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coatbear29 · 3 years

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College Football Week 11 Scores, Top 25 Testing And Must-see Moments

The mother of 16-year-old Kaylin Johnson stated her last conversation together with her boy had been as he asked authorization to push the vehicle into the YMCA before she went to work - sadly, he never managed to make it there. Then I requested him exactly what he had been doing hanging in North Philly, because We have always thought he existed in West Philly. After Frazier played for my staff, we never saw him once more until four months ago, when I ran into him at a church in North Philadelphia that has been changed into a youth sports center. As a youth baseball advisor, Frazier and Mitchell played to my staff. Your child will better comprehend childhood soccer guidelines and continue steadily to master fundamental soccer practices. Becky Edwards finalized with Florida State in 2006 out of Downington western High School in Downington, Pa., and became one of the better football players in Florida State history. That thirty days, Mitchell ended up being set to graduate from western Philadelphia full of the next a couple of weeks. She averaged 2.83 kills, 0.91 obstructs and 3.51 points per set and earned educational All-ACC honors for a third straight period. She led a defensive backline that set single-season files for shutouts (14) and GAA (0.67) making a location in the ACC All-Freshman Team and also the top-drawer Soccer National All-Freshman Team. He led FSU to its first-ever ACC Championship in 2007 and earned second-team All-America awards for the reason that same junior season. https://mtpolice24.com/ handled kickoffs for the Seminoles as a freshman in 2005 and was FSU’s starting punter and kickoff professional as a sophomore and junior. Brianna Barry was a star on / off the volleyball court from her freshman season in 2006 through her senior year when she became the first Seminole ever before named ACC Player of the Year. Each group contains 5 players from the court at any given time. Before I left the athletic center, I viewed Frazier dominate the baseball judge like an NBA basketball player. On July 26, relatives and buddies attended a memorial for Frazier at Boys Latin senior school. 3 months ago, Boys Latin High School had lost another student to gun assault - Kahree Simmons, a beloved person in the course of 2023, ended up being shot and murdered at Christy Recreation Center. Graham Gano signed with Florida State in 2005 out of Tate senior school in Pensacola and became one of the greatest unique groups players in Seminole baseball history. While I mourn the death of all three teenage boys, I had close dealings with two associated with players. It’s hard to believe that their young life has been tragically taken away. Young children should be cared for and it is difficult to perform a business effectively while taking proper care of kids. That name started an unprecedented run of success. The talented golfer’s All-America job helped launch the Seminoles’ powerful run of success under existing head coach Trey Jones. Former basketball celebrity Toney Douglas, ACC indoor volleyball Player of the Year the belated Brianna Barry, All-American golfer Jonas Blixt, women’s soccer All-American Becky Edwards, 2008 Lou Groza Award winner and present NFL celebrity Graham Gano, retired long-time athletic instructor Randy Oravetz, track-and-field sensation Ngoni Makusha, and Hamilton who is Seminoles’ all-time winningest basketball coach and presently the fifth all-time winningest advisor in ACC history. Florida State University’s Athletics Hall of Fame announced Wednesday the selection of eight brand new members, including current men’s basketball advisor Leonard Hamilton, who will constitute the 2021 class. By itself, it costs $35 four weeks and gets you 43 stations - including NBCSN. He averaged 40.8 yards per punt as a sophomore in 2006, including averaging over 40 or maybe more yards per punt in eight of the Seminoles’ 13 games. Douglas is ranked when you look at the top-10 in seven different statistical categories including job free throw shooting and steals. Toney Douglas used in FSU in 2006 from Auburn, where he attained third-team All-SEC and Freshman All-America awards. Douglas was FSU’s second-leading scorer (12.7 ppg) as a sophomore in 2007, starting 28 games at point shield for the Seminole staff that finished 22-13. As a junior, he led the 2007-08 team in scoring, averaging 15.4 points while leading the ACC in both assists and steals per online game. As a junior, she aided lead the Seminoles for their third consecutive Elite Eight appearance after FSU reached the school Cup the earlier two years. As a junior, she rated 51st when you look at the NCAA with a .349 striking percentage and was called to your CoSIDA/ESPN educational All-District staff. Their senior season was one of the better in FSU history, and it also established this program back in the national spotlight as FSU attained an NCAA bid finishing 25-10 and No. 16 in the united kingdom. She was the 2009 ACC athlete of the season, obtained United states Volleyball Coaches Association All-America 2nd Team awards, ended up being known as All-ACC and was AVCA All-Region after helping lead FSU to the Elite Eight into the 2009 NCAA Tournament, a 31-3 record and your final position of 11th in the nation. Americans’ tend to check out huge stadiums sometimes turns into watching recreations online free, just what gives more options and privileges: any groups in a state and around the world, all sorts of recreations possible, no missed objectives or big performs, possibility to watch recorded plays, etc. Based on this, most free recreation streaming sites cover preferred American games like wrestling, tennis, rugby, football, playing tennis, basketball, ice hockey, baseball, US baseball, and so forth. Edwards started 25 games as a freshman and led the Seminoles with eight helps and five game-winning helps. She began all 27 games as a sophomore scoring three goals and helping three more. Through the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics, the BBC managed to provide a large number of free livestreams of various sports, revolutionising the way Uk visitors viewed the games and offering necessary promotion to niche events that would maybe not normally have enjoyed their moment in the general public eye. Both Frazier and Mitchell played lots of games for me. With a smile on their face, Frazier told me he had a relative just who existed there. Rahm informed reporters Tuesday. I talked to him and told him how pleased I was to see him. Little did I know it will be the past time I would personally see him with a basketball inside the hand - and now he’s gone. 1st one was held last week at the Christy Recreation Center where he grew up and played baseball. He entered their senior period as a preseason All-American and Ray Guy Award view record user and ended up being slated to become 1st player at school record to deal with all kicking tasks (punt, KOs and field goals).

#먹튀폴리스 #먹튀검증

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t1dlikeme · 4 years

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Sofie's Story

“When you recognize that failing doesn’t make you a failure, you give yourself permission to try all sorts of things.” ~ Lauren Fleshman, is one of my favorite quotes, and something to remind myself in terms of diabetes management, training, and life!

Diagnosis

As a shy high school multi-sport athlete (track, soccer, and skiing) in Albuquerque, NM, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 16. I went from 2nd in state in the 800 my Sophomore year, to struggling to staying awake in class as a 4.0 student and barely making it through practices and workouts. With no history or knowledge of T1D in my family, we didn’t recognize the symptoms—I had a head-to-toe rash after swimming in waterfalls in Hawaii (may have triggered it) followed by months of losing weight despite eating jars of peanut butter and food each week just to keep energy—which my doctor at first thought “she’s a growing athlete” but we got bloodwork anyways. A week later, after yet another frustrating track meet, I was in the hospital with a blood sugar of 586, and was pumped to finally figure it out (until about 3 hours later when I remember eating a pear and seeing my blood sugar skyrocket, I burst into tears realizing how much of a change it would be!)

Fast Forward…A Few Years

After basically wanting to forget about high school (hiding in the bathroom to take shots, self-conscious and developed anxiety about weight gain post-diagnosis and just wanting to fit in), I needed something different. Although being a perfectionist and being shy / hiding from others gave me time to master my A1C early, it wasn’t sustainable and I internalized it all—until I got to college. 2000 miles from home, I chose Marquette 1) for the biomedical engineering program, and 2) for receiving a D1 Soccer Scholarship as a goalkeeper, but what I didn’t realize, is it would teach me to open up about my diagnosis and become a better athlete and advocate. I confided in my athletic trainer, who helped me with check-ins during practice (which could sometimes go 1-2 hours over the scheduled time!), and realizing we needed about ½ cup of gatorade + water every hour, supplemented with pedialyte during preseason. It was nice having my trainer, since I could get around going straight to the coaches (at first I didn’t want it to be seen as a weakness!) and she could carry around my gear for me, if needed.

While goalkeeping allowed for easier access to management during games, practices, etc. I continued to find myself gravitating towards running, strength, and conditioning. My senior year, I began to go for runs while we were on away trips and started to become hooked—I found new ways to manage my BG’s and low intensity running basically was ‘insulin in my back pocket.! After finishing my collegiate soccer career, I joined the ‘Run with the President’ running group at Marquette with Dr. Michael Lovell (our MU President). It was around this time that another faculty member, John Klika, took me to coffee and was fascinated by my thesis research of designing a lifestyle computer algorithm and model to predict glucose and hormonal levels based on activity, stress, diet, etc. It turns out he was Type 1 himself—and a multi-ironman athlete.

With a newfound confidence and support group, I gradually built my mileage and learned so many things from John about management, who also joined the running group and convinced me to run my first half marathon. It went really well—until, the group said next step: “the marathon.” I was like absolutely no way, I came from sprints up and down the field and have Type 1 Diabetes—I'm not sure I’m ready for that! But, I’m not one to step down from the challenge, and I had the group helping me through the whole way. I remember my first 18-miler—5 miles from the end, I couldn’t run more than 5 steps as I couldn’t keep my blood sugar up, even with having the proper supplies, and I was just defeated. My body wasn’t used to this, having to rely primarily on glucose as fuel, instead of an intensity and fuel mix. But, I kept going—my track workouts got faster, and my next long run, 20 miles, no stopping! (It’s also important to note that I was also doing some triathlon training too, which helped keep a balance).

I was ready and excited. Dexcom in my shorts pocket, 3 gels and gummy bears (of course), and friends cheering every step of the way! It couldn’t have been more perfect—flat line BG’s, fuel every 45 min to steady, the adrenaline rush at the 22-mile mark (the furthest I’d ever run in my life!), all propelling me to a 3rd place finish in 2:52. That was one of the best beers, post-race, I’d ever had in my life. This finish created numerous opportunities for me, including becoming a founding member of Diabetes Sports Project, JDRF Keynote talks, and more training—I wanted to try and qualify for Olympic Marathon Trials (2:45). Unfortunately, along with these positives, came a very long string (~2-3 years) of off and on injuries—I walked 13 miles of the Boston Marathon in 2017 with a tibial stress fracture, the first of a few, and just could not catch a break. These times had a lot of lows, but taught me the resilience of having other outlets, support communities, and managing my diabetes without the ability to exercise all the time (I had started to rely on this as a form of natural ‘insulin’ all through college and into running).

Looking back, these years of ups-and-downs were crucial to my development of outreach and community, my career, and finding the right balance of strength and running to stay healthy (turns out, soccer weight training had a lot to do with my injury free 25 years of my life!). I like to call this time falling not failing, something my therapist came up with (yes, I was seeing one, for anxiety and some low grade depression, which is something I will talk about now, since I think it is incredibly important that if you have any of these feelings, especially as a T1D, you are not alone!). I took a job as a medical device engineer at Dexcom and moved to San Diego, CA, acting as a liaison between clinical, regulatory, quality, design and systems engineers, which was the perfect place for me as a T1D! I started the Dexcom Running Club, and from that, have some of the fondest memories. San Diego is also where I joined Prado Racing Team (PRT), and found my coach, Paul Wellman, who I still work with today. PRT helped me find the love of running again, and I PR’d in every distance while training with them, and having a lot of fun doing so!

My time in San Diego culminated with making an attempt at running an Olympic Trials qualifying time at CIM 2019, which I just missed in 2:49. It was such an incredible experience, however, even with missing my goal—3-minute PR, running with teammates, HEALTHY and injury-free for an entire training period, and friendships. I did have a diabetes learning experience, though, which I will take forward with future races—not all nuun is ‘carb-free’! It was on the course, and I assumed it was the zero-carbs flavor, so I took it at almost every aide station, causing me to sharply rise at about Mile 11 (especially coupled with adrenaline), which unfortunately caused some cramping around Mile 15 and slowed me off my 2:43 pace. Luckily, I was able to power through, and I will be more prepared next time.

Current:

I have recently moved back to Albuquerque, NM, where I grew up. After looking for an opportunity to grow my career and move into management, this was the right move for me, and is now allowing me to explore altitude training and new heights, literally and figuratively! My family is still here, and with COVID, it has been nice to be close (and living with my boyfriend, Steve). While I am not training for any races in particular, I’m making attempts at a sub 5:00 mile (currently at 5:05 at altitude) as a ‘mini’ goal, and just trying to enjoy the simplicities of running! I am getting back into the volunteering scene, particularly with my non-profit, Diabetes Sports Project, and of course, JDRF.

Some Tips, Tricks, and Life Lessons!

Always be prepared—gummy bears in my sports bra are my favorite! I’ve learned many lessons along the way, including one of my first solo long run experiences with a low blood sugar and having to ask gas stations for a Gatorade that I would come back and pay for later (not my finest moment, but turns out, people can be very helpful!). Always carry a card or cash and know your numbers. Plus, some great times of having snacks on hand: my running buddies favorite line is “Hey Sof! How’s your BG?” “Great!! Why?” “Can I have some of your snacks….).” They need it too, and are thankful for it when they bonk!

Train with people who know you at your best and at your worst, and your symptoms—those are the ones that can push you through tough workouts to the end when you don’t think you can run one more rep or mile, or can more importantly, tell you when you need a break and to take a step back. It’s often trial and error in knowing what intensities affect your blood sugar the most, but with a community, you can’t fail—you learn. As unpredictable as it is sometimes, Type 1 actually can give you an athletic edge. You have to know what your blood sugar is at all times, and how your body is feeling. No one else has to do that!

Sofie Schunk

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ledenews · 4 years

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Sports Shorts - February 26, 2020

WU's Fleming, Bethany's Blango Honored

Wheeling's Liz Fleming was named the Mountain East Conference's Field Athlete of the Year at the MEC Indoor Championships after capturing both the weight throw and shot put, helping the Cardinals to a third-place team finish. She managed a 17.61-meter throw in the weight throw event and a 14.31 meter put in the shot. Bethany's Chas Blango was named the PAC Field Athlete of the Week after finishing third overall in the weight throw and 13th in the shot put at the Mount Union Raider Tune-Up. Blango's put of 12.98 meters was the fifth-best mark in the PAC this indoor season. The PAC Indoor Championships get underway Thursday at Youngstown State.

Boys and Girls Sectional Action Continues

Ohio boys' basketball sectional final matchups in divisions III and IV are set after Tuesday's night's action across the Buckeye State. Division II games take place tonight, along with girls' district action. Across the river in West Virginia, girls' sectional action continues. In Class A, top-seeded Wheeling Central raced out early and put to rest any hope of a Valley Lumberjills upset, ending the first half on a 17-0 run en route to a 68-39 win. Hannah White led the Maroon Knights with 14 and Tristen White added 12. Jamey West led the 'Jills with 12. The Knights will take on Cameron Friday in Moundsville for the sectional crown. The Dragons overcame an early 8-0 hole to defeat Madonna 42-38 in Tuesday's early game. Lily Neely paced Cameron with 16 points. In Class AA, Weir fell to No. 1 North Marion, 80-38. Sophia Mikula and Isabella Aperfine led the Red Riders with 10 apiece. In Ohio, Union Local withstood a tough test early from Buckeye Local to advance 76-52 in Division III sectional action. The Jets were led by 22 from Luke Merritt and 21 from Zach Bateman. UL hosts Morgan, a 55-45 winner against Harrison Central, on Friday in a sectional co-final. Bellaire fell to two-seed Fort Frye 63-32, while Martins Ferry took care of Sandy Valley, 41-35. The Purple Riders will now face the Cadets. On the opposite side of the bracket, Barnesville bested Coshocton 65-56 and advances to play Tuscarawas Valley, a 64-19 winner against Edison. In Division IV, Hiland hammered Conotton Valley 64-13 and Rosecrans took care of Beallsville 72-26, setting up a matchup between the number one and two seeds in Friday's sectional co-final. Shenandoah beat Steubenville Catholic 79-63 and next faces Strasburg, a 47-21 victor against River. Malvern defeated Bridgeport 77-44 and faces Tuscarawas Catholic Central, a 56-41 winner against Toronto. Finally, four seed Shadyside and six seed Frontier will face off after winning their respective games against Caldwell and Monroe. The Cougars trailed late but forced overtime and beat the Seminoles 68-65.

Hilltoppers Rise in NABC Poll

Following wins against regionally ranked Fairmont State and Frostburg State, the West Liberty men's basketball team continued to rise in the NABC Division II Top 25 poll, improving three spots to No. 13. The top five remained the same, with N.W. Missouri State, Lincoln Memorial, West Texas A&M, UC-San Diego and Florida Southern. Directly behind West Liberty at No. 14 is Jim Crutchfield's 20-4 Nova Southeastern team. The Hilltoppers are streaking, winners of 16 of their last 17 and are closing in on a record 12th national scoring title. West Liberty currently scores at 105.3 points per game, one of only two Division II teams to average in triple digits. The other? Nova Southeastern. West Liberty is currently third in the regional rankings. Indiana (Pa.), No. 7 in the NABC poll, is number one, followed by Shippensburg, West Lib, Fairmont State and Charleston.

National Arena League Moves

The Carolina Cobras were active on the transaction wire recently, adding secondary help by signing 6-foot-4 defensive back Armagedon Draughn. Draughn comes from the CFL's Montreal Alouettes, played in a preseason game with the New York Jets before being cut. He played collegiality at Albany State before transferring to Tuskegee. To make room, the Cobras released receivers Marc DesRuisseaux, Jaren Colston-Green, defensive back Timothy Keith and WR/DB Andrew Williams.

Waynesburg Ousts Bethany Women

Basketball season at Bethany College came to an early end this week as Waynesburg beat the Bison 79-65 in the quarterfinal round of the Presidents Athletic Conference tournament. The Bison were led by Cameron's Courtney Walker with 22 points and four rebounds. Haylie Glass back Walker with 14 points and Monroe Central's Allison Kuhn added nine in the loss. Waynesburg was led by Brooke Fuller's 16-point, 12-rebound effort. Former Union Local standout Alli DeLaney aided Fuller with 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Waynesburg advances to play Westminster, the winner of which will face second-seed Grove City. The Bethany men finished last in the PAC standings and didn't qualify for the men's tournament.

Sports on TV

Spring training replays for both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Indians are available tonight. The Pirates vs. Red Sox replay will be at 6 p.m. on ATTSN while Indians and Padres will air at 8 p.m. on the MLB Network. Virginia and Virginia Tech will battle at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. FSN1 features Georgetown at Marquette at 8:30 p.m. St. Joe's will travel to St. Louis on CBSSN at 9 p.m., with LSU and Florida battling at 9 p.m. on ESPN2. In the NBA, Fox Sports Ohio channels will feature the Philadelphia 76ers at the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7 p.m. ESPN's Wednesday night league doubleheader starts with Memphis at Houston at 8 p.m., followed by Boston at Utah at 10:30 p.m. Fox Sports 2 is airing CONCACAF Champions League Soccer at 8 p.m. with the Montreal Impact facing Deportivo Saprissa, followed by America vs. CS y Dcomunicaciones at 10 p.m. NBCSN is airing the Buffalo Sabres at Colorado Avalanche at 8 p.m., followed by the Pittsburgh Penguins at Los Angeles Kings at 10:30 p.m. Read the full article

#BethanyCollege #Hilltopper #Hilltoppers #NAL #Ohio #Roughriders #TV #wheeling #wvgirlsbasketball

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airoasis · 6 years

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Motivation a type in final week of CFL Fantasy

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nba

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NHL

Toffoli leads Kings' early barrage in win over Leafs

Scheifele's hat trick leads Jets over Stars

Cullen sparks Wild in win over Price, Canadiens

Giordano, Smith help Flames beat Pens in OT

Stone, Anderson lead Sens past Wings

Hextall: Flyers won't acquire D amid injuries

Channelling Astros, Vegas gives Leafs best odds to be 2019 champs

The Quiz: What's the worst pick 6 this season?

Housley: 'We almost shot ourselves in the foot'

Community of Flin Flon shaped Bobby Clarke's life and career

Insider Trading: Shipachyov has returned to Russia

Avs' Varlamov makes 57 saves in win

Miller scores in OT, Rangers beat Lightning

Neuvirth stands tall as Flyers blank Blues

Kuraly's goal lifts Bruins past Golden Knights

Anderson scores a pair; Blue Jackets top Panthers

Eller scores twice, adds assist as Caps beat Isles

Ovechkin starting social movement for Putin

Kapanen gets big chance against Kings

Leafs Ice Chips: Kapanen's big chance to play with mentor Komarov

CFL

Finale for Stamps, Bombers a battle of backup QBs

Tiger-Cats ready to give their all against Als

LeFevour confident with West semifinal home field on the line

Stamps still focused on beating Bombers to get set for playoff run

Motivation a key in final week of CFL Fantasy

Reilly, Ray among team finalists for outstanding player award

Woods has long history with Lions star Rainey

Ruffles Crunch Time: From one great country and league to another

Nichols ruled out, LeFevour to start Friday vs. Stamps

Davis disappointed, feels he should be starting this week for Bombers

3 Downs: How concerning are injuries to Nichols, Harris for Bombers?

Huddle Up: Should Riders keep playing both Bridge and Glenn?

Hervey hoping for CFL return

Eskimos' Thompson out for the season

Shiltz to become 12th post-Calvillo starter for Alouettes

Coombs will start at running back in Argos' regular season finale

Banks, Masoli, Reilly named CFL top performers

CFL Fantasy: Rainey takes advantage of his opportunity

NFL

Forte rushes for two TDs, Jets run over Bills

Report: Texans' Watson tears ACL

Colts shut down Luck for season

Jones' numbers are down, but he's not sweating it

Schultz’s Week 9 picks: Take the Lions at Lambeau

49ers' Garcon on IR with neck injury

Browns WR Gordon could return this month

Game of Throws: Bills, Eagles are trade deadline winners

Statistically Speaking: Changes coming at running back

Cowboys look to Morris, others with Elliott suspended

Report: Osweiler to start at QB for Broncos

Irvin shakes his head at the latest screw up by the Browns

Ranking the best NFL trade deadline deals

Hoyer signs three-year deal with Pats

Flacco expected to start Sunday vs Titans

Vikings GM: Bridgewater's status still being determined

Lynch back with Raiders after suspension

After motion denied, PA seeks to block ruling so Elliott can play

Beyond the Scoreboard: How everybody can win from NFL protests

NBA

Lillard nails game winner as Blazers top Lakers

Warriors crush injury-riddled Spurs

Five thoughts on Murray, Okafor and more

Cavs forward Thompson out 3-4 weeks

NBA to hold lottery in Chicago next spring

Celtics' Hayward back in gym, but no timeline for return

Murray leads Nuggets' rout of Raptors

Cavs drop 4th straight as Pacers roll

Irving, Celtics beat Kings for sixth straight

Butler's late points lift T-Wolves over Pelicans

Simmons, Embiid dominate in 76ers' win over Hawks

Harden's 31 points lead Rockets past Knicks

Fournier, Gordon help Magic top Grizzlies

Warren's career night leads Suns past Wizards

Heat top Bulls to end three-game slide

Walker, Monk lead Hornets past Bucks

Rautins on efficiency of Raptors' second unit, Cavs early struggles

Spurs bring back Parker after rehab stint

Okafor asks Sixers for buyout

George, Thunder cruise to win over Bucks

MLB

A Blue Jays free agency primer

Darvish, Otani and Arrieta top MLB free-agent class

Future Watch: Arizona Fall League edition

Angels, Upton agree on five-year, $106M deal

Dodgers face decisions, luxury tax bill in off-season

Nats' Martinez: 'We're here to win the World Series'

A's exercise Lowrie's $6 million option

White Sox' Soto declines option, becomes free agent

Twins' Sano to undergo surgery for leg injury

Nats hire ex-Mets, ex-Yankees hitting coach Long

Mariners decline options on Iwakuma and Gallardo

Astros beat Dodgers for first World Series title

Roberts on Darvish: I can't explain the results

Puig's home burglarized during Game 7

Dodgers' title drought extended to 30 years

With five homers, Springer named MVP

Verlander on WS win: 'Everything I could ever imagine'

Phillips: Entire city of Houston was in this together

Perez discusses Astros' long road to first World Series title

Red Sox hire La Russa as special assistant

Soccer

Dempsey nets two as Sounders eliminate Whitecaps from playoffs

TFC complains to MLS over fan abuse in NYC

Milan held to tie; Atalanta, Kyiv advance in Europa

United's Young recalled to England

Evra charged with violent conduct for kicking fan

Tottenham stuns Real Madrid to reach knockout phase

Sinclair leads young Canada squad against U.S.

Dortmund faces Champions League exit after draw with APOEL

Besitkas closer to knockout stage after draw with Monaco

Moor, Vazquez questionable for TFC vs. Red Bulls

Crew take advantage of short-handed NYCFC in first leg

United beats Benfica after more agony for keeper Svilar

PSG win big, advance in Champions League

Must See: Neymar belts a screamer vs. Anderlecht

Atletico held by 10-man Qarabag in Champions League

Giovinco's free kick lifts TFC over Red Bulls

Atletico Madrid returns to former stadium

FIFA exec says 24-team Club World Cup discussed

After ten matches, Madrid facing big deficit

EPL: Leicester City 2, Everton 0

NCAA

Duke is No. 1 in AP preseason poll for second straight year

Barrett to make NCAA decision on Nov. 10

Georgia ranked at top of first CFP rankings

Predictions for a huge CFB weekend

Oklahoma's win over Ohio State important to CFP committee

Must See: College football coach scares players

Kelly focused on Notre Dame maintaining success

The road to the CFP has been wild

Florida, HC McElwain mutually part ways

AP Top 25: Georgia rises to No. 2, Ohio State up to No. 3

No. 6 Ohio State rallies to beat No. 2 Penn State

No. 25 Iowa State upsets No. 4 TCU in low-scoring game

No. 7 Clemson rebound for victory over Georgia Tech

No. 3 Georgia thumps rival Florida

No. 8 Miami stays unbeaten, tops North Carolina

No. 5 Wisconsin holds off Illinois, stays unbeaten

Northwestern stuns No. 16 Michigan St. in OT

No. 9 Notre Dame wears down No. 14 NC State

Peters helps Michigan pull away and top Rutgers

Rudolph shines in rain, No. 11 Oklahoma St. beats No. 22 WVU

UFC

St-Pierre, Bisping trade barbs ahead of UFC 217

TSN Original: 'The Mind of GSP'

Things get heated at UFC 217 news conference

Does Namajunas have a chance against Jedrzejczyk?

Garbrandt trying to create tense environment ahead of Dillashaw fight

McGregor: I'd beat Mayweather in a rematch

Is Bisping really 'terrified' of St-Pierre's wrestling?

Duffy on training with St-Pierre during his fight camp

Thompson ready to adapt to any style Masvidal brings

Gall explains why he brings so much confidence to mixed martial arts

Brown on fighting for New York in the wake of a tragic incident

Vick frustrated UFC has been unable to secure him a Top 15 opponent

This Fight is Important: Garbrandt vs. Dillashaw

This Fight is Important: Jedrzejczyk vs. Namajunas

GSP can cement his place in UFC history with win in his return

UFC Notebook: Covington cements himself as a contender

St-Pierre holds open practice in Montreal

Lawler: MacDonald using steroid accusations as a coping mechanism

UFC Notebook: Till delivers upset over Cerrone

Tennis

Del Potro beats Haase in third round of Paris Masters

Nadal wins in Paris, will end year as No. 1

Vandeweghe, Barty, Sevastova advance to semifinals

Rybarikova upsets Mladenovic at WTA Elite Trophy

Shapovalov bounced in straight-sets at Paris Masters

Thiem grinds past Gojowczyk at Paris Masters

Vandeweghe opens WTA Elite Trophy with win

Federer wins hometown Swiss Indoors

Wozniacki claims trophy at WTA Finals

Wozniacki advances in WTA Finals

Federer moves on at Swiss Indoors

Shapovalov falls in second round to Mannarino

Garcia advances at WTA Finals

Federer, Del Potro, Cilic advance to Basel quarters

Venus Williams reaches semifinals at WTA Finals

Del Potro beats Sousa in quest for third Basel title

Wawrinka needs coach after Norman leaves

Federer beats Tiafoe in at hometown Basel event

Sock rallies to beat Pospisil at Swiss Indoors

Williams needs more than 3 hours to beat Ostapenko

Golf

Whee shoots 65 to take Las Vegas lead

Report: Olympic to get PGA, Ryder Cup

Hot putter leads to fast start for Taylor

Tiger's back, but there's a lot to be addressed

Rose keeps alive streak of winning every year since 2010

Silverman's top 10 an important finish

Woods to play in Hero World Challenge

Armour shoots 68, earns 1st career win at Sanderson Farms

Rose wins title at HSBC Champions

PGA: Sanderson Farms Championship - Rd. 4

Kerr wins in Malaysia with birdie on last hole

Johnson leads at HSBC Champions

Armour takes five-shot lead at Sanderson Farms

Woods pleads guilty to reckless driving

Johnson grabs lead with new putter at HSBC Champions

Armour takes one-shot lead at Sanderson Farms

Toms makes ace, shares lead at Sherwood

Feng shoots 65 to lead Sime Darby

Johnson would welcome a PGA shot clock

Landry, Spaun among leaders at Sanderson Farms

Hockey Canada

Spooner calls Olympic funding 'amazing'

Canada continues search for hockey talent ahead of Olympics

Canada unveils 2018 hockey jerseys

TeamSnap partners with Hockey Canada

Spooner scores twice as Canada beats U.S.

Scrivens, Lee on Canada's pre-Olympic roster

Labonte sees great development in Canadian goalies

Canada's women's team falls to U.S. in pre-Olympic matchup

Bonhomme: Coyne, Decker and Knight overpower Team Canada

Davidson discusses challenges of assembling Olympic roster

66 players chosen to represent Canada at 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge

Renney discusses Canada's Olympic expectations

Olympic gold medalist Watchorn announces retirement

IIHF release Olympic hockey schedule

Canadian women's forward Campbell retires from international play

Olympian Labonte retires from women's hockey

Hockey Canada contacts Doan and Iginla for Olympics

Regina hockey legend Tuer dies at 87

McBain leads Canada over Czechs to win Ivan Hlinka

Canada beats Sweden to advance to Ivan Hlinka final

Curling

Simmons finds right fit alongside three young guns ahead of Pre-Trials

Gushue, Jones capture Masters title in Lloydminster

Big names highlight field at men's Road to the Roar Pre-Trials

Anybody's game at women's Road to the Roar

WCT Recap: Edin defends at Champery, Roth surprises at Canad Inns

WCT Recap: Carruthers defends title at Canad Inns

Canada takes silver at mixed curling worlds

Brier to be held in Brandon in 2019

Mourning the passing of Ray Turnbull

WCT/CCT Recap: Gushue, Homan just keep on winning

WCT/CCT Recap: World champions Gushue, Homan victorious

Canada to face Brazil for men's worlds curling berth

WCT Recap: Gunnlaugson, Tippin, Englot pick up wins

WCT Recap: Jacobs, Sinclair take home Shorty Jenkins

What you need to know for the women's curling season

What you need to know for the men's curling season

Curling worlds to stay in Canada until 2020

Gushue downs Walstad to claim Tour Challenge

Team Gushue captures Everest Curling Challenge

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whiskeyandsoccer · 7 years

Link

It was a phone call that threw former Mexico youth international Jazmin Aguas' fledgling career into limbo.

Aguas was in the Chivas club house in Guadalajara, where the 24-year-old from Escondido, California, had been working hard for four months to prepare for the start of the inaugural women's professional soccer league, Liga MX Femenil, on July 28.

Almost exactly a month to the day from the historic first game, Aguas' friend Clarissa Robles -- a current Mexico international also from California -- was about to board a flight to begin a career at Tigres in the Liga MX Femenil, but found out through her coach that no player born outside of Mexico's borders could be registered.

Robles called her friend Aguas to find out if she was in the same situation. Aguas ran down to find the Chivas staff to enquire. But after initially being reassured, it became clear that the Liga MX had closed the doors to Mexican-American players born in the United States, even if they are Mexico national team players.

When the formation of the league was announced in December, Liga MX president Enrique Bonilla had said that Mexican-U.S. dual nationals would be welcomed. But Article 8 of the league's rules indicates that there has been a reversal: "Only players born in Mexico can participate in Liga MX Femenil tournaments."

According to players, clubs appeared to have been unaware until late June and Club America was holding tryouts in Chicago just last week. Chivas manager Luis Fernando Camacho certainly didn't know when Aguas came to ask about her situation.

"(She) was part of our plans," Camacho said in an interview with ESPN Mexico. "We put in the paperwork and when they rejected it, we realized the rules we have to follow."

Like many young Mexican players, forward Aguas was naturally excited by the start of the women's league in Mexico. She finds it difficult to comprehend how she and others can pull on the Mexican national team shirt and not be allowed to play in the Mexican league.

"I think the rule is unfair, and it's sadly discriminating me and the other double nationality players," Aguas told ESPN FC from Guadalajara. "I find it sad that we were left out of this tournament. I simply don't understand how we can represent this country with pride and honor but can't play in the league. The whole idea of forming this league was to support women's soccer as well as the national team."

Aguas argues that for those girls who have graduated from college in the U.S. but maybe don't have opportunities abroad, the Liga MX was ideal to maintain fitness and form and push for places in the Mexico national team, creating competition for places in the process.

Mexican national team midfielder Olivia Jimenez -- who made global headlines in 2012 when she was nominated for the FIFA Puskas Award -- was part of Club America's preseason and only found out about Article 8 when the club tried to register her. The 25-year-old was born in the U.S. but raised in Mexico, adding an even more confusing layer to the rule. She's currently working in a printing business in San Diego and training on the side, which doesn't seem to be the ideal set-up for a current international footballer.

"In my humble opinion, I believe that it's absurd to be able to represent my country, but not be able to play in it," Jimenez told ESPN FC. "(The league) is a great project and I hope in the future they change (the rule) and I can play in my beloved Mexico."

ESPN FC has learned of at least three other players with Mexican citizenship, but who were born in the U.S., who were planning to play in the Liga MX Femenil this season and no longer can.

The rule certainly raises moral questions, and perhaps even legal ones.

The Mexican Constitution defines Mexican citizenship as those born in Mexican territory, or people born abroad and who have at least one parent who was born in Mexico or is a naturalized Mexican. But the Liga MX Femenil rule makes a distinction.

If the rule was applied to the men's league, Mexico internationals Isaac Brizuela and Miguel Ponce -- who were born in the States but raised in Mexico -- wouldn't be able to play in Liga MX. U.S. internationals and Mexican citizens Omar Gonzalez, Edgar Castillo, Joe Corona, Paul Arriola and a host of others couldn't have made the move south, either.

The closing of the Liga MX Femenil to those not born in Mexico hastened Victoria Perez's decision to step away from the game as a player and pursue a different career path, she told ESPN.

Border clubs such as Club Tijuana are likely to have major problems in sifting through the eligible women players, with so many dual nationals -- like Mexican national teammate Jimenez -- in the Baja California region of Mexico.

The case of 29-year-old Veronica Perez is slightly different. The Hayward, California, native scored perhaps the most famous goal in the history of women's soccer in Mexico, when El Tri defeated the United States in World Cup qualifying in 2010. Soccer America described it at the time as "the greatest upset in the history of women's soccer."

Perez pulled on the Mexico jersey 89 times, but the closing of the Liga MX Femenil to those not born in Mexico hastened her decision to step away from the game as a player and pursue a different career path, she confirmed to ESPN.

"I've played 89 times for the Mexican women's team during the last six years, giving my best effort to represent Mexico with pride," Perez wrote on Twitter on June 30 in Spanish. "And now I can't play in the Mexican women's league? How weird. It makes no sense."

While Perez is exploring other careers and Jimenez is working in Tijuana, Aguas is completely unsure of her next move. She has options to play at universities in Guadalajara, and Chivas are allowing her to continue training at the club. But she knows "time is ticking" on her goal of playing professional soccer.

"It was heartbreaking because I had already signed my contract," she said. "I could see my level getting back and I was excited to represent one of the biggest clubs of Mexico in its first-ever women's Liga MX (Femenil season), but now it's over and who knows how long it will be until this rule is turned over, or if it will even get turned over."

Despite the heartbreak, Aguas remains convinced the league will be good for women's soccer in Mexico and will be supporting the Liga MX Femenil, probably fighting what would be a bittersweet feeling inside.

"As much anger I have or am upset over this, I do thank the federation for finally making this a reality," Aguas said. "It's a huge step and it's only the beginning of women's soccer here in Mexico.

"I'm excited for my fellow teammates and every single athlete that gets to participate in this league for the first time. I definitely wish them the best of luck and I hope they enjoy it because it's a beautiful experience."

The Liga MX didn't reply to a enquiry from ESPN FC as to why the rule was implemented.

#liga mx #mexwnt #veronica perez #woso

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rickhorrow · 5 years

Text

10 To Watch : Mayor’s Edition 72919

RICK HORROW’S TOP 10 SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 29 : MAYOR’S EDITION

with Jacob Aere

Forbes named the most valuable franchises in sports, led by the Dallas Cowboys, who for the fourth consecutive year landed atop the list. The study values the Cowboys at $5 billion, with the Yankees second on the list at $4.6 billion, and Spain’s Real Madrid in third with a valuation of $4.24 billion. Rounding out the top ten are Barcelona ($4.02 billion), the Knicks ($4 billion), Manchester United ($3.81 billion), the Patriots ($3.8 billion), the Lakers ($3.7 billion), the Golden State Warriors ($3.5 billion), the New York Giants ($3.3 billion), and the Dodgers ($3.3 billion). The NFL dominates the overall list with 26 teams in the top 50. A major contributor was the league’s lucrative media rights deals with CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, and DirecTV, which saw each team receive more than $260 million last year. Way behind the NFL was the NBA, which had nine teams on the list. Eight European soccer clubs made the list, as did seven MLB franchises. Cowboys owner and Sport Business Handbook contributor Jerry Jones has been credited with driving up the franchise’s value since purchasing it for $150 million in 1989.

The cost of the Raiders' new Vegas stadium has risen to $1.9 billion. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal (LVRJ), the Las Vegas Stadium Authority has reportedly approved $40 million worth of additions to the build, including 20 more suites and a field-level club area near the venue’s north end zone. The LVRJ report added that close to $1 billion has so far been spent on the construction of the 65,000-seat stadium. The new venue is expected to be ready for the 2020 season, when the Raiders are scheduled to relocate from Oakland to Las Vegas. The construction project, of which $750 million is being funded by taxpayers, has now passed the halfway stage, with the next major task being the installation of the cable steel roofing system that will support the stadium’s translucent roof. The latest update comes a month after the franchise appointed AEG Facilities to operate the new stadium. Right now, the Raiders are reluctantly in the spotlight as HBO’s “Hard Knocks” documents their every move during NFL preseason camp.

World Cup star Alex Morgan looking to launch female-focused media venture. Morgan, co-captain of the USWNT and World Cup champion, is planning to launch her own media venture focused on storytelling, specifically content for girls created by female athletes. The unnamed project is one of many off-field pursuits for the 30-year-old, recently named one of TIME's 100 most influential people. Morgan has written a series of children’s books about soccer called “The Kicks,” and last year acted in her first movie, a sports comedy called “Alex & Me.” Her sponsors include Nike Inc., Coca-Cola Co., AT&T, and Secret, a deodorant brand owned by Procter & Gamble. Morgan reportedly isn’t planning to launch it in partnership with any major media companies – rather, it’s part of a larger push by women on the team to advocate for gender equality in sports and beyond. “We’re authentic to who we are and what we stand for, and we’re becoming more brave and comfortable in our own skin,” Morgan said. This latest venture shows how the women of the USWNT can continue to use their championship platform to speak up about important issues.

The Oklahoma City Thunder partnered with the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum to unveil their new City Edition uniforms, a "charcoal and gold Nike uniform [that] pays respect to those affected" by the 1995 bombing there. The Oklahoman reported that it has "long been a Thunder tradition to bring each player to the memorial when he joins the team," but now the team will "put its own imprint on the museum." The team "plans to underwrite a permanent exhibit that will focus on the 'Oklahoma Standard.'" The "three values associated with that standard -- service, honor and kindness -- are also printed above the City jersey’s tag." In addition, a time stamp "appears under each: 9:01, the minute before the bombing, and 9:03, the minute after." The "survivor tree, a 90-year old elm that withstood the blast, appears on the waist band of the shorts." The Thunder also "pledged to fund free admission to the museum once a month" during 2020. The jerseys – a touching way for basketball fans to honor those lost in the tragedy almost 25 years ago – will be available to purchase at a later date.

Williamson signs landmark deal with Jordan Brands. Pelicans forward Zion Williamson's deal with Jordan Brand is for seven years and $75 million, according to a source cited by Forbes. In DC, The Washington Post notes for "comparison purposes," LeBron James signed a seven-year, $87 million deal with Nike in 2003. Williamson "arrives in the league as arguably the most-hyped prospect since James." Rockets guard Russell Westbrook and Thunder guard Chris Paul "have signature lines with Jordan Brand, but as an ascendant superstar, Williamson can quickly become the face of the brand." ESPN reported Williamson "ultimately turned down a higher offer from Puma" and as much as $15 million annually from Chinese brands Li-Ning and Anta "in order to wear Michael Jordan's brand." Williamson could see also his already impressive social media following expand after signing the Jordan Brand deal. Jordan has 33.1 million total followers, with 55% of those on Instagram. Williamson became a social media juggernaut due to his high school and college exploits, amassing almost four million Instagram followers and 390,000 on Twitter. Clearly, this sneaker lace up is a win-win for Williamson and the Jordan Brand.

Nasdaq makes a bet on sports gambling. The New York-based stock-exchange group announced a deal with UK betting platform Football Index to help build its trading platform using tools similar to those Nasdaq uses on traditional stock exchanges. The four-year-old, privately held Football Index launched a virtual “stock market” in 2014 in which participants buy shares in star players like Lionel Messi or Harry Kane. The site provides a mix of fantasy sports and regular sports betting with elements of stock market speculation. The Football Index deal will be the first in which the Nasdaq brand will be visible to gambling customers. Nasdaq has other sports-betting clients including the Hong Kong Jockey Club, which has a monopoly on the Chinese territoryʼs sports-betting market. It also has an agreement to provide betting technology for the horse racing unit of Australiaʼs Tabcorp, a lottery and gambling giant. In both those cases, Nasdaq has supplied back-end technology but its logo and branding did not appear on any consumer-facing products. Football Index says the ultimate goal is to create “recreational markets for retail traders in something they understand a lot better than” traditional financial instruments, such as currencies.

MLS WORKS showcases the soccer league’s philanthropy during 2019 All-Star Week. According to Orlando City FC, MLS’ philanthropic group is rolling out a slate of community-focused initiatives and events in the Orlando area for the MLS All-Star Game on July 31. MLS will offset a portion of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with All-Star Week festivities by purchasing 2,600 carbon offsets from a clean cookstove project in Africa. Supporting the Orlando City Foundation’s commitment to urban agriculture, MLS will invest in a community garden as part of the MLS WORKS + Target All-Star Community Day. And in partnership with Fleet Farming and their Edible Landscape service, a garden will be installed at Neptune Middle School. MLS will also provide funding for South Street Urban Farm’s education program in the Parramore area of downtown Orlando. The charity arm of MLS will also team up to combat hunger and support the Special Olympics as the MLS All-Stars take on La Liga’s Atletico Madrid.

Wasserman Media Group launches The Collective with $1 million for women in sports. According to Philanthropy Women, Wasserman unveiled its new program July 13 and the Collective will offer resources for female-focused initiatives, utilizing the full reach of Wasserman entities to support business and client campaigns. Among the Foundation’s grant recipients are Women in Sports and Events (WISE) and the City of Los Angeles’s Evolve Entertainment Fund. Currently, Wasserman represents 56% of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, 26 WNBA players, and “a number of women Olympians who have won a total of 37 gold medals since 2010.” Representing some of the top women in sports such as Megan Rapinoe, Abby Wambach, Mia Hamm, and Katie Ledecky, Wasserman Media Group has furthered its commitment to increasing the prominence of top female athletes.

Kevin Durant helps to send kids from Prince George, Maryland to college. The newly-signed Brooklyn Net has opened the Durant Center, an educational facility in his hometown. According to BET, the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation has committed $10 million over the next decade in a partnership with Prince George’s County Public Schools and College Track to help minority low-income high school students earn a college degree. The Durant Center is the first College Track center on the East Coast, with the inaugural class of the Prince George’s county program totaling 69 students of color. Enrolled students attend the center after school for tutoring and advising where they are taught life skills, including time and stress management. Last year, Durant donated $3 million to University of Texas Austin, in addition to supporting organizations like the Tulsa Dream Center, Larkin Street Youth Services, and Black Girls Code in San Francisco, and was named ESPN’s 2018 Humanitarian of the Year. This only builds on his philanthropy track record.

The Tom Hatcher charity golf tournament raises nearly $100,000. Six years ago, Tom Hatcher had no idea what he was starting when he decided to organize a charity golf tournament. According to The Daily Times, Hatcher is the circuit court clerk for Blount County, Tennessee and was moved to action by his father, who was in the midst of a five-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. At this year’s tournament, more than 300 golfers competed for two causes close to Hatcher’s heart. The sixth-annual event raised roughly $100,000, which will be split up and donated to Alzheimer’s Tennessee, Inc. and the Blount County Boys & Girls Club. The total donations have increased every year, with Hatcher’s inaugural tournament raising $23,000 in 2014. This one’s total bested last year’s by roughly $20,000. By mixing politics, sports, and charity, Hatcher continues to see growing success in raising funds and awareness for the Boys & Girls club as well as Alzheimer’s Tennessee.

#10 #10towatch

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wosoindepth · 7 years

Photo

Mexican women's soccer league restricts rosters to native-born players only | 20.07.2017

It was a phone call that threw former Mexico youth international Jazmin Aguas' fledgling career into limbo.

"(She) was part of our plans," Camacho said in an interview with ESPN Mexico. "We put in the paperwork and when they rejected it, we realized the rules we have to follow."

ESPN FC has learned of at least three other players with Mexican citizenship, but who were born in the U.S., who were planning to play in the Liga MX Femenil this season and no longer can.

The rule certainly raises moral questions, and perhaps even legal ones.

"As much anger I have or am upset over this, I do thank the federation for finally making this a reality," Aguas said. "It's a huge step and it's only the beginning of women's soccer here in Mexico.

The Liga MX didn't reply to a enquiry from ESPN FC as to why the rule was implemented.

#woso #liga Mx femenil #club:league #170720 #by:catherine

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jdinzeo · 5 years

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Top 10 things that need that happen in sports.

1. The Minnesota Vikings need to retire the #84. Randy Moss not only is considered the GOAT but single handily change the way the game of football was played.

2. The Minnesota Timberwolves need to retire the number #21. When KG entered the league and was drafted, the team was worth 90 million dollars, after years of success and putting the team on his back, he was trade and the value of the club was 400 million. A lot of that value comes from KG and what he meant to this franchise. It’s criminal that his number isn’t retired.

3. Seattle and the city of Las Vegas deserve an NBA franchise. After seeing the response to the Golden Knights, and the raiders coming to town, the city of Las Vegas is the next major sports town. Seattle was robbed of the Supersonics, and with them getting an NHL franchise, Seattle should get their NBA team back, it’s just not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.

4. Move New Orleans and Memphis to the West. If you add 2 more teams to the east, it would leave an advantage of 2 more to the west over the east. These are the only 2 teams near the Mississippi River that could justify the move.

5. The NFL needs to acknowledge the marketing idea of American football in London is a failed experiment. It’s a cause of concern for players and NFL logistics, and the key factor; American football will never go over in England, it’s a soccer country. There is no way this is a win for the NFL.

6. More Football in Hawaii. I liked the idea of having the pro bowl in Hawaii, it offered something different. If the pro bowl is no longer an option, at the very least we could do some preseason games at Aloha Stadium. I know as a Vikings fan, if LA was playing a home game against the Vikings in august at Aloha Stadium I would most definitely go. Plus, there are too many Polynesian and Samoan football players in the league for this not to be a thing.

7. Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson to the Hall of Fame. The MLB needs to put its age old ego aside and do the right thing. Joe was acquitted of cheating during the 1919 World Series and it’s a damn shame he isn’t in the hall, the man loved the game so much he would play under a fake alias in different farm leagues just to keep playing the game. As for Pete, I think his contributions to the game and the penitence he has paid thus far is enough. The MLB can’t point their finger when their own hands are dirty. There’s a difference between innocence and complicit denial of one’s own wrong doings and failure. Something the MLB needs to recognize involving this matter.

8. Cold Weather cities in the MLB need to play the first couple weeks of the season on the road. Fans aren’t going to come out and watch crappy baseball just to be cold. As a twins fan they’re doing really well thus far and can’t put asses in the seats. Now part of that is because during the target field era, they’ve been shit. There’s too much lost revenue when clubs are at 44% capacity like the twins are and some of the numbers reported are more than likely inflated due to the season ticket holders who don’t show. If we started after Jackie Robinson Day I think it would be much more profitable during the course of the season for clubs. #putaroofonit

9. Thanksgiving Day games in the NFL need to be division rivals. Now I am being completely selfish with this one because I am and Vikings Fan and live in Minnesota but I find it a little more entertaining when its either the lions vs any one of their division rivals or the cowboys vs any of in the east. Rival games will always draw more and have more of a meaning. And for the third game, make it a rivalry matchup but make it a good one like the Rams Vs Seahawks, not the Jags vs Titans. No one wants to see that shit.

10. College Football needs grow to an 8 or 12 team playoff. Nothing else has worked and they can’t seem to get this shit right. The definition of insanity is doing the same old thing over and over again expecting different results.

#nfl #nhl #nba #mlb #sports #topten #minnesota #seattle

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junker-town · 5 years

Text

Georgia Southern is back to being Georgia Southern

The Eagles went from 10 losses to 10 wins in Chad Lunsford’s first season, and only a tough schedule might prevent them from winning big again.

Bill C’s annual preview series of every FBS team in college football continues. Catch up here!

What a roller coaster these last few seasons have been in Statesboro.

Five seasons at the FBS level have produced about two decades’ worth of plot twists for Georgia Southern. A quick recap:

After a) beating Florida without a completed pass, b) suffering their worst season in quite a while (7-4), and c) losing head coach Jeff Monken to Army, Georgia Southern jumped to FBS in 2014, seemingly with horrible timing.

Under Willie Fritz, the Eagles proceeded to immediately establish themselves as a Sun Belt favorite, going 9-3 and winning the conference in their transitional year, then going 9-4 in 2015. But they hiccuped late in the season, getting strangely drubbed by rival Georgia State to end the regular season, then unexpectedly losing Fritz to Tulane.

Replacing Fritz turned out disastrously. Tyson Summers took over, and in 2016 the Eagles fell from nine wins and a No. 52 S&P+ ranking to five wins and No. 84. And then they started 0-6 in 2017, and Summers was fired.

Under interim coach Chad Lunsford, the rally began almost immediately. They went only 2-4 down the stretch but rose from 127th in S&P+ to a more tolerable 117th. Lunsford’s ability to rally the troops, combined with what was probably a lack of affordable options, led to him getting the head coaching job full-time.

Returning almost all primary production in 2018, they soared again. They went 10-3 and finished 87th overall; a two-week midseason blip, with losses to Troy and ULM, was the only thing that kept them out of the 70s.

GS finished 2018 with one of the most rousing, emotional wins of bowl season, beating EMU in the last second in the Camellia Bowl.

A friend of mine recently got a chance to run a lower-level English professional soccer team.

He said he came in with a business-like plan and a ton of ideas, but the impact of actual wins and losses made the plan almost impossible to pull off. He said the club offices a day after a loss were just so emotionally wrecked, and morale so quickly careened between great and terrible, that he found himself wanting to fix everything at once, abandon long-term goals and make everybody happy that next Saturday.

It’s so easy to get knocked off course, and it’s so hard to simply hug a program back into prominence. But Lunsford somehow pulled it off.

Just as quickly as the Eagles had fallen apart, they had once again become one of the strongest programs in the Sun Belt.

GS returns quarterback Shai Werts and most of its defense in 2019, but Lunsford’s got some challenges to overcome. He has to replace a lot of his skill corps (leading running backs Wesley Fields and Monteo Garrett, plus two of the three players to catch double-digit passes) and two all-conference offensive linemen.

Plus, the schedule is unforgiving. The Eagles play at LSU (projected fourth in S&P+) and Minnesota (33rd) in non-conference play, and they hit the road to play Appalachian State, Troy, and Arkansas State in the Sun Belt. That will make a conference title run awfully difficult. Despite a solid No. 81 preseason ranking, the Eagles are projected to go only about 7-5. Considering their short but dramatic FBS history, you figure they’ll either go two or three wins above or below that mark, but with Lunsford and Werts in place, I’m guessing “above” is more likely than “below.”

Offense

God bless the Georgia Southern option. As I wrote in last year’s preview, identity is a blessing and a curse, and an option identity spells that out pretty clearly. On one hand...

You are in possession of one of nature’s most efficient attacks.

You carve out steady yardage and spend most of your time in third-and-manageable.

You are forever a unique opponent to prepare for, and while some opponents might get more used to playing you over time, you get more used to how they’re going to defend you, too. You can always stay a step ahead.

You control the ball and give your defense plenty of rest (and potentially make opposing offenses impatient and pushy in the process).

At the same time...

If you do fall behind schedule, good luck catching back up. You’re not built for it.

You open yourself up to recruiting difficulties. Only certain types of receivers and linemen are likely to look your way, and defensive recruits with any pro ambition at all will be hearing from other recruiters all about how they won’t be exposed to “pro-style” offenses in practice. And those recruiters technically aren’t wrong.

Committing to the option, then, is hard to fake. Option life won’t love you if you don’t love it back, and from the moment Summers was hired, it didn’t seem like he and the option were on the right terms.

The fences appear to be mended now. Once he had become full-time head coach, Lunsford brought in former Sam Houston and New Mexico offensive coordinator Bob DeBesse, who had crafted a pretty unique approach to the option attack in Albuquerque.

Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Shai Werts

Suffice it to say, the first year of the DeBesse-Werts relationship worked out pretty well. GS ranked 42nd in rushing marginal efficiency, with Werts rushing for 999 non-sack yards, throwing for 987, and producing a combined 25 touchdowns with no interceptions and only three fumbles. Werts was predictably sacked a lot when attempting to pass (Southern’s almost comical 20.3 percent sack rate on passing downs was worst in FBS), but he hit a deep shot here and there, and GS stayed on schedule reasonably well enough anyway.

Fields and Garrett combined for 1,565 yards and 14 touchdowns, but others thrived when given the opportunity. Disparately-sized sophomores-to-be Logan Wright (6’0, 225) and Matt LaRoche (5’9, 175) combined for 6.1 yards per carry and a 48 percent success rate over 5.6 carries per game, and junior Wesley Kennedy III gained a combined 684 yards over 64 carries and 19 pass targets (8.2 yards per intended target) out of the slot.

Photo by Chris Thelen/Getty Images

Wesley Kennedy III

In limited samples, the actual wide receivers did their “go deep” jobs pretty well. Colby Ransom, Darion Anderson, Obe Fortune, and Mark Michaud — all of whom return — combined to catch 17 of 33 passes for 342 yards and six touchdowns. The security blankets (Fields, Garrett, tight end Ellis Richardson) are gone, but Werts seems to still have a lot of weapons here, and I didn’t mention recent three-star recruits like sophomore running back Grant Walker, redshirt freshman Andrew Cunningham, or wonderfully named tight end Jallah Zeze Jr.

Really, the main question for this offense could come up front, as all-conference center Curtis Rainey and left tackle Jeremiah Culbreth are both gone. But you can pretty easily talk yourself into GS being able to overcome that too: 2017 starting tackle Drew Wilson returns after missing last year with injury, and he’s one of eight returnees with at least a little bit of starting experience. They have 66 career starts in all.

You don’t like losing good running backs or all-conference linemen, but it really is pretty hard to worry about this attack. It’s still got Werts, it’s still got DeBesse, it’s still got experience up front, and it’s still got fast skill guys, even if they’re a bit younger this time around.

Defense

The transition from Summers’ aggressive defense to the more pragmatic approach of new coordinator Scot Sloan went nearly as well as bringing DeBesse to town.

Formerly Appalachian State’s co-coordinator, Sloan installed a system that cut the Eagles’ aggression plays — GS went from top-40 to top-75 in stuff rate, sack rate, and havoc rate — but also drastically reduced big mistakes. The Eagles went from allowing 38 gains of 30-plus yards in 2017 (116th in FBS) to just 18 in 2018 (13th). It probably isn’t a surprise, then, that they also cut their points allowed by nearly 11 points per game, too.

Photo by Chris Thelen/Getty Images

Raymond Johnson III

Better yet, Sloan achieved this with a young front six/seven: of the 12 linemen and linebackers to log at least 10 tackles, seven were freshmen or sophomores, and eight return. The best pass rushers were juniors-to-be Raymond Johnson and Quan Griffin, and the best run disruptors were probably Johnson and another junior, linebacker Rashad Byrd. Sloan does have to replace end Logan Hunt and WLB Tomarcio Reese, but a majority of last year’s production returns.

Any time you produce great big-play numbers on defense, your safeties probably played a big role. So to be sure, the loss of free safety Joshua Moon probably hurts. But Sloan put a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of cornerbacks Monquavion Brinson and Kindle Vildor, and they responded. They not only played the ball well, combining for five interceptions and 21 pass breakups; they also tackled incredibly well and even made some plays against the run (five combined run stuffs).

Photo by Chris Thelen/Getty Images

Kindle Vildor

Brinson and Vildor are both back for their respective senior seasons, as are “anchor” safeties Jay Bowdry and Lane Ecton (combined: seven tackles for loss, two sacks).

There are some exciting recent recruits at the cornerback position — sophomore Justin Birdsong, redshirt freshman Brandon Cross, and true freshman David Spaulding were all mid-three-star prospect. But perhaps the most pivotal members of the secondary are either sophomore safety Kenderick Duncan or Savannah State transfer Donald Rutledge Jr. The loss of Moon opens up playing time for someone.

Special Teams

When Werts raced for 29 yards on fourth-and-10 to reach the EMU 30-yard line in the closing seconds of the Camellia Bowl, the game was effectively over. In fact, out of fairness, the Eagles should have probably committed two or three procedure penalties just to back up and give EMU a chance. Tyler Bass ended up hitting a 40-yard field goal at the buzzer to win the game, and a 40-yarder for Bass was like an extra point.

For the season, Bass went 45-for-45 on PATs, 9-for-10 on field goals under 40 yards ... and 10-for-11 on field goals over 40. That’s absurd, and it ranked first in my FG efficiency ratings, ahead of all three Lou Groza Award finalists. It also powered a No. 18 overall Special Teams S&P+ ranking. Wesley Kennedy III’s returns helped with that ranking a little bit, too; punter Magill Bauerle did not. Everyone’s back, but Bass is the key figure here.

2019 outlook

2019 Schedule & Projection Factors

Date Opponent Proj. S&P+ Rk Proj. Margin Win Probability 31-Aug at LSU 4 -29.8 4% 7-Sep Maine NR 20.6 88% 14-Sep at Minnesota 33 -13.5 22% 28-Sep UL-Lafayette 99 8.2 68% 3-Oct at South Alabama 127 16.8 83% 19-Oct Coastal Carolina 116 16.6 83% 26-Oct New Mexico State 121 18.9 86% 31-Oct at Appalachian State 31 -14.4 20% 9-Nov at Troy 69 -5.4 38% 16-Nov UL-Monroe 103 9.9 72% 23-Nov at Arkansas State 70 -5.0 39% 30-Nov Georgia State 114 16.2 83%

Projected S&P+ Rk 81 Proj. Off. / Def. Rk 70 / 85 Projected wins 6.9 Five-Year S&P+ Rk -3.4 (84) 2- and 5-Year Recruiting Rk 110 2018 TO Margin / Adj. TO Margin* 22 / 14.8 2018 TO Luck/Game +2.8 Returning Production (Off. / Def.) 75% (76%, 74%) 2018 Second-order wins (difference) 7.9 (2.1)

There aren’t many hinge games on the Georgia Southern schedule this year. S&P+ projects the Eagles as at least 9-point favorites in six games and at least 13-point underdogs in three. Surprise results happen, obviously, but it’s pretty easy to look at this schedule and quickly home in on the three games that will determine GS’ ceiling:

UL-Lafayette (Sept. 28) — 68 percent win probability (8.2-point favorite)

at Troy (Nov. 9) — 38 percent win probability (5.4-point underdog)

at Arkansas State (Nov. 23) — 39 percent win probability (5-point underdog)

Win all three, and you’re on the doorstep of another 10-win season (and maybe a Sun Belt East title). Lose all three, and you’re eking out bowl eligibility.

Despite a solid No. 81 ranking, GS is projected about 7-5. After what we saw from the Eagles last year, that almost feels like a disappointment. But then you remember that they were 2-10 in 2017.

The rebound that Lunsford pulled off felt so natural that you could almost forget just how recently things had completely fallen apart. He made smart coordinator hires and embraced Southern’s option identity in a way that his predecessor couldn’t, and just like that, the Eagles were right back in the Sun Belt’s ruling class. I don’t expect that to change any time soon.

Team preview stats

All 2019 preview data to date.

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collegesoccer-hereicome · 7 years

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Long Time No See

So, long time since I’ve posted here...

My freshman year of college soccer officially ended last year with the conclusion of the spring season. Walked out of my one on one end of year meeting with my coach about 30 minutes ago, and all I can think about is next season.

This year certainly didn’t go the way I was hoping it would go. I came into preseason with shin splints and was out about 8 weeks total with that and it continued to affect me later. My fitness was nowhere near where it needed to be, partly because of shin splints, and partly because I went into summer with a poor understanding of where I needed to be fitness-wise and honestly I think I was so afraid of failing at the fitness aspect of it that I did some unconscious self sabotaging. Throughout the winter I got in much better shape and was running and conditioning on my own as well as doing better in practice. And then, a month ago today, I dislocated my shoulder while doing incline dumbbell bench pressing during a soccer workout. I have not been able to run since, and am waiting on MRI results to tell me if there are any torn ligaments and if I need surgery or not.

The meeting with my coach was a wake up call for sure. Being a walk-on on the team and being out so often with injury meant that neither of my coaches could get a good true idea about my skills as a player, which is such a tough thing to hear when you feel like you’re doing everything you can and it isnt good enough. And I was basically told that I either show up at preseason ready to go and pass all of my fitness tests, or don’t come and stay home to keep rehabbing the shoulder. The thing is, as a goalie, if I miss preseason then I miss my shot to be looked at as a contender for playing time. Once the top two goalkeepers are chosen then the other two are pretty much on the sideline. So, this is it. The challenge has been clearly outlined, and I have from now, until July 28 to show my coach I can meet and exceed his expectations and estimations. Challenge Accepted.

#personal #soccer #college soccer #sports

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mhsn033 · 4 years

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Best health K-State OK’d for 25% capacity for football games

Best health

The Newest on the outcomes of the coronavirus outbreak on sports activities all the very best blueprint by the enviornment:

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The Chicago Bears remain doubtful if fans will most likely be allowed at Soldier Subject this season.

The Bears said Monday the team and metropolis will “proceed to visual display unit the atmosphere” and every “take into accout there will most likely be a sound thought in blueprint to lift fans lend a hand to Soldier Subject as soon as it’s a long way deemed stable and appropriate.”

The Bears canceled season build applications ultimate month as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. They supplied holders the device to discover refunds for this yr or have their funds credited toward 2021.

Chicago opens the season Sept. 13 at Detroit and hosts the New York Giants a week later.

———

The United Soccer League says 1,488 COVID-19 tests were administered to avid gamers and workers from the 35 Championship golf equipment between Aug. 3 and Aug. 10, with 13 folks from seven teams sorting out certain.

Of those tests, 441 were administered to the 11 League One golf equipment, with six folks from 5 golf equipment sorting out certain.

The league says any one who examined certain will have self-remoted per the pointers supplied by the USL. Most effective those that examined detrimental will most likely be allowed to enter coaching floor facilities, and someone identified by technique of contact tracing will most likely be quarantined and examined.

———

The University of North Carolina says it quiet plans to play sports activities this descend after canceling in-person undergraduate classes in favor of a long way-off instruction amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The college launched the pass to on-line-very finest instruction on Monday after reporting four coronavirus clusters inviting pupil housing or a fraternity since Friday. UNC’s athletics department later issued an announcement announcing athletes will proceed to blueprint shut classes on-line and be in a instruct to blueprint shut part in workout routines while following safety protocols.

Athletes can snatch to stay in most up-to-date residences both on or off the Chapel Hill campus.

UNC is a member of the Atlantic Jog Conference, which has launched plans to launch its football and diverse descend sports activities seasons the week of Sept. 7.

“We quiet predict to play this descend, and we’re going to proceed to blueprint shut in mind the downside in coordination with the university, the ACC, instruct and local officers, and smartly being officers,” UNC’s athletics department said in the observation. “The smartly being and safety of our pupil-athletes, coaches and workers, and personnel stays our precedence.”

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The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs will limit ability of Arrowhead Stadium to 22% after they launch defense of their Large Bowl title, which equates to about 17,000 fans at what’s assumed about without a doubt one of the crucial toughest environments in the NFL.

The club launched its plans along with ticketing data for its first three video games on Monday after consulting with officers from The University of Kansas Health Machine. Tickets will most likely be purchased in “grouped pods of seats” starting next week.

Most effective the first three home video games — in opposition to the Texans, Patriots and Raiders — will streak on sale on the starting up to season build holders. The Chiefs said guidance from local and public smartly being officers will resolve ability the complete season.

Whereas the Chiefs thought to allow tailgating, fans will most likely be restricted to the home straight away on the lend a hand of their car and with fans who have tickets in their pods. They are impressed to wear face coverings, which will most likely be valuable within the stadium, and to make exercise of appropriate social distancing all the very best blueprint by game days.

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Because of the the downside surrounding COVID-19, the US Tennis Affiliation has canceled all nationwide junior events by Oct. 12.

The USTA also has canceled all grownup Category 1 events, comprising the Grownup, Open, Household, and Age divisions, by the head of the yr.

The resolution to cancel modified into made to compose certain the smartly being and safety of all those enthusiastic since interstate commute required for the tournaments carries an elevated threat of contracting the disease.

The USTA said diverse rules, restrictions and quarantine sessions on the sites of the events and in the home states of the avid gamers were belief about.

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Auburn football coach Gus Malzahn says his avid gamers have had 33 certain tests for COVID-19 this summer time.

Malzahn says one workers member also examined certain earlier this summer time. The Tigers and diverse Southeastern Conference teams opened preseason camp Monday before a season scheduled to originate on Sept. 26.

Malzahn says Auburn had no certain tests ultimate week, however four avid gamers are quiet going by the sorting out protocols. He expects results lend a hand by the head of the week.

He says the college has administered 863 tests amongst avid gamers, a median of extra than seven times every. Staffers have had 5 tests every.

Linebacker Chandler Wooten and backup defensive lend a hand Traivon Leonard have opted out taking part on this season.

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Furman of the Division I Southern Conference is suspending all descend nonconference sports activities as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Athletic director Jason Donnelly said Monday the resolution came after ultimate week’s announcement that the league modified into pushing all its descend convention athletic competition and championships to the spring. Furman performs football in the Championship Subdivision.

Donnelly says the college in Greenville, South Carolina, made the resolution to protect the smartly being and safety of pupil-athletes, coaches and workers, and fans.

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There’ll most likely be no fans at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium for NFL and MLS video games performed in September. The Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United assert the coronavirus pandemic compelled the resolution.

The teams assert they’re going to proceed to collaborate with local and nationwide smartly being officers sooner than settling on the probability for fans in video games after September.

The Falcons will play on the very least two home video games without fans — in opposition to Seattle on Sept. 13 and in opposition to Chicago on Sept. 27.

“The smartly being and safety of our fans is our top precedence,” said Steve Cannon, CEO of the Falcons and Atlanta United owner Arthur Clean’s sports activities and entertainment personnel. Cannon said the resolution modified into made “after considerate consideration and collaboration.”

Atlanta United previously launched there would be no fans for three video games: Aug. 22 in opposition to Nashville SC, Aug. 29 in opposition to Orlando Metropolis SC and Sept. 2 in opposition to Inter Miami CF.

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Soccer’s U.S. Open Cup has been canceled this yr as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020 event modified into suspended in early March rapidly sooner than it modified into supposed to kick off. The final modified into to be held on both Sept. 22 or 23.

Formally called the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, it’s a long way the longest-working soccer event in the US and offers newbie teams a raffle to blueprint shut on the pros, setting up the probability for an titillating Cinderella team to advance a long way into the event. The winner earns a instruct in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Affiliation Football’s Champions League.

The U.S. Soccer Federation launched Monday that the Open Cup couldn’t be staged this yr since the pandemic affected teams’ capability to commute, restricted or eradicated fans at video games, and necessitated strict sorting out protocols.

The teams that were invited to blueprint shut part this yr will most likely be invited next yr as an different.

There isn’t this kind of thing as a resolution but on how to allocate the CONCACAF Champions League slot that generally goes to the event champion.

———

Kansas Say will allow 25% ability at its football stadium for video games this season after getting approval Monday from the county price. Meaning a most crowd of appropriate beneath 15,000 fans.

The Plump 12 Conference is allowing colleges to place of abode their contain attendance policies per local jurisdictions.

The Riley County Commission reviewed the the rest of Kansas Say’s return-to-play protocols, too. Fans will most likely be required to wear face coverings where 6 ft of social distancing can no longer be maintained. Tailgating could perchance no longer be authorized in parking heaps managed by the college. There’ll most likely be no reentry. There also will most likely be hand sanitizing stations and diverse keeping measures.

One plus for fans: With the elimination of tailgating and reentry, the college will allow beer and wine to be purchased veritably seating sections for the first time. Alcohol sales had been restricted to luxurious suites.

———

The CFL has canceled its 2020 season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It marks the first yr the Grey Cup won’t be supplied since 1919.

The 9-team league launched the pass Monday, rushing hopes of a shortened season in the hub metropolis of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The resolution comes after the CFL couldn’t resolve a different of disorders so as to investigate cross-check to salvage a season.

“Our league governors determined as of late it’s a long way in the most easy long-term interests of the CFL to be aware of the long inch,” Commissioner Randy Ambrosie said in an announcement.

“We’re fully committed to 2021, to the long inch of our league and the pursuit of our vision of an even bigger, stronger, extra global CFL.”

Unlike diverse necessary leagues in North The USA, the CFL doesn’t have the luxurious of a thousand million-dollar television contract. Whereas its kind out TSN has turned into extra profitable over time, the CFL stays a gate-pushed league — a valuable teach when fans aren’t allowed in the stands.

———

Mississippi starting heart Eli Johnson says he won’t play football this season.

Johnson launched on Twitter that he’ll take a seat out the season and heart of attention on ending his master’s level in criminal justice in December.

The Southeastern Conference enables avid gamers to opt out of the season as a result of COVID-19 and remain on scholarship.

Johnson began all 12 video games ultimate season, allowing very finest one sack. His father, David, modified into hospitalized this summer time as a result of the virus.

“I will most likely be forever grateful for my time right here at Ole Miss,” Johnson wrote Sunday evening on Twitter. “God bless and Hotty Toddy.”

———

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ecoorganic · 4 years

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At the Heart of It: Cardiac Inflammation the Next Virus Hurdle for College Leaders

NCAA's Brian Hainline: "Almost everything would have to be perfectly aligned to continue moving forward.”

Dr. Matthew Martinez has studied so many images of a beating heart that he couldn’t possibly count them. Maybe 500,000. Maybe 1 million. As a non-invasive cardiologist, his job revolves around the constant evaluation of pictures of the heart.

He knows what a strong, healthy heart looks like. He knows what a poor, struggling heart looks like. And he knows what a heart looks like after COVID-19’s tentacles have reached the most vital organ in the human body. “This virus,” he says, “seems to have an affinity for causing damage to the heart.”

In a small percentage of infected patients, COVID-19 leaves behind troubling scars in the throbbing muscle within their chests, known as myocarditis. The virus directly invades the heart muscle, weakening and damaging its cells, through blood clots and inflammatory responses to viral infection. Earlier during the pandemic, doctors only associated the condition with severe and, oftentimes, hospitalized COVID victims, usually elderly patients or those with underlying health problems.

Lately, physicians are identifying the condition in young, healthy Americans — including athletes. “The last month or two, even asymptomatic young people are developing myocardial injury,” Martinez says.

Of all the hurdles impeding a 2020 college football season, there is one roadblock that has gone mostly overshadowed,

buried beneath the other more prominent obstacles, such as testing, travel, a bubble-less college campus and quarantine requirements. That hurdle? The heart.

“That’s what has been the final straw,” says a team doctor at a prominent college football program. “The commissioners are finally figuring it all out. The commissioners are going, ‘Oh my gosh!’ And the doctors are like, ‘Yeah...’”

University leaders and conference executives are grappling with new information from the medical world about the virus’ after effects on its victims, exacerbating an already difficult conundrum: risk it and play a fall season, or sit out and watch an industry potentially crumble? Revelations from physicians like Martinez have deepened the debate.

In fact, the brewing heart issue was a topic on a recent call among Power 5 conference commissioners. Fear over myocarditis has reached the top level of the sport, with Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby and Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren having both privately expressed serious concern over the condition. One Power 5 team doctor, who is privy to conference commissioner calls, says the heart condition is a primary topic during discussions. “We discuss it on every call,” the doctor says under the condition of anonymity.

The issue reared its head Saturday in what was, to this point, the most significant college football news of the shutdown: The Mid-American Conference became the first FBS league to cancel its fall season. The MAC’s medical advisory board unanimously advised conference leaders to suspend the season. And while financial implications were a factor too (MAC schools, on a normal year, lose money on football), the long term and somewhat unknown health impacts of COVID-19 victims — including myocarditis — was an essential discussion point.

“That’s what people aren’t getting,” says a high-ranking MAC administrator with knowledge of the presidents’ call Saturday. “It’s pulmonary, cardiac issues.”

Physicians themselves are still learning about a novel virus and its post-recovery impacts on the human body. Myocarditis is one of many after effects, but for athletes, it is the most serious, says Martinez, the medical director of sports cardiology at Atlantic Health System in New Jersey. Martinez knows a thing or two about athletes’ hearts. He’s the league cardiologist for Major League Soccer, is the cardiac-specific consultant for the NBA and on the medical committee for the NFL.

He acknowledges that the cases in athletes with COVID-related heart impacts are very small. Among professional, college and youth league athletes, he’s seen no more than a dozen in the US. However, there are likely many more. Some go undetected or have not been brought to his attention. Doctors aren’t exactly sure how common the condition is. Some have publicly stated that recovered COVID-19 patients have shown as much as a 50% impact on their heart, but with striking degrees in severity.

A recent German study released in July revealed heart inflammation in 60 of 100 recovered virus patients. That number included patients who were asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.

A college team doctor told Sports Illustrated on Saturday that he’s aware of roughly 10 COVID-related heart impacts in all of college football, many or all of them from mildly symptomatic players. While the number is a fraction of the total population, the potential consequences of heart injury are grievous. Myocarditis symptoms include chest pain, abnormal heartbeat, shortness of breath and, in the most serious case, sudden death. Already, myocarditis represents roughly 2-5% of all sudden death cases in American sports.

While many COVID-related myocarditis cases in athletes remain private, some have emerged publicly. Left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, projected as the Red Sox No. 1 pitcher this year, developed myocarditis after contracting COVID-19. He will miss the 2020 season. The mother of an Indiana offensive lineman suggested in a Facebook post earlier this week that her son may have heart complications as an after effect of the virus.

At least one college football player has developed an enlarged heart after contracting COVID-19, a team trainer told SI under the condition of anonymity. The recovery time for such heart damage is a minimum of three months of no activity, says Martinez.

Martinez says he has heard from virtually every major college football conference this summer regarding the heart issue. Some of them are forging ahead, he says, with a plan to “pivot” if things go awry. “Others have said, ‘I think we oughta stop,’” says Martinez. “The MAC did that today.”

His advice to conference officials has been to make cardiac screenings mandatory for those who have contracted the virus. It’s why the most recent conference medical plans include cardiac screenings under the return-to-play protocol.

Martinez is recommending a three-level screening for all COVID-19 positives to return to activity: an EKG, an echocardiogram and a troponin blood test, which measures the level of cardiac-specific troponin in the blood to help detect heart injury. Each blood test and EKG can roughly cost about $50, Martinez says. The more intrusive echocardiogram can run as high as $500 per test. “It can be done. You can play football,” he says, “but resources must be utilized.”

The disparity in college athletics is great. In FBS alone, there is a large monetary gap between the Power 5 conference programs and the Group of 5 teams. The gap grows wider from the Group of 5 to FCS and from Division II to Division III. Few if any FCS, D2 and D3 programs are expected to play football this fall. Many of them don’t have the funding to meet NCAA requirements for in-season testing, quarantining and contact tracing.

Saturday was a bleak day also for the top division in the NCAA. After the MAC canceled its season, the Big Ten paused its preseason practice. And on Friday, there was this from the NCAA’s chief medical expert, Brian Hainline: “Almost everything would have to be perfectly aligned to continue moving forward.”

Add another obstacle to the list: the heart.

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rickhorrow · 5 years

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15+5+5 To Watch : 93019

15 TO WATCH/5 SPORTS TECH/POWER OF SPORTS 5: RICK HORROW’S TOP SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 30

with Jacob Aere

With the NBA preseason tipping off this week, marketers zero in on the latest crop of talent to be brought to the league this season, especially top draft pick Zion Williamson. As such, Williamson’s partners are revving up their own marketing plans for the former Duke player, including Panini America, the world's largest licensed sports and entertainment collectibles company, which inked Williamson to an exclusive trading card agreement last month to feature Williamson's only licensed college and NBA trading cards and autograph cards. His first officially licensed NBA autographs will release in October, with the arrival of the 2019-20 NBA Hoops Basketball product, as well as Panini's 25 additional NBA trading card products released during the season. Cynopsis Sports spoke with Jason Howarth, Vice President of Marketing for Panini America, about his NBA season outlook. “The global marketplace is really excited about this NBA Rookie Class including players like Ja Morant, RJ Barrett, Rue Hachimura [first Japanese NBA Player], and Zion leads the way,” Howarth said. “Zion is a generational athlete – in the truest sense.” Gatorade obviously agrees – last Thursday, they announced that they had signed Williamson to a reported seven-figure, multi-year endorsement deal.

While the Dallas Mavericks won’t travel overseas this NBA preseason, they have partnered with the Carbonfund.org Foundation as part of a pledge to offset their corporate travel carbon emissions. The move will see the franchise support the foundation’s Envira Amazonia Project, which works to protect nearly 500,000 acres of endangered Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Commenting on the arrangement, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said: “Offsetting our corporate travel with Carbonfund.org Foundation is one way we are creating a more sustainable business and educating our fans, staff and community about simple measures we can all take to protect our shared environment." The Envira Amazonia Project is part of a global campaign to provide support for ecosystem services helping to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation. The Mavericks are the latest sports property to lend their support to climate change prevention. Most recently, German soccer club Hoffenheim announced plans to become carbon neutral, including support for away team travel to the club’s home matches.

The puck doesn’t drop on the new NHL season until Wednesday, but Sidney Crosby has already racked up accolades. The Penguins star has already earned ESPN’s all-decade Hart Trophy and had the top-selling NHL Shop jersey from last year, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Last Thursday, Crosby picked up another retail-related honor: he led all NHL players in merchandise sales on eBay from August 2018 to August 2019, according to the annual NHL preview released by eBay in partnership with StubHub. Crosby gear outsold those of other stars such as Chicago Blackhawks wing Patrick Kane, Washington Capitals wing Alexander Ovechkin, and ex-Penguin and Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. The report actually went out of its way to say that Crosby merchandise is 76% more popular on eBay than Ovechkin’s. Pittsburgh is also No. 3 on eBay’s list of top merchandise sales by team. The Boston Bruins and Blackhawks are No. 1 and 2 respectively, while the Capitals came in fifth and the Philadelphia Flyers at ninth. (Sorry, Gritty.)

EverFi “Runs the Right Plays.” Premiering earlier this year, The Sport Business Handbook recognizes the last 50 years as the formative period for the modern era of sport. Likewise, online education leader EverFi is celebrating over a decade of harnessing technology to equip communities with the skills they need for success. To celebrate the good work in our communities contributors continue to do, EverFi presents "Running the Right Plays: Doing Good Through Sport" on October 2 in Washington, DC. This symposium will present a rare opportunity to hear directly from key contributors in sport, business, and philanthropy and gain exclusive access to their personal insights. Panelists joining Rick Horrow for the evening include Lisa Bowman, Chief Marketing Officer, United Way Worldwide; Jon Chapman, Co-Founder & President, EverFi; Phil de Picciotto, Founder & President, Octagon; Damon Phillips, General Manager, NBC Sports Washington; Nick Sakiewicz, National Lacrosse League Commissioner; and former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. We will also present the top five Washington, DC community impact milestones in and around sports.

The San Francisco 49ers filed a lawsuit to "block Santa Clara's attempt to end the team's management of non-football events at Levi's Stadium," according to the San Jose Mercury News. The lawsuit filed on Friday "comes in the wake of the City Council's vote to terminate the 49ers' management agreement, effective November 15." City officials "contend the team misrepresented its experience in managing 'public assembly facilities' and has violated city and state rules governing public contracts and prevailing wages." Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor in a tweet Friday night "doubled down on those claims." She tweeted, "We terminated the 49ers non-NFL events agreement because we discovered fraud and wage theft. They mismanaged a public facility. Net profits plunge from around $5 million to $0 in two years." If the city succeeds, the 49ers would "no longer book and manage stadium events unrelated" to NFL games and activities. Santa Clara "owns Levi's Stadium and leases the facility to the 49ers." The team is "responsible for managing it year-round and generating revenue to be shared with the city through concerts and other non-NFL events." The 49ers' lawsuit requests that a judge invalidate the city's termination notice.

Watch what happens now. Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr. wearing a Richard Mille watch during the Brown’s season opener against the Titans was "emblematic of the big-money sports culture" of 2019, in which "eight-figure athletes increasingly flash six-figure watches as a branding opportunity for player and watchmaker alike," according to the New York Times. Watch site Hodinkee Managing Editor Stephen Pulvirent said, "A pop-cultural arms race has definitely emerged over the last decade or so when it comes to high-end watchmaking and top athletes. For most people, seeing a watch on the wrist of someone they respect and admire is a pretty powerful entry point to the world of high-end watches." Fine watches "send a signal to fans that today's multimillionaire athletes are not sweat-drenched gladiators, but men and women of taste and refinement.” The high-end watch flash, long prevalent in golf and tennis, has now ticked into team sports. And it’s worth noting OBJ lost a diamond earring during a Sunday in-game scuffle with Ravens’ cornerback Marlon Humphrey – not a timepiece.

Tennis Channel is going bi-coastal, opening a fully equipped broadcast control room on the site of the USTA National Campus in Orlando. The new facility is designed to give the network a year-round presence at the training center for elite American professional and junior players. The facility, which establishes an East Coast production base for the West Coast-based network, provides Tennis Channel with greater access to National Campus competitions and players, in addition to Florida's tennis community. It was put to immediate use September 24-29, as the network carried the Junior Davis Cup and Junior Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Finals for the first time. Tennis Channel has clearly benefitted operationally and financially from its $350 million acquisition by Sinclair Broadcast Group three years ago – a fact that’s not lost on Sinclair’s newly-purchased roster of Fox Regional Sports Networks and their executives.

Kroenke, Spanos reportedly at odds over Sofi Stadium PSL sales. According to a report from ABC 10 News San Diego, Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke is upset about a lack of financial contribution by the L.A. Chargers for their shared Inglewood stadium, which is set to open next summer. Kroenke was anticipating the Chargers would generate close to $400 million from the sale of Personal Seat Licenses. Instead, the real figure is turning out to be tens of millions short of the target, and Kroenke is the one responsible for making up the difference. Costs for the Inglewood stadium are skyrocketing to almost $5 billion. The facility was initially expected to cost $1.9 billion. Kroenke is responsible for everything but the money the Chargers generate in PSL sales and a $200 million NFL G-6 loan. The Chargers, though, get to keep all of their game day revenues when they play in the new building. Kroenke has very little way of recouping the money from Spanos, because it was all part of the deal allowing the Chargers to move from San Diego to L.A.

Notre Dame and Navy will face off next season at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Upwards of 35,000 U.S. fans are "expected to descend" in late August for Notre Dame-Navy, and a sellout "appears odds on," but for future games, event organizers "must convince other U.S. colleges, with less obvious Irish links, that it is a good idea to shift one of their annual games to Dublin," according to the Irish Times. The series will cost up to $5 million in "fees and charges" just to get each game moved to Dublin in subsequent years. Sponsors will "cover much of the initial cost." Aer Lingus College Football Classic Steering Committee Chair Neil Naughton said, "We're hoping Notre Dame fans will get to experience Ireland, to love it. And if they're in business and they want to open a European office, Dublin will be their natural choice." Ireland-based airline Aer Lingus is title sponsor, and Failte Ireland -- the National Tourism Development Authority -- as well as Tourism Ireland and the Dublin City Council are all "on board as official supporters." Teams for the 2021 game will be announced in October.

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports agency has announced the launch of its new global division to be headquartered in London, with Michael Yormark, who will serve as president of the new venture, heading up branding and strategy. Over the past couple years, Roc Nation has drastically expanded their roster in Europe and become more involved with sports. Roc Nation Sports International’s clients currently include six soccer players: Jerome Boateng, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Eric Bailly, Axel Witsel, and Samuel Chukwueze. The company will officially open its London office on October 1 with a major focus on soccer. Based on the expertise of Roc Nation, on the artist and athlete side of the business, the agency believes this is a natural next step to have feet on the ground in the U.K. and develop their company in a 360 degree fashion. The new international venture will bring lifestyle, music and sport to the epicenter of the world’s soccer market.

Pepsi, the NFL, and Roc Nation announced that Jennifer Lopez and Shakira will perform during the Pepsi Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show. "Ever since I saw Diana Ross fly off into the sky at the Halftime Show, I dreamed of performing at the Super Bowl," said Lopez. "And now it's made even more special not only because it's the NFL's 100th anniversary, but also because I am performing with a fellow Latina. The Pepsi Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show telecast on FOX taking place at the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium on February 2, 2020 will be produced by NFL Network. Roc Nation will serve as producers and strategic entertainment advisors of the live performance. According to Variety, although Lopez is originally from the Bronx and Shakira from Colombia, Miami is "widely recognized as the global capital of the Latin music business." The booking also "bears the fingerprints of Jay-Z," as it comes on the heels of the NFL-Roc Nation partnership announced last month that "encompasses entertainment -- including the Super Bowl halftime show."

The NFL has signed DraftKings to an exclusive deal making it the league's first official daily fantasy sports sponsor. Similar to the deal they signed with Caesars in January as the NFL's inaugural casino partner, DraftKings is specifically prohibited from marketing its sports betting business with the NFL. However, the relationship can indirectly serve DraftKings' emerging sports book by keeping its brand front-of-center among football fans as legalized betting spreads. The NFL expects to use the relationship to help it better understand how daily fantasy increases fan engagement. DraftKings CEO Jason Robins said access to official league marks and footage will help the company stand out against competitors. DraftKings already is an official sponsor of the Patriots, Broncos, and Cowboys. "The NFL is very careful about allowing people to use trademarks like Super Bowl, and we run contests where people can do things like win tickets to the Super Bowl…Now we can actually say 'Super Bowl,'" Robins said. The NFL is still the only North American league not to designate a full-fledged sports betting partner, so it looks like they’re still hedging their bets while waiting for the perfect mega sports gambling deal.

Nike tops analysts’ expectations with first quarter numbers. Nike stock "exceeded an all-time high of more than $90 a share in after-hours trading" last Thursday after the company released its Q1 earnings report, according to the Portland Oregonian. Nike's first quarter came in "above Wall Street expectations," with $10.66 billion in sales compared to the predicted $10.44 billion. Sales were up 10%, "not including currency changes." Nike said earnings per share were $0.86, above the $0.70 expected. Nike Chairman, President, and CEO Mark Parker in a release described the first quarter as a "strong start" to the company’s 2020 fiscal year. The company expects fiscal year sales to "climb in the high single-digits." Nike has now "exceeded Wall Street sales expectations in 14 of the last 20 quarters and beat earnings expectations in 19 of the last 20.” Nike’s brand new relationship with NBA rookie sensation Zion Williamson should continue to boost its strong numbers.

NFL owners float proposal for 17-game season. As NFL CBA talks continue, the "most dramatic proposal on the table from owners is an expanded regular season to 17 games that could eliminate preseason games in their entirety," according to ESPN and other sources. The NFLPA is "not interested in an expanded season, especially without a significant increase in its percentage of the revenue." Sources on both sides "believe that important progress has been made and a deal is getting closer." NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones are reportedly "leading the way to push through a new CBA at some time this season." With higher numbers of NFL players retiring at the peak of their careers, they are clearly just as worried about the wear and tear on their bodies as they are the revenue feathering their bank accounts. If owners agree to increase revenue share by even a modest percentage, most players will probably jump at this compromise.

Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage Field House officially open after $185 million renovation. Downtown Cleveland was "electric" Saturday afternoon for a "celebration and official opening" of the $185 million renovated Rocket Mortgage Field House, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. An "estimated 2,500 people attended the ceremony" that was followed by a "free public open house." People had the "chance to explore the space and try new dining options." Updates include a "77,110 square foot illuminated aluminum curtain, more than 42,000 square feet of new space in the atrium, a power portal entryway featuring LED panels and Soundscape technology." Cavaliers President of Business Operations Nic Barlage said, "Today was perfect.” The first event in the renovated arena "won’t be a sporting event but a concert, when the Black Keys perform" on Monday night. A fitting opening for a building mere blocks from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Top Five Tech

Amazon launches a stat boosted “Thursday Night Football” broadcast. According to FOX Business, Amazon Prime Video is adding more customizable features to its streaming broadcasts to build on a viewership spike on its platform from last season. The third year of Amazon’s NFL streaming deal kicked off this past Thursday night, with fans able to use Prime Video’s “X-Ray” feature to access “Next Gen Stats,” such as a running back’s yards-after-contact. The company also will debut “NFL Next,” a 30-minute pre-game show exclusive to streaming viewers with show hosts including former NFL star Chris Long, NFL Network personality Kay Adams, and Next Gen Stats expert James Koh. Amazon is pushing the sports streaming market and plans to roll out more statistics as the season progresses. Amazon has seen a steady increase in viewership since it took over “Thursday Night Football,” with its average streaming viewership rising 86% on Amazon’s “Thursday Night Football” broadcasts in 2018 compared to the previous season.

Levi’s Stadium is the first NFL stadium to employ 8K video. According to SportsPro, the San Francisco 49ers said the upgrade will come into play in the near future, however an exact timeline has yet to be set. The 8K HD video production technology comes as part of a multi-year partnership with communications manufacturer Foxconn Industrial Internet. A key component of that will be to replace all existing television monitors within Levi’s Stadium with Sharp-brand monitors. The partnership also presents an opportunity for Fii to enhance the match day experience through high-performance computing and 5G connectivity. Following updates completed during the off-season, the Fii name will also serve as the presenting sponsor for the 49ers Museum, the 49ers press room, and the Fii Club which was previously known as the East Field Club. The collaboration between the NFL team and communications company supports the new narrative of sports teams looking for a technological edge to improve marketing and fan experience.

The NHL looks to boost players’ social media presence through a deal with Opendorse. According to NHL.com, the NHL and participating clubs will use Opendorse to help players publish their highlights, in-game images, and other media to their personal social channels with the tap of a button. Rather than simply handing players a library of assets to wade through, the NHL and its clubs can now send individual players specific photos, videos, or GIFs, streamlining the process to effectively engage their social media audiences. Almost all of the work is done by Opendorse, all the athletes have to do is add or edit their own messaging, then approve the post to publish with a single tap. Opendorse then automatically publishes the post to the appropriate channel at the scheduled date and time. As NHL players already significantly outpace fellow professional athletes in terms of engagement rate in 2019, this added addition of Opendorse will boost the NHL’s social media game to a higher frequency to build a larger brand for hockey overall.

The Sacramento Kings are getting rid of the lineups for food and drink. According to Business Insider, an Amazon Go-style store where fans can grab a beer and food in under 30 seconds will open in October at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, home to the NBA's Sacramento Kings. It's powered by Zippin, which recently opened its first checkout-free store in San Francisco. To use the store without checking out, shoppers must download the Sacramento Kings + Golden 1 Center app or the Zippin app and cameras and sensors will track what shoppers grab off the store's shelves. Customers can also shop at the store if they present a valid debit or credit card at the entrance. While teams like the Yankees are bringing food right to your seats, this option still lets fans explore the stadium while getting rid of the hassle of standing in line and increasing fan satisfaction.

ESPN and Facebook strike a deal to bring sports shows to the social media platform. Under the new deal, ESPN will distribute exclusive digital shows and content on the social giant’s Facebook Watch video platform. According to Variety, the new collaboration will begin with ESPN’s Facebook Watch lineup of additional segments from “Always Late With Katie Nolan,” the late-night sports/comedy show premiering this week on ESPN2; exclusive versions of college-football “Countdown to GameDay” and “Fantasy Focus Live,” and “The People’s MMA Show,” a weekly series about mixed martial arts fighters. With the new content, ESPN will engage with fans through Facebook Watch platform via Watch Parties, polls, or live talent Q&As. Facebook has made a huge push in the last two years to gather more sports content including live MLB games and now all-encompassing sports content from one of sports media’s titans as the push to break into OTT sports intensifies.

Power of Sports Five

Burton Snowboards joined millions of students and workers from around the world in support of the Global Climate Strike. On September 20 and 27, the snowboard brand closed all its offices and retail stores in America, Canada, Europe, China, Japan, South Korea, and Australia so its employees could join the strike and attend local marches, while still being paid. Burton.com was also closed for online orders around the world on the same days. According to The Telegraph, visitors to the website were automatically redirected to the Global Climate Strike homepage instead. In addition, the brand’s flagship stores, which are largely based in the U.S., were open to the public as a space to gather before and after the marches. People in 150 countries organized Global Climate Strikes in September, in which people were encouraged to walk out of work or school to join a local march to draw attention to the need for a new approach to combat climate change.

A pair of new-found friends cycle from London to Tokyo for charity and the Rugby World Cup. James Owens and Ron Rutland cycled from London to Tokyo, a total of 20,093 kilometers and a distance that spanned across 27 countries over 230 days to reach rugby's showpiece event. The primary aim of the journey was to raise money and awareness for ChildFund Pass It Back, the Rugby World Cup's official charity. According to CNN, the aim of the project was to help children from developing communities in Asia learn essential life skills through the sport. Seeing the actual children who were benefiting from the project’s $83,181 raised was the highlight of the journey for Owens and Rutland, who had only met five days before their journey and were also tasked with delivering the official whistle for the opening match between Japan and Russia. Rutland had previously cycled 41,843 km over two years and three months in the world's first unsupported solo cycle through Africa to watch his beloved South Africa in 2015 in England. This time, he used his extreme conditioning to better the lives of others.

A college football fan asks for beer money and ends up raising $1 million for charity. According to People Magazine, Carson King went viral last week with a homemade sign asking viewers of ESPN’s “College GameDay” to donate to his Venmo account so he could afford to stock up on beer. The sign read “Busch Light Supply Needs Replenished,” which was seen on TV during the match-up between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Iowa State Cyclones. King, 24, told CNN he didn’t expect to make any money off of the “joke” sign, but somehow netted $400 within 30 minutes. After he made more than $1,000 in a day, he decided to donate almost all of the money (as he did keep just enough for a case of Busch Light) to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital. Within days, Busch Beer was on board too, and so was Venmo, with each company promising to match King’s donation. Now, with Busch and Venmo on board, the donations crossed the $1.1 million mark. The randomness of a viral sports sensation helped to make a huge impact for sick children in need.

After a sensational UFC match, Khabib Nurmugumadov and Dustin Poirier keep up the charity work. Last week, Khabib gave his swapped jersey with Poirier away so that it could be auctioned off for charity and it ended up raising $100,000 which was put towards helping Poirier’s “The Good Fight” charity with the funds to be used to build water wells and repair water supplies at an orphanage and school in Uganda. Additionally, UFC president Dana White revealed that he would match whatever the shirt sold for, so $200,000 was raised. According to MMA Mania, Poirier’s auction on EBay for his fight gloves, shorts, wraps, and Khabib’s shirt sold for $60,200 to bring the total money raised to over a quarter million to help provide clean water to those who lack access.

The U.S. Soccer Foundation donates three mini soccer pitches to Baltimore. The D.C.-based soccer philanthropy and advocacy organization plans to fund and build three $60,000 “mini-pitches” at Desoto Park in Southwest Baltimore’s Morrell Park neighborhood, the Farring-Baybrook Recreation Center in Brooklyn, and Betty Hyatt Community Park in Washington Hill. According to Baltimore FishBowl, the donations would come as part of the nonprofit’s “Safe Places to Play” program. The foundation has partnered with sports-lighting firm Musco Lighting on a modular soccer field design, roughly the size of a basketball or tennis court, for underserved areas around the country and they come with lighting to allow for after-hours play, plus storage and benches. And the effects from these “city pitches” won’t be short lived – the foundation is partnering with MLS teams, corporations, and others to install 1,000 around the country by 2026.

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