FOOTBALL=
Drew Brees has reportedly agreed to join NBC Sports when he
finishes his playing career. Brees, who is entering his 20th season
in the NFL, will begin by covering Notre Dame games and as part of
the studio team for “Football Night in America” before eventually
transitioning into the “Sunday Night Football” booth. Al Michaels
and Cris Collinsworth have been in the SNF booth together since
2009.
The XFL has suspended operations and laid off all employees less
than a month after being forced to cancel the remainder of its
season due to the coronavirus pandemic. The reformed league, headed
by pro wrestling tycoon Vince McMahon, had previously announced
plans to resume in 2021 after playing five games out of a 10-game
spring schedule.
MLB=
Major League Baseball is considering a realignment plan that would
eliminate the American and National Leagues if and when it conducts
a 2020 season, according to USA Today. The proposal is related to a
previously reported idea to have all 30 teams play games in a
centralized location in Arizona to reduce travel risks caused by
the coronavirus outbreak. The plan would have teams grouped in
divisions based on the geography of their spring training homes,
which would create three divisions of Florida-based teams and three
others with teams with complexes in Arizona.
While the season remains on hold, a group of 30 major league
players will take part in a round-robin tournament in which they
will compete against one another in the MLB The Show video game.
Each team will have one representative, with Rays pitcher Blake
Snell, Padres infielder Fernando Tatis Jr., Brewers reliever Josh
Hader, Rangers slugger Joey Gallo and Mets All-Star Jeff McNeil
among the notables. The players will play a 29-game regular season
with games set for three innings with the top eight teams
qualifying for the postseason.
NBA=
ESPN is reporting that multiple NBA teams will attempt to sway the
league to push the date of this year’s draft back to at least Aug.
1, more than a month past its current scheduled date of June 25.
According to the report, team executives have expressed concern
about their ability to evaluate prospects due to restrictions
placed by the NBA due to the coronavirus outbreak. Teams are
currently prohibited from conducting in-person workouts and
interviews with draft-eligible prospects and also cannot request
video of informal player workouts.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL=
Duke freshman Vernon Carey Jr. has joined teammates Cassius Stanley
and Tre Jones as early entrants to the NBA draft. The 6-foot-10,
270-pound Carey averaged team highs of 17.8 points, 8.8 rebounds
and 1.6 blocks as a physical inside presence in his one season for
the Blue Devils. He was named the Associated Press player of the
year and newcomer of the year for the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Iowa All-American Luka Garza announced he will enter the NBA draft
process but will not hire an agent, leaving open the possibility he
can return to the Hawkeyes next season. The 6-foot-11 center was
the runner-up to Dayton’s Obi Toppin for Associated Press national
player of the year after averaging 23.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per
game as a junior in 2019-20. His 740 points established a new
single-season record for an Iowa player.
Arizona freshman Josh Green has joined freshman teammates Nico
Mannion and Zeke Nnaji in declaring for the NBA draft. “Ever since
I was a little kid in Australia, it’s been a goal of mine to play
in the NBA,” Green tweeted. Creighton guard Ty-Shon Alexander has
also tentatively declared for the draft, but has kept his option of
returning to school for his senior season. He will go through an
evaluation process with league executives, and will be ineligible
to return to Creighton if he hires an agent prior to the May 29
deadline.
NHL=
Former NHL player and Kings and Rangers coach Tom Webster has died
at 71. Webster had 33 goals and 42 assists in 102 career NHL games
and also had 220 goals and 205 assists in 352 WHA games over six
seasons with the New England Whalers. Webster coached the Rangers
in 1986 before compiling a 115-94-31 record as coach of the Kings
from 1989-1992. He guided Los Angeles to its first division title
in 1990-91.
OLYMPICS=
The CEO of the Tokyo organizing committee said it’s still not
certain that the Olympics will be held at its rescheduled date of
July 2021. “I don’t think anyone would be able to say if it is
going to be possible to get it under control by next July or not,”
Toshiro Muto said of the coronavirus that has spread rapidly in
Japan in recent weeks. “We’re certainly are not in a position to
give you a clear answer.” The IOC announced in March it has
postponed the Tokyo Games a full year from its originally scheduled
start date of July 24.
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