SOCCER=
West Ham vice chair Karren Brady has expressed doubts about a plan
to finish the English Premier League season that has been put on
hiatus due to the coronavirus outbreak. Brady wrote a column in
Saturday’s editions of The Sun newspaper a day after an EPL
conference call during which a plan was revealed that would restart
training sessions on May 16 and games as early as June 8. Although
fans would not be allowed in stadiums, Brady’s column suggests that
games would motivate fans to gather elsewhere before it is
advisable. She also estimated that each game would require 300-500
necessary personnel inside the stadium, including medical staff and
security, who may be needed elsewhere. Brady is also a member of
Parliament in the House of Lords.
Spain’s La Liga has conceded that any games that take place through
the end of the summer would have to be in empty stadiums after an
interview by the mayor of Madrid. Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida told a
radio station that the COVID-19 pandemic likely ”won’t be under
control” in time for events with big crowds to resume normally
this summer. ”In the spring and summer there won’t be any events
with crowds in Spain, and possibly not in the fall either,”
Martinez-Almeida said. ”Because obviously the situation will not
be fully under control. We will have to change our habits and
behaviors even after being allowed to go back on to the streets.”
Spain has had over 190,000 confirmed cases of the virus with more
than 20,000 deaths.
TENNIS=
Novak Djokovic says he spoke with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal
about working with the ATP to set up a fund to help lower-ranked
tennis players financially affected by the shutdown from the
coronavirus pandemic. Djokovic revealed the discussions during an
Instagram Live session, saying the top players would like to
organize funds from around $3-5 million to be distributed to
players ranked lower than 200th or 250th in the world.
Serena Williams’ coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, intends to start an
independent league for professionals to play without spectators in
Nice, France. He is attempting to have matches begin as early as
next month and hopes to have 10 matches per weekend available for
the public to live-stream. The ATP and WTA professional tours have
been on hold since March because of the coronavirus pandemic and
are suspended at least until mid-July.
WNBA=
Sky center Stefanie Dolson is the first Chicago professional
athlete known to have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Dolson, who is spending her offseason in New York, said on a video
that aired during Friday’s WNBA draft that she and her “whole
family” tested positive about a month ago. Dolson, along with
Sparks guard Sydney Wiese, is one of two WNBA players known to have
contracted COVID-19.
NFL=
Falcons running back Brian Hill signed his fifth-round tender of
just over $2.1 million to remain with the club in 2020. Hill has
played mostly on special teams in his two-plus years in Atlanta but
did have two starts last season, gaining 323 yards on 78 carries
and making 10 receptions. Hill was drafted out of Wyoming in the
fifth round in the 2017 draft and has appeared in 29 games for the
Falcons and Bengals.
The Ravens and inside linebacker Jake Ryan have agreed to a
one-year contract, pending a physical. The move provides veteran
depth at the position for the Ravens before heading into Thursday’s
draft. A fourth-round pick in 2015 out of the University of
Michigan, Ryan started 27 games for the Packers in his first three
seasons before missing all of 2018 with a torn ACL in his right
knee. He signed a one-year deal with the Jaguars in 2019 but played
just two games due to a hamstring ailment. Ryan has 206 total
tackles in 45 career games with one sack and two fumble recoveries.
MLB=
Former Arizona State baseball coach and former Angels and Athletics
manager Bobby Winkles has died. He was 90. Winkles built Arizona
State into a national power and won national titles in 1965, 1967
and 1969. He went 524-173 in 13 years in Tempe and coached such
stars as Reggie Jackson, Rick Monday and Sal Bando. Winkles went on
to manage four years in the majors, going 170-213 in stints with
the Angeles and Athletics from 1973-78.
NBA=
Pistons rookie Sekou Doumbouya is back in France while NBA play is
on an indefinite hiatus because of the coronavirus outbreak. The
league has advised players to avoid non-essential travel, but
players could consult their teams and choose to go to another city
and stay there. International travel could lead to logistical
concerns if play resumes and a player faces hurdles returning to
the U.S. The 2019 first-round pick is averaging 6.4 points in 38
games for Detroit this season.
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