Harden, Mike Trout, Naomi Osaka, and recently  Christian McCaffrey as some of their athletic partnerships. BodyArmor’s CEO Mike Repole said, “This is either going to go bankrupt in five years or going to be the No. 1 sports drink by 2025.”

According to a report by Letsgowarriors.com, Stephen Curry could have his own brand (similar to Michael Jordan’s label, Jordan Brand, with Nike) through Under Armour.  Under Armour hasn’t confirmed or denied the report.

Orange County supervisors declared August 24th as “Kobe Bryant Day” in Southern California county where the superstar lived before his tragic helicopter accident.

 

 

Share
No comments

Big Ten/Pac-12 Cancel Fall Sports, NFL Considering Saturday Games, Rangers First Pick, MLB’s Postseason

FOOTBALL

It’s official and historic. The Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences have postponed fall sports (including football) due to COVID-19 concerns. No word yet from the ACC, SEC, and Big 12 on whether they’ll be on the field. The Big Ten hasn’t ruled out the possibility of playing spring football, but it’s complicated, and a decision won’t be made for a while.

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh released a statement saying, “Our student-athletes and coaches want to compete. They have committed, trained and prepared their entire lives for this opportunity, and I know how much they’re disappointed at this time. I share in their disappointment today.”

With either no (or limited) college football, the NFL is reportedly considering changing its schedule to include Saturday games.

HOCKEY

The New York Rangers will get the first pick in the NHL draft. It’s only the second time in Rangers history (the first was in 1965) the team will have the number one pick. Many believe the Rangers will choose Alexis Lafreniere.

BASEBALL

According to reports, Major League Baseball could move the postseason to a few neutral and warm weather sites with low COVID-19 issues.

Share
No comments

Morikawa Wins PGA Championship, MAC Cancels Fall, Laureano & Plesac Violate Protocols, NHL Quarterfinals, Tiz The Law Wins Travers

GOLF

Twenty-three-year-old Collin Morikawa finished 13-under par to win the US PGA Championship. Having turned pro 14 months ago, the championship was only Morikawa’s second major and 28th tournament.  Morikawa joins Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Jack Nicklaus as the only 23-year old winners of the PGA Championship.

FOOTBALL

The Mid-Atlantic Conference (MAC) officially canceled its 2020 college football season and all other fall sports. Many are now wondering when the other Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conferences will follow suit.

BASEBALL

Major League Baseball specifically outlined in their COVID-19  protocols that any players breaking social distancing guidelines in order to engage or fight with another player or team would be severely punished. It’s no surprise then that Oakland Athletics Ramon Laureano, who charged the Houston Astros’ dugout sparking a bench-clearing altercation, will face discipline. Astros hitting coach Alex Cintron, who was seen egging Laureano on, could face disciplinary action as well.

Cleveland Indians Zach Plesac violated protocol as well when he went out with friends in Chicago after the Indians beat the White Sox on Saturday. Plesac was sent back to Cleveland and will be quarantined for 72 hours and tested daily for COVID-19.

HOCKEY

The quarterfinals of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs are set with 16 teams remaining.

HORSE RACING

Tiz the Law ran away from the competition in an exciting 5 1/2 length victory at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday. Manny Franco guided Tiz the Law through a perfect race and a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure. It’s now on to the Kentucky Derby September 5th for this special horse.

Share
No comments

Travers Stakes, Deadline For NFL Opt-Out, 56 Players Positive, Clemson Ranks #1, Ohio State #2, Wine In NBA Bubble, NHL Weekend Games

HORSE RACING

The Travers Stakes takes place on Saturday. The $1 million race is one of the most prestigious in North America. Traditionally the Travers (known as the “Mid-Summer Derby”) is run a few months after the Triple Crown series where the elite 3-year olds have already experienced the grueling 1 1/4 distance of the Kentucky Derby. Now that the Derby has been postponed to September 5th, the horses will be testing their limits at the 1 1/4 distance for the first time.  Eight horses will compete on Saturday, with Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law as the even-money favorite.

FOOTBALL

The deadline for NFL players to opt-out of the season if they are concerned about health risks due to COVID-19 has passed. Players who are high-risk and who opt-out will receive a $350,000 stipend, while those who are at a lesser risk and opt-out will receive a $150,000 salary advance. Players can opt-out later in the year as well if a family member becomes sick. For a list of the players who will not be part of the NFL 2020 season, click here.

In related news, the NFL Players Association announced 56 players have tested positive for COVID-19 since the opening of training camp.

It’s still unclear what will happen with college football this season, but that didn’t stop the excitement of seeing the release of the preseason coaches poll. Clemson took the top spot,  followed by Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, and then LSU rounding out the top 5.

BASKETBALL

In the NBA bubble, wine deliveries and wine consumption have skyrocketed. Players have either purchased wine refrigerators for their rooms or, in the case of Portland Trail Blazer CJ McCollum, have transformed their room into a wine fridge. McCollum keeps his room at 60 degrees when he’s inside and around mid-to-high 50’s when he leaves so as to properly store his 84 bottles of mostly pinot noir from Oregon.

HOCKEY

By Sunday night, the 16-team NHL playoff field will be set. For a list of the weekend games, click here.

 

 

 

 

Share
No comments

UConn Cancels Football, Division II,III Fall Sports Canceled, Big 10 Demands, Bud Light Free Beer In Detroit, Denver, PGA Championship

FOOTBALL

UConn announced it’s canceling its 2020 football season. According to UConn athletics director David Benedict “Ultimately, the student-athletes would rather preserve their year of eligibility with an eye to competing under more typical circumstances during the 2021 season.”

The NCAA also announced Division II and Division III fall sports will be canceled. The sports affected are football, men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, and men’s water polo.

By laying out a list of demands for playing in the 2020 season, a group of Big Ten athletes have followed the example set earlier this week by a group of students from the Pac-12. Almost all of the Big Ten players’ demands are related to COVID-19 safety issues. According to reports, there are as many at 1,400 Big Ten and Pac-12 students involved in a potential boycott if their demands are not met.

Bud Light is promising free beer in either Detroit or Denver this season if either one of their kickers breaks the NFL record for the longest field goal. It all started when Broncos kicker Brandon McManus stated he wanted to break the record. Bud Light chimed in and said the company would give away free beer in Denver if McManus succeeded.  Current record holder (at 64-yards), Detroit’s Matt Prater jumped in saying he’d like to break his own record. Bud Light then stated it would supply free beer to the entire cities of Detroit or Denver if either one of these kickers could accomplish this feat.

GOLF

The 2020 PGA Championship begins today at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. The event marks the first major of the year, and 95 of the top 100 players are competing.

 

 

 

 

 

Share
No comments

“The Rock” Buys XFL For $15Mill, Saints Sequester In Hotel, Cardinals Major COVID-19 Outbreak, Ledecky’s Chocolate Milk Swim

FOOTBALL

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, along with partners RedBird Capital and Dany Garcia (Johnson’s ex-wife and business partner),  bought the XFL for $15 million. The XFL was previously owned by Vince McMahon, who tried to revive the League in 2020 (after his first attempt 19 years ago), but was unable to get any traction due to the coronavirus pandemic. Partners have been in therapy and health sessions and have been promoting the shock wave therapy machine for sale in their establishments.

Johnson stated in a press release, “The acquisition of the XFL with my talented partners, Dany Garcia and Gerry Cardinale, is an investment for me that’s rooted deeply in two things — my passion for the game and my desire to always take care of the fans. With pride and gratitude for all that I’ve built with my own two hands, I plan to apply these callouses to the XFL, and look forward to creating something special for the players, fans, and everyone involved for the love of football.”

In NFL news, the New Orleans Saints rented out the top floors of the Loews Hotel in New Orleans for the players, coaches, and other staff to hole up during the next month of training camp in order to keep the team healthy. Saints coach Sean Payton insists “It’s not a bubble. It’s a sequester.”

BASEBALL

The St. Louis Cardinals are dealing with a major outbreak of positive COVID-19 cases. The number has now grown to 13 affected, and the team will be unable to play for another week.

SWIMMING

Check out Katie Ledecky’s #gotmilkchallenge on TikTok. She swims the length of the pool with a glass of chocolate milk on her head. Amazing.

 

 

Share
No comments

Pac-12 Players List Of Demands, Hawk-Eye Live, Cespedes Sit Out Season

FOOTBALL

A group of Pac-12 football players are threatening to sit out the upcoming season unless the Conference addresses their concerns. The list of demands include:

  1. Increase in health and safety protocols and protections including medical insurance for six years post-eligibility
  2. Commitment to social justice issues including a special task force
  3. Redistribution of revenue, specifically 50% of each sport’s revenues evenly distributed among athletes

TENNIS

We will see major technological innovations throughout the sporting world over the next few months and years. One such innovation, called Hawk-Eye Live, will replace line judges at tennis tournaments with an automated system. The U.S. Open (August 31st-September 13th) will use this system.

BASEBALL

The New York Mets announced Yoenis Cespedes will opt-out of the season due to concerns over COVID-19. Many players are deciding to opt-out of their season, but Cespedes did it in an unusual (and seemingly disrespectful way).  Over the weekend, Cespedes did not show up for the game against the Atlanta Braves. The team sent security to his hotel room and found the room completely cleared out. Cespedes did not tell anyone he was leaving, sparking speculation he’s upset with the team for his lack of adequate playing time.

 

Share
1 comment

« Previous Page