SportsAFP NewsNRL makes against-the-odds return for sports-starved Australians
Australia's National Rugby League has battled player scandals, top-level resignations and dire financial revelations during the coronavirus shutdown, but against the odds it returns this week to bring relief to team owners and a sports-starved nation. The fledgling season had seen two rounds of matches when it was suspended on March 24 and will have a different feel when it resumes with Brisbane Broncos hosting Parramatta Eels behind closed doors on Thursday. An "NRL island" off the Queensland coast, where all 16 teams would be kept in isolation, had been considered.
SportsReutersNBA: Knicks great Ewing out of hospital after positive COVID-19 test
The 57-year-old Ewing, who played 17 seasons in the NBA and is currently the head coach of the Georgetown University men's basketball team, had shared his diagnosis on Twitter on Friday in a bid to encourage people to stay safe. "I want to thank all of the doctors and hospital staff for taking care of my father during his stay, as well as everyone who has reached out with thoughts and prayers to us since his diagnosis," Patrick Ewing Jr said on Twitter. Ewing, a seven-foot center, was the number one pick in the 1985 NBA draft and was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
SportsReutersBarkley: NBA teams should forfeit series if player gets virus
Charles Barkley laid out a possible ugly scenario for the NBA postseason if it is played this summer amid the coronavirus pandemic. "I think the one thing we've to go do is, how are we going to handle if one of our players gets infected," Barkley said Monday on ESPN's "The Paul Finebaum Show."
SportsReutersKnicks great Ewing out of hospital after positive COVID-19 test
The 57-year-old Ewing, who played 17 seasons in the NBA and is currently the head coach of the Georgetown University men's basketball team, had shared his diagnosis on Twitter on Friday in a bid to encourage people to stay safe. "I want to thank all of the doctors and hospital staff for taking care of my father during his stay, as well as everyone who has reached out with thoughts and prayers to us since his diagnosis," Patrick Ewing Jr said on Twitter. Ewing, a seven-foot center, was the number one pick in the 1985 NBA draft and was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
SportsThe Associated PressEwing out of hospital after being treated for COVID-19
Georgetown basketball coach and former NBA great Patrick Ewing has been released from the hospital and is recovering from COVID-19 at home, his son said Monday. The 57-year-old Hall of Famer, who played for the Hoyas in college and the New York Knicks in the NBA, announced Friday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus and was being treated at a hospital. Patrick Ewing Jr. said three days later on Twitter that his father was getting better after receiving treatment and thanked the doctors and nurses who looked after him during his hospital stay.
SportsAFP NewsSaliva ban may make cricket 'boring', says Starc
Australian paceman Mitchell Starc warned Tuesday that cricket risks becoming "pretty boring" if ball-tampering rules are not relaxed in response to a coronavirus-linked ban on using saliva to shine the ball. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to implement the ban in June after receiving medical advice that spit poses a COVID-19 transmission risk. Bowlers traditionally get the ball to move in the air, deceiving the batsman, by shining one side using sweat or saliva.
SportsAFP NewsNHL targets return to practice in early June
National Hockey League teams could be able to hold training sessions for small groups of players in early June in the latest phase of the sport's return from the coronavirus shutdown, the league said on Monday. A memo sent to teams on Sunday said groups of up to six players would be allowed to train on the ice together at any one time under the new relaxed guidelines. The memo said the NHL would continue to "monitor developments" in each individual market and could "adjust the overall timing if appropriate."
SportsYahoo SportsCharles Barkley, citing TNT bosses, '100 percent sure' NBA season will resume
Did Charles Barkley share some inside information on the fate of the NBA season?
SportsAutoblogFormula E driver disqualified for getting a ringer to race for him
Audi Formula E driver Daniel Abt was disqualified and ordered to pay 10,000 euros ($10,900.00) to charity on Sunday for getting a professional gamer to compete under his name in an official esports race. Pro gamer Lorenz Hoerzing, Abt's ringer, was disqualified from all future rounds of the separate Challenge Grid competition. The 15-lap race around a virtual Berlin Tempelhof track was won by Britain's Oliver Rowland for Nissan e.dams with Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne second for Mercedes.
SportsMMA WeeklyHenry Cejudo removed from official UFC rankings, issues statement
The UFC is currently without a bantamweight champion, officially removing Henry Cejudo from the top of the 135-pound divisional rankings.Cejudo last set foot in the Octagon at UFC 249, where he defeated former champion Dominick Cruz in the co-main event. Following the victory, Cejudo surprisingly announced his retirement.“I want to make an announcement. Uncle Dana, UFC, everybody, thank you so much,” said Cejudo. “I’m happy with my career. I’ve done enough in the sport. I want to walk away. I want to enjoy myself. I’m 33-years old. I have a girl now. Amanda is watching back home. She wants to start a family. Since I was 11-years old I’ve sacrificed my whole life to get to where I”m at today. I’m not going to let nobody take that from me, so I’m retiring tonight.”His manager, Ali Abdelaziz, recently told TMZ Sports that he doesn't think that Cejudo's retirement will last long, but it appears that it is happening, at least for now.At the UFC 249 post-fight press conference, Dana White said he would give Cejudo some time before fully accepting his retirement, but having removed him from the bantamweight rankings certainly signals that his retirement is now official.Cejudo said as much in a Tweet on Monday thanking White for his time in the UFC."Thank you for the awesome experiences uncle Dana," he wrote. "I will forever be grateful. Thank you for taking a chance on the sport that people thought would never make it. To all my coaches and fans it been a wonderful ride. Triple C is out. retiredontop"* * *TRENDING > Conor McGregor could leap into welterweight title shot if Jorge Masvidal opts for Nate Diaz* * *https://twitter.com/HenryCejudo/status/1264998752936513537?s=20* * * UFC 249: Henry Cejudo vs. Dominick Cruz recap(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)
SportsMMA WeeklyBrandon Royval looking to prove himself in UFC debut on May 30
Coming off a victory over Nate Williams at LFA 79 last November, flyweight Brandon Royval appeared to have his path set for 2020 with an invitation to Dana White’s Contender Series when the novel coronavirus struck and put a hold to those plans.At the time events started getting canceled as lockdown ensued, Royval was maintaining his availability should he get a call up prior to a fight on the Contender Series.“I knew right after that Nate Williams that I was on Dana White’s Contender Series, so I knew that was going to happen,” Royval told MMAWeekly.com. “I was just staying ready and getting prepared.“I always knew the UFC could be a potential option if someone dropped out or if something happened. I think I marked every flyweight fight on the calendar and just stayed busy until then. I was hoping there was an opportunity in the process of all of that.”When lockdown started being imposed, gym availability became an issue, forcing Royval to find anywhere he could to keep his regimen going.“I would only know where I was going to train the day before,” said Royval. “Sometimes I was training at a boxing gym, sometimes I was training at a taekwondo or karate gym, and sometimes I would go to my parent’s house and train in their basement.“In Colorado, we’re still on lockdown, so I think we’re allowed to only have four people in the gym now, so I’m just getting pretty much privates with a couple of my teammates my size, and that just started.”The ability to stay ready helped Royval (10-4) as he will make his promotional debut versus Tim Elliott (15-10-1) in a 125-pound preliminary bout at UFC on ESPN: Woodley vs. Burns on May 30 in Las Vegas.* * *TRENDING > Tim Elliott sees his first fight since the pandemic leading toward a UFC title shot* * *“I think I just have to go out there and be myself,” Royval said. “I think (Elliott’s) style and my style is going to be a perfect match-up. I know I’m a lot more technical more than him. I also think I have that I have a little more unpredictability too. That’s going to make for an exciting fight.“He’s a banger. He brings it every fight. He’s unpredictable. He has that awkward style. He fights off beat and doesn’t fight on rhythm at all. That gives me a little bit of an opportunity to go out there and do a little bit of the same. I just fight what I would say a lot more technical than him.”Now that he’s in the UFC, Royval is looking forward to establishing himself in the flyweight division in 2020, starting with a good showing versus Elliott on May 30.“(Going into the UFC directly rather than going through the Contender Series) just speeds up the process for me,” said Royval. “It speeds up the process of what I want to accomplish this year.“I’m very excited for my year and I can’t wait to go out there and prove myself against a crafty vet, a guy who does a lot of great stuff, and who has done a lot of great stuff for my division. This is a big opportunity for start making a name for myself and to get to where I want to be.”
SportsYahoo SportsMike Tomlin supports adding incentives to NFL's Rooney Rule
Mike Tomlin believes that incentivizing minority hiring in the NFL is a good idea.
LifestyleThe Associated PressAmericans finding ways to stay active while keeping distance
Vicki L. Friedman always wanted to play golf with her adult sons but until this spring couldn’t find time to learn the game and practice. Shaun Warkentin was looking for a diversion when his young sons tired of jumping on the backyard trampoline and being indoors. Golf courses are welcoming more beginners and people returning to the game, states have seen robust sales of fishing licenses since the coronavirus hit full force in the U.S. in March and fitness tracking technology has shown a surge in the number of steps recorded.
SportsReutersEwing 'getting better' in battle with coronavirus
Georgetown men's basketball coach and Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing is recovering at home and "getting better" in his battle with the coronavirus, his son said Monday. "I want to thank all of the doctors and hospital staff for taking care of my father during his stay, as well as everyone who has reached out with thoughts and prayers to us since his diagnosis," Patrick Ewing Jr. posted on Twitter. Ewing Sr., 57, announced Friday that he had been admitted to a Washington, D.C.-area hospital after testing positive for COVID-19.
SportsAFP NewsNBA great Ewing out of hospital
NBA great Patrick Ewing has left hospital and is recovering at home after being diagnosed with COVID-19, his son said on Monday. The 57-year-old Hall-of-Famer was hospitalised last week after announcing he had tested positive for the coronavirus. "I want to thank all of the doctors and hospital staff for taking care of my father during his stay, as well as everyone who has reached out with thoughts and prayers to us since his diagnosis," Ewing Jr. wrote.
SportsMMA WeeklyConor McGregor could leap into welterweight title shot if Jorge Masvidal opts for Nate Diaz
Could Conor McGregor step into a UFC welterweight title shot in his next bout? It certainly seems possible.Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman had been expected to put his belt on the line opposite Jorge Masvidal sometime this summer. That was before Masvidal began taking digs at Nate Diaz, apparently trying to set up a rematch of their BMF title fight.If the rematch comes together, Usman's manager, Dominance MMA's Ali Abdelaziz said they would be willing to offer McGregor a shot at the welterweight title."It looks like the No. 1 contender wants to fight Nate Diaz now," Abdelaziz wrote on Twitter. "Good for him. McGregor, hey, you want a title shot? Come to daddy. Usman will give you one and he promises first two rounds without takedowns, only slaps.""Per manager Ali Abdelaziz, if Jorge Masvidal were to ask UFC for a Nate Diaz BMF rematch over a Kamaru Usman title fight, they'd ask the UFC to offer the 170-pound title shot to Conor McGregor for a chance to win his third title," ESPN's Brett Okamoto tweeted, confirming Abdelaziz's seriousness of the offer.McGregor was the first fighter in history to hold UFC championships in two different weight classes at the same time. He was the featherweight and lightweight titleholder, though he never defended either belt. He was stripped of the featherweight title after winning the lightweight belt. He was then forced to relinquish the lightweight title because of inactivity as he pursued and eventually got a boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr.Masvidal earned his shot at Usman with his current three-fight win streak that includes blistering knockouts of Darren Till and Ben Askren, as well as a stellar performance in stopping Nate Diaz at UFC 244 for the Baddest Motherf---er title.* * *TRENDING > Video: Dana White unveils UFC Fight Night Woodley vs. Burns fight card for May 30* * *The fight with Diaz left a sour taste in everyone's mouth. It was a brutal, bloody bout with Diaz suffering a cut over his right eye. Just as the fight was heating up, it was stopped in between the third and fourth rounds because of the cut over Diaz's eye.Diaz tweeted, "P4p the baddest motherf---er here f--- all y’all," over the weekend, which elicited a response from Masvidal."I beg to differ," wrote Masvidal, before adding, "Let's run it back."https://twitter.com/GamebredFighter/status/1264333462640701447?s=20If Masvidal does indeed go after Diaz instead of Usman, the champ appears serious about wanting to fight McGregor next. A fight between Usman and McGregor could take place on the UFC's planned Fight Island, as it is currently unclear which international based fighters would be allowed into the U.S. during the ongoing coronavirus travel restrictions. McGregor has also show a recent interest in fighting on Fight Island, which is expected to be up and running by the end of June.https://twitter.com/USMAN84kg/status/1264960617200443392?s=20
SportsAFP NewsKvitova would 'rather cancel' Grand Slams than play without fans
Two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova said on Monday she would prefer Grand Slams did not take place as opposed to playing them behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic. Speaking on the eve of her court return in an all-Czech tournament the 30-year-old echoed the thoughts of Roger Federer, who said last week he would be against the idea of an empty Roland Garros or Flushing Meadows. "I have my age and of course I would like to play another Grand Slam, but if it's like this, I'd rather cancel them," Kvitova said.
SportsYahoo SportsNBA legend Patrick Ewing out of hospital after recent coronavirus diagnosis
Patrick Ewing Jr. announced that his father has returned home from the hospital and is “getting better.”
SportsAFP NewsQuarantine measures could push Silverstone races into August
Two proposed British Grands Prix could be moved into August if it means the UK government do not insist on a 14-day quarantine period, according to Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle. Plans for two races at the English track were thrown into turmoil when the government offered no exemption to elite sport in its plan to introduce a two-week isolation period for arrivals into the country from June 8. F1 organisers are aiming to start the season with the Austrian Grand Prix on July 5 behind closed doors, followed by a second race at the Red Bull Ring a week later.
SportsYahoo SportsCoronavirus: Top international basketball league officially cancels 2019-20 season
While the NBA moves toward completing its 2019-20 season, the top international league will not resume play this season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
SportsYahoo SportsWith proper protocols in place, 76ers’ Tobias Harris ready to return: ‘I'm fine with it’
Harris has benefited from a unique situation with his father as his agent, but he is ready to safely get back to the business of basketball.
SportsAFP NewsKolbe's Toulouse begin training return protocol
South African Rugby World Cup winner Cheslin Kolbe's Toulouse announced on Monday their players had returned to the club's facilities for medical tests after more than two months away. "The players will do just a morning of medical tests and morning of clinical examinations with the first exchanges with a ball expected at the end of June," the club told AFP. Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth's Toulon will undergo similar tests on Wednesday while Handre Pollard's Montpellier will restart training on June 2.
SportsThe Associated PressBasketball's EuroLeague cancels season because of virus
The EuroLeague, which is composed of 18 teams across 10 European nations, had been suspended since March 12. “Without a doubt, this is the most difficult decision we have had to take in our 20-year history,” Euroleague Basketball President and CEO Jordi Bertomeu said. “Due to reasons beyond our control, we have been forced to cut short the most successful and exciting season in European basketball history.”
SportsAFP NewsYoung pretender Haaland takes on master Lewandowski for first time
One of world football's fastest-rising young stars goes head-to-head with one of its most accomplished goalscorers on Tuesday as Erling Braut Haaland and Robert Lewandowski face off for the first time. Borussia Dortmund host Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich in a top-of-the-table clash which will see 19-year-old Haaland and the man 12 years his senior both try to maintain remarkable runs of form. Both players have scored exactly 41 goals in 35 matches in all competitions this season, although Haaland only joined Dortmund in January from Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg.
SportsAFP NewsMarseille fans blast board's 'ruinous management'
Supporters groups of French Ligue 1 club Marseille united on Monday in castigating the board for what they called "years of ruinous management". One option proposed by the American-owned club, which has qualified for next season's Champions League, was for ticket holders to forgo a refund and donate the money instead to help its finances.