U.S./World Sports category, Page 316
Mark Madden: ESPN’s marketing of ‘The Last Dance’ is brilliant
ESPN is doing big ratings despite no games. The NFL Draft drew 55 million viewers over its three days. That’s up 16% from the 2019 draft. Episodes 3 and 4 of “The Last Dance” documentary averaged 5.9 million viewers. The first two episodes averaged 6 million. ESPN could go in...
NCAA board supports name, image and likeness compensation
The NCAA is moving forward with a plan to allow college athletes to earn money for endorsements and a host of other activities involving personal appearances and social media. The NCAA announced Wednesday that its Board of Governors supports a plan that gives athletes the ability to cash in on...
On the Fringe: Golf won’t be the same without fans, but it will have to do for nowVideo
Rory McIlroy contemplated what golf would be like without fans. This was five days before there was no golf at all. “I’d be OK with it,” he said at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, unaware the covid-19 pandemic was about to shut down golf for at least three months. “It would...
McKeesport’s Swin Cash joins NBA coronavirus roundtableVideo
Former McKeesport standout Swin Cash and Kyle Korver are among the guests on the debut of a new NBA weekly roundtable series that will discuss how minority communities are being impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The roundtable will be shown on the NBA’s Twitter page. Former NBA player Caron Butler...
Montour, Penn State grad John Hufnagel continues to build winning legacy in CFL
The Canadian Football League will hold its draft Thursday, and, like he has for the past decade-plus, John Hufnagel will be in the middle of the action. The Montour and Penn State graduate is president and general manager of the Calgary Stampeders, a position he has held since 2016. From...
Lakers return $4.6 million from stimulus loan programVideo
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers have repaid a loan of roughly $4.6 million from coronavirus business relief funds after learning the program had been depleted. The Lakers applied for the loan under the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program, a part of the federal government’s $2.2 trillion stimulus...
All eyes on NASCAR as it races toward restartVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sports eventually will start again, and all eyes are on NASCAR, which appears to be racing full speed ahead to get there. The sanctioning body is working on a revised schedule that could have NASCAR back on track in roughly three weeks. The May 9 race at...
Matt Kenseth back to NASCAR as Larson replacement at Ganassi
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Former NASCAR champion Matt Kenseth will again come out of retirement to compete for Chip Ganassi Racing as the replacement for fired driver Kyle Larson. Larson lost his job two weeks ago for using a racial slur while competing in a virtual race. Although Ganassi developement driver...
U.S. national team goalkeeper Steffen injured again in Germany
DÜSSELDORF, Germany — United States national team goalkeeper Zack Steffen was injured again after returning to training with his Bundesliga club, Fortuna Düsseldorf said Monday. The German team said Steffen was diagnosed with knee ligament damage following an examination on Monday. Steffen started Fortuna’s first 17 Bundesliga games this season...
Tulane basketball player charged with murder in GeorgiaVideo
MCDONOUGH, Ga. — A Tulane University basketball player who recently declared for the NBA draft is charged with murder and other counts in a Georgia slaying. Teshaun Hightower, who led the Green Wave in scoring last season, was booked into jail Saturday on multiple charges, including murder and aggravated assault,...
Ryan Newman says he will be ready to race when NASCAR resumesVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ryan Newman said he will be ready to race when NASCAR resumes competition, which could be as early as May 17. Newman suffered a head injury in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway. The Indiana native spent less than 48 hours in the hospital before walking...
Plum native Peyton Kondis puts swimming career behind her
When the NCAA Division I swimming championships were canceled March 12 because of the coronavirus, Plum resident Peyton Kondis began to turn her attention and preparation to wrapping up her competition career in late June at the U.S. Olympic swim trials in Omaha, Neb. But for the Oakland Catholic graduate...
Source: NBA players could be allowed back to practice facilities Friday but with restrictionsVideo
MIAMI — A person with knowledge of the situation said NBA players will be allowed to return to team training facilities starting Friday, provided that their local governments do not have a stay-at-home order prohibiting such movement. Any workouts that take place would be voluntary and individual sessions only, according...
Fights to resume in Nicaragua because ‘boxers have to eat’Video
MANAGUA, Nicaragua — Boxing was set to resume in Nicaragua on Saturday with a televised eight-fight card in front of a live audience in Managua. The threat of the coronavirus was dismissed by promoter Rosendo Álvarez, the former two-time world champion. “Here we don’t fear the coronavirus, and there is...
Wake Forest fires Danny Manning as basketball coachVideo
RALEIGH, N.C. — Wake Forest fired basketball coach Danny Manning after six seasons in which the Demon Deacons had a winning record only once. The school announced the decision Saturday. That came more than six weeks after the Demon Deacons lost to Pitt in the opening game of the ACC...
Pittsburgh councilman O’Connor recalls golfing with Michael Jordan, says he beat him on front 9
One day in 2003, Corey O’Connor’s father called with great news: They were going to play a round of golf with Hall of Fame NBA player Michael Jordan. It was for the annual Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational at The Club at Nevillewood in the South Hills. Tee time: 9:35 a.m....
Commentary: Bowling becomes butt of joke as Georgia reopensVideo
CONYERS, Ga. — The sign outside the bowling alley in this bedroom community east of Atlanta contained a brief but compelling message Friday. “We Are Open.” Yep, they are open, but it’s hardly business as usual for a sport that’s always had a bit of an image problem. Mockingly portrayed...
Taiwan pro baseball league plays on with no fans in standsVideo
NEW TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan — When Wang Wei-chen had a base hit for the Chinatrust Brothers, no one booed or cheered from the stands at the suburban Taipei ballpark. No one hurled insults at the umpires. And no one yelled the Chinese-language line of encouragement “add oil” to either team....
Michigan facing more legal action over late doctor’s alleged abuseVideo
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — A legal team that says it represents more than 100 people who allege they were abused by a deceased Michigan sports doctor Friday announced the first step in filing a lawsuit against the school. The Anderson Survivors Legal Team said it filed 20-plus notices of intent...
UFC will stage 3 fights in May at empty Jacksonville arenaVideo
The UFC is returning to competition May 9 for three shows without fans in eight days in Jacksonville, Fla. The mixed martial arts promotion announced its plans Friday to return to action after postponing and canceling several shows because of the coronavirus pandemic. UFC 249 will be held May 9...
Astronomer files trademark lawsuit against American Girl
MADISON, Wis. — An astronomer in Chicago has sued the maker of American Girl dolls, alleging the Wisconsin company stole her likeness and name to create its astronaut doll. The federal trademark lawsuit filed in Madison this week by Lucianne Walkowicz asks American Girl and its parent company, Mattel, to...
Miss watching sports? Cricket final going live – in Vanuatu
PORT VILA, Vanuatu — They’re ready to go live in Vanuatu. A tropical island in the South Pacific is very likely to be the only venue in the world hosting a competitive cricket final on Saturday, as most international sport remains shuttered around the globe. Vanuatu Cricket Association chief executive...
Governor of N.C. says NASCAR teams can start working again, clearing hurdle for series’ return
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The governor of North Carolina said Thursday that NASCAR teams can work in their race shops if they maintain social distancing guidelines, clearing a potential hurdle to resuming the season in coming weeks. Gov. Roy Cooper extended the state’s stay-at-home order through May 8 on Thursday and...
Notre Dame’s Muffet McGraw retires; won 2 national titlesVideo
Muffet McGraw abruptly retired Wednesday, stepping down from Notre Dame after a Hall of Fame coaching career that includes two national championships in 33 seasons. The 64-year-old McGraw became the 13th woman inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017. She won 936 games, ranking sixth among...
Bulls series sparks memories of Michael Jordan’s greatness, fills void for sports fansVideo
Before the coronavirus reared its head in the U.S., spending this much time near the television might have sounded appealing to sports fans. But then sports went, too, with covid-19 pressing the pause button indefinitely on most nonessential functions nationwide. The country is hungry for sports. And nobody — including...
