Weekly Update – Week of July 13, 2020 (COVID Week 18)

Baseball: Braves to keep their name. Bolling dies of cancer.

Basketball: Rondo out again for hand injury. Leonard under quarantine protocol.

College Sports: NCAA March Madness video game tourney. Patriot and Ivy league cancel fall sports. Big 10 and Pac 12 move to only conference play for football.

Football: Redskins no more – new name pending. DeSean Jackson’s anti-Semitic comments and backlash. Oakley face shields.

Golf: No more fans for 2019/2020 season. Morikawa wins Workday.

Motorsports: New All-Star called SRX coming to you in 2021.

Olympic Sports: Noah Lyles glitched WR. UK in some trouble x2. RUS track president resigns. CHN cancels all international competitions for 2020. van Ruijven dies. Gray arrested for lewdness.

Soccer: 12 year old arrested for racism. Manchester City off the hook on appeal.

Baseball:

• The Atlanta Braves are not looking to change their name however they are re-evaluating their chop celebration in the name of being PC and racially sensitive. The Indians are considering a name change but nothing has been decided yet. The Blackhawks are also standing by their name as they say it honors a Native American leader.
• 3x All-Star 2B Frank Bolling died at the age of 88 after losing his battle with cancer. Bolling played 6 seasons in Detroit and 6 in Atlanta starting in 1954. During his first big league game, he hit a HR for his first career hit. Bolling also missed the 1955 season as he served in the Army.

Basketball:

• Lakers guard Rajon Rondo has seriously bad luck when it comes to hand injuries. He suffered a broken right thumb on Sunday night in FL but is expected to return in 6-8 weeks after he has surgery on it. After signing with the Lakers in 2018, he missed playing time due to 2 separate surgeries on his right hand (one to repair a fracture in his 3^rd metacarpal and another to repair a torn ligament in his finger finger).
• Kawhi Leonard is under COVID quarantine protocol before joining the Clippers after he was excused to deal with a family matter. He is expected to be back with the team soon.

College Sports:

• The Patriot League joins the Ivy league in announcing that they have canceled all fall sports. However, the US Military Academy and Naval Academy are exempt from this cancellation and will make their own decisions.
• The Big 10 and Pac 12 have announced that they plan to play a ‘conference only’ football schedule. The Pac 12 has also said it will delay the start of fall sports. This means that Notre Dame will not play USC for the first time since WWII. The ACC, SEC and Big 12 have yet to make their decisions. JuCos are rumored to move football to play in the Spring, which effects 54 schools in the league.
  • Other big games cancelled by this announcement: USC/Alabama, TCU/Cal, Ohio St/Oregon, Michigan/Washington, Stanford/Notre Dame
• If you’re starved for NCAA Basketball, this might help. Louisville’s Akoy Agau and former Louisville manager Matthew Melander started Primetimesports. This has allowed athletes and celebs to stream video games via Twitch and if a fan pays a small fee, a fan can even interact/ask questions with their favorite players. The NCAA March Madness attempt will feature an Xbox side of the bracket and a PlayStation side. When it comes down to the 2 champions, a coin flip will decide what system the championship game will be played on. They even altered the players from NBA 2K to make them look like players in the NCAA league. Match-ups start this week on Wednesday on Twitch. Half of the money raised by fan questions will go to charity.

Football:

• Its official, the Washington Redskins will change their name and logo. The news dropped last night but the new name will not be announced until later this year.

• With all the news on the Black lives Matter movement, DeSean Jackson would do better to watch what he says on social media. The Eagles’ WR posted multiple anti-Semitic messages attributed to Adolf Hitler and Louis Farrakhan (Islamic leader) scapegoating the Jews and claiming that they aim to achieve world domination. The actual quote was believed to not ever have actually been used by Hitler. However, the sentiments are the same regardless! He has since apologized, and the Eagles have punished him. Although the exact punishment was not stated, it is believed to be a fine. To his credit, DeSean zoom called with a 94-year-old Holocaust survivor, Edward Mosberg, who appeared on the call in his concentration camp uniform. Mosberg invited DeSean to visit Auschwitz with him, which the WR accepted. Jackson also plans to donate significant funds to the Jewish community efforts.

• Oakley has worked with the NFL to come up with the Oakley Mouth Shield on all NFL player helmets this upcoming season to prevent/slow the spread of COVID. There is no mandate to wear the shields yet, but it is recommended. Oakley Prizm Lens technology is also in the helmet, which is used by skiers and military personnel to enhance color and contrasts to improve vision. The Rams and Chargers are currently using the shield already. JJ Watt is one who has spoken out against the shield.

Golf:

• The PGA Tour will have no fans at the remainder of the 2019/2020 calendar. While that sounds like a lot, it really is just for the tournaments through the first week of September. The season ends with the Tour Championship. It does include the FedEx Cup playoffs so no scenes like Tiger’s last year. The first tournament that could have fans would be the Safeway Open on Sept 10-13. The US Open is hopeful that they will be allowed to have a limited number of fans (to be played Sept 17-20). No word yet on the Masters in November.

• After trailing 3 shots on the final 3 holes, Collin Morikawa won the Workday Open in playoff fashion over World #5 Justin Thomas. It took 3 playoff holes but Collin putted for par to win his 2^nd PGA Tour title. Thomas sunk a 50-foot putt for birdie on the 18^th during regulation play but ultimately drove the ball behind a tree on the 3^rd playoff hole which did him in. Last time the playoff holes were not so kind to Collin last time who lost the Colonial (first tournament back from COVID) in a playoff. The Memorial Tournament this week will be played on the same course this week.
• The Century Championship had a multitude of other sport athletes in the top finishers. Mardy Fish, who used to be a tennis pro, won the tournament over former Bills’ DT Kyle Williams. HoF pitcher John Smoltz finished third. Steph Curry was 4^th. The celebrity tournament raised over $600k for COVID relief.

Motorsports:

• NSACAR HoFers, Tony Stewart and Ray Evernham, are starting an all-star circuit in 2021 called the SRX (superstar Racing Experience). The league will feature 12 drivers racing 6 races on short tracks to air on CBS on summer Saturday nights. If they could have anyone, their dream list would include drivers like Scott Dixon, Tony Janaan, Kimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordan, Juan Pablo Montoya and Paul Tracey to name a few.

Olympic Sports:

• American sprinter, Noah Lyles, ran the 200m in 18.90 (breaking Usain Bolts WR)?! Nope. False alarm! During the Weltklasse meet in Zurich, which Lyles was virtually inseminated into the race when he actually ran in Florida, he was mistakenly lined up at the 185m mark. This meet was the first of 8 events of 3 athletes or teams competing across 7 near-empty stadiums in the EU and USA. The Swiss organizers have to combine 3 performances across the globe in just 2 minutes. Not that this was the issue this time – just the starting blocks in the wrong spot. Allyson Felix also participated in the meet winning the 150m and anchoring the 3x100m relay (yes its new). Shaunae Miller-Uibo took 2^nd to Felix. Just be thankful track is back!
• The UK is under fire in 2 news stories this week.
  • British gymnasts have come forward to discuss the abusive culture and behavior in British gymnastics. These include the Downie sister who are some of the countries’ most decorated gymnasts. The number of other accusers has not be released but this is not the last we have heard of this.
  • UK Sport is also under investigation for its use of the energy drink DeltaG during the 2012 Olympics as part of an ‘experimental’ nutritional program at the expense of athletes’ health. The drink was given to 91 athletes, of which 40% experienced GI issues or vomiting. UK Sport claims it got 3^rd party approval and UKADA/WADA approval before using it. Team GBR took home 29 gold medals at the 2012 games.
• Russian track federation president, Yevgeny Yurchenko, resigned today after less than 5 months on the job. He was stuck in a stalemate with World Athletics over the doping suspension and the RusAF has yet to pay its $5MM fine that was due on July 1.
• China has canceled all international events for the rest of 2020 due to the coronavirus, mostly affecting tennis. This does not include trials for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
• Dutch World Champion short-track skater, Lara van Ruijven, died at age 27 from complications from an autoimmune reaction. She won the world title in the 500m last year.
• Suspended USA Gymnastics coach, Terry Gray, was arrested in Las Vegas for lewdness with a minor under the age of 14. He was suspended from USA Gym in 2019 due to sexual misconduct with a minor. I’m sensing a pattern.

Soccer:

• A 12-year-old kid was arrested for sending racist messages to Crystal Palace’s midfielder Wilfried Zaha. The racist messages were displayed on the players twitter before the game vs Aston Villa. Police have said that racism will not be tolerated, although the boy has been released but is still under investigation. He will receive a lifetime ban.
• Manchester City won their appeal to the CAS about fair play violations which means they are free to play in the Champions League next season. This also means the 5^th place in the Premier League will no longer qualify for the Champions League, which is ManU at the moment.

What to Watch this Week

Baseball:

• Tues 7/14 – KBO: NC Dinos vs Kiwoom Heroes @ 5:25am on ESPN2
• Thurs 7/16 – KBO: Teams TBA @ 5:25am on ESPN2
• Fri 7/17 – KBO: Doosan Bears vs KIA Tigers @ 5:25am on ESPN
• Sat 7/18
  • KBO: Kiwoom Heroes at SK Wyvers @ 4:55am on ESPN
  • MLB: Yankees vs Mets @ 7pm on SNY/YES
• Sun 7/19
  • KBO: Doosan Bears at KIA Tigers @ 3:55am on ESPN
  • MLB: Mets at Yankees @ 7pm on SNY/YES/MLB
  • MLB: White Sox vs Cubs @ 8pm on NBC Local
  • MLB: Diamondbacks vs Dodgers @ 9pm on FS Local

Golf:

• Thurs 7/16 – Memorial Tournament – Round 1 @ 1:30pm on Golf Channel
• Fri 7/17 – Memorial Tournament – Round 2 @ 1:30pm on Golf Channel
• Sat 7/18 – Memorial Tournament – Round 3
  • 11:30am on Golf Channel
  • 2pm on CBS
• Sun 7/19 – Memorial Tournament – Round 4
  • 12pm on Golf Channel
  • 2:30pm on CBS

Motorsports:

• Wed 7/15 – NASCAR All-Star Race @ 8:30pm on FS1
• Fri 7/17 – IndyCar: Race 1 @ 9pm on NBCSN
• Sat 7/18 – IndyCar: Iowa Series 300 @ 8:30pm on NBCSN
• Sun 7/19
  • Formula 1: Aramco Hungarian Grand Prix @ 9:05am on ESPN
  • NASCAR: O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 @ 3pm on NBCSN
  • MotoGP: Spanish Grand Prix @ 3:30pm on NBC

Olympic Sports:

• Sat 7/18 – AVP Champions Cup Series: The Monster Hydro Cup @ 3:30pm on NBC

Soccer:

• Mon 7/13
  • USL: OKC Energy vs FC Tulsa @ 7pm on ESPN2
  • MLS: Houston Dynamo vs LAFC @ 8pm on FS1
  • MLS: Portland Timbers vs LA Galaxy @ 10:30pm on FS1
• Tues 7/14
  • MLS : Chicago Fire vs Seattle Sounders @ 8am on ESPN
  • Premier League: Chelsea vs Norwich City @ 2pm on NBCSN
• Wed 7/15
  • MLS: FC Dallas vs Seattle Sounders @ 9am on ESPN
  • Italian Serie A: Sampdoria vs Cagliari @ 12:30pm on ESPN
  • Italian Serie A: Lecce vs Fiorentina @ 2:45pm on ESPN
  • USL: Birmingham Legion vs Memphis 901 @ 7pm on ESPN2
• Thurs 7/16
  • MLS: Atlanta United vs FC Cincinnati @ 8am on ESPN
  • Premier League: Leicester City vs Sheffield @ 11:55am on NBCSN
  • Italian Serie A: Torino vs Genoa @ 12:30pm on ESPN
  • Premier League: Crystal Palace vs ManU @ 2:10pm on NBCSN
  • USL: Orange County vs Phoenix Rising @ 8pm on ESPN2
  • MLS: NE Revolution vs DC United @ 8pm on FS1
  • MLS : NY Red Bulls vs Columbus Crew @ 10:30pm on FS1
• Fri 7/17
  • Premier League: West Ham vs Watford @ 2:55pm on NBCSN
  • USL: Tampa Bay Rowdies vs NC FC @ 6pm on ESPN2
  • MLS: Sporting Kansas City vs Colorado Rapids @ 7pm on ESPN
  • MLS: Real Salt Lake vs MN United @ 9:30pm on ESPN
• Sat 7/18
  • Italian Serie A: Hella Verona vs Atalanta @ 10:15am on ESPN
  • Italian Serie A: Cagliari vs Sassuolo @ 12:30pm on ESPN
  • Premier League: Norwich City vs Burnley @ 12:30pm on NBC
  • MLS: Portland Timbers vs Houston Dynamo @ 7pm on ESPN
  • MLS: LAFC vs LA Galaxy @ 9:30pm on ESPN
  • MLS : LA Galaxy vs LAFC @ 10 :30pm on ESPN
• Sun 7/19
  • Premier League: AFC Bournemouth vs Southampton @ 8:00am on NBCSN
  • Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur vs Leicester City @ 10am on NBCSN
  • Italian Serie A: Parma vs Sampdoria @ 10:15am on ESPN2
  • Italian Serie A: Fiorentina vs Torino @ 12:30pm on ESPN
  • USL: Sacramento Republic vs Reno 1856 @ 8pm on ESPN2

Tennis:

• Tues 7/14
  • World Team Tennis @ 11am on ESPN2
  • World Team Tennis @ 3pm on ESPN2
• Thurs 7/15 – World Team Tennis @ 3pm on ESPN2
• Sat 7/18
  • World Team Tennis @ 12pm on ESPN2
  • World Team Tennis @ 7:30pm on ESPN2