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Leah Still was once the face of the NFL’s effort to raise awareness and money for cancer research, and she has cleared a significant milestone.

Via the Cincinnati Enquirer, the daughter of former Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still has marked five years of being cancer-free, in a series of social media posts.

 

Devon Still played his first three seasons with the Bengals. He retired in 2017, but their cause has remained in the minds of his friends in the league.

Last December, Patriots receiver Mohamed Sanu wore “Still Strong” cleats with Leah Still’s picture to honor the family of his former teammate and his daughter’s fight with neuroblastoma. They wrote a children’s book about dealing with the disease, and have remained an inspiration to many

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16 minutes ago, I_C_Deadpeople said:

Leah Still was once the face of the NFL’s effort to raise awareness and money for cancer research, and she has cleared a significant milestone.

Via the Cincinnati Enquirer, the daughter of former Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still has marked five years of being cancer-free, in a series of social media posts.

 

Devon Still played his first three seasons with the Bengals. He retired in 2017, but their cause has remained in the minds of his friends in the league.

Last December, Patriots receiver Mohamed Sanu wore “Still Strong” cleats with Leah Still’s picture to honor the family of his former teammate and his daughter’s fight with neuroblastoma. They wrote a children’s book about dealing with the disease, and have remained an inspiration to many

I can relate..had a close family member who went thru it...3 times at age 3 5 and 8..

Many months in hospitals..

Shes been cancer free for allmost 10 yrs now..

The chemo and radiation treatments

have taken a toll on her body..

It makes u see life differently..

I never complained about any of my woes after watching the fight in her...

At that time it was about 40% curable but now its about 70%..

 

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6 hours ago, I_C_Deadpeople said:

Leah Still was once the face of the NFL’s effort to raise awareness and money for cancer research, and she has cleared a significant milestone.

Via the Cincinnati Enquirer, the daughter of former Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still has marked five years of being cancer-free, in a series of social media posts.

 

Devon Still played his first three seasons with the Bengals. He retired in 2017, but their cause has remained in the minds of his friends in the league.

Last December, Patriots receiver Mohamed Sanu wore “Still Strong” cleats with Leah Still’s picture to honor the family of his former teammate and his daughter’s fight with neuroblastoma. They wrote a children’s book about dealing with the disease, and have remained an inspiration to many

Happy face.  You go girl!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wow...how is this for swinging for the fences? Talk about a new frontier. 

 

Coronavirus: MLB, MLBPA discuss starting 2020 season as soon as May with all games in Arizona, per reports

 

It's not certain when the 2020 MLB season will get underway because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Although it remains possible that no 2020 season will be played, the hope remains that some kind of abbreviated campaign will be possible once we're past the peak of the virus in the U.S. and Canada.  It's a fluid situation, and as such MLB and the players' union (MLBPA) are remaining fluid in their discussions. 

 

According to Ronald Blum of the Associated Press, one idea that emerged in recent discussions is to play all games in Arizona -- the Phoenix area in particular -- at least for the start of the season. Blum writes: "Ideas are still in the early stage, and the Arizona option would have many obstacles to overcome," the people familiar with the discussions said.

 

In addition to having a number of major league spring training facilities in the area, Phoenix also has Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. So there's an abundance of usable facilities, all mostly within close proximity to each other. Several teams also have spring training in Florida, but the complexes are far more spread out than they are in Arizona. 

 

ESPN's Jeff Passan reports on several additional details. Most notably, sources tell Passan that the season could start as early as May -- but with a June return date perhaps being more practical -- and he confirms that all games would take place in the Phoenix area. More from Passan: 

 

Players, coaching staffs and other essential personnel would be sequestered at local hotels, where they would live in relative isolation and travel only to and from the stadium, sources said. Federal officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the National Institute of Health have been supportive of a plan that would adhere to strict isolation, promote social distancing and allow MLB to become the first professional sport to return.

 

According to Passan, use of an electronic strike zone may also be considered in order for the plate umpire to be able to maintain some semblance of "social distancing." Also, players could be asked to sit apart from each other in the stands as opposed to being confined together in dugouts. Passan's story has many more compelling details on the potential plan, so do give it a full read. 

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic adds that representatives from the MLBPA and MLB commissioner's office began meeting on Monday and plan to continue discussions this week. More from Rosenthal:

 

If the two sides reach agreement and state and federal government approval is secured, it is unclear if the entire season would take place in Arizona, where the summer heat is oppressive, or if games eventually could be played in other cities as well, locales that would become more viable once the virus is more under control.

 

Federal officials from the Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention support the plan, and officials in Arizona are intrigued by the idea of hosting 30 major-league teams and bringing attention and business to their state, sources said. But an official from the Major League Baseball Players Association emphasized that even under potential political pressure, the union will protect the safety and interests of its players.

 

In Rosenthal's piece, he also highlights the concerns of whether or not players would be allowed to have their families stay with them in hotels, the logistics of getting government approved travel for players flying back into the U.S. internationally as well as the potential draining of medical resources, like tests, from those in greater need.

 

Among states, Arizona at this writing has the 22nd most confirmed cases of COVID-19, which means it's not presently a "hot spot." That status could of course change, but if it remains on the lower side of the spectrum then this idea could become more viable. Whatever the case, MLB and the MLBPA must first agree to such a framework and then proceed to determine that it's workable, all while having events and timelines dictated by the trends of the pandemic. Suffice it to say, much has to happen before this or any other plan can be put into action.

 

MLB released the following statement on Tuesday regarding the reported plan:

 

MLB has been actively considering numerous contingency plans that would allow play to commence once the public health situation has improved to the point that it is safe to do so.  While we have discussed the idea of staging games at one location as one potential option, we have not settled on that option or developed a detailed plan.  While we continue to interact regularly with governmental and public health officials, we have not sought or received approval of any plan from federal, state and local officials, or the Players Association.  The health and safety of our employees, players, fans and the public at large are paramount, and we are not ready at this time to endorse any particular format for staging games in light of the rapidly changing public health situation caused by the coronavirus.

 

Although MLB and the MLBA, per their agreement, have a stated preference for playing games in front of fans and only after public health officials have approved such gatherings, those preconditions might not allow a season of any length to happen. That's why both sides have also agreed that playing games at neutral sites in front of no fans is a possibility, and that would be required in order to see the "Arizona plan" through. 

 

Players and owners obviously have heavy financial incentives to play as much of a season as possible -- even if it means no gate receipts -- which explains the openness to unconventional arrangements. Playing every team's games in Arizona, at least for the early part of the schedule, certainly qualifies as unconventional. 

 

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/coronavirus-mlb-mlbpa-discuss-starting-2020-season-as-soon-as-may-with-all-games-in-arizona-per-reports/

 

 

 

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Aside from being a morale booster (and that's if you're a baseball fan), I don't really see the point of this. The only way the owners profit is if they show the games on TV on their respective networks. They would still have to pay the players. I don't see it providing much of an economic boom to the Phoenix area, aside from the income tax they would collect from the players, because it's not like the players and essential staff are going to be going out to restaurants, etc. Also, I don't know how many ballparks are in Arizona, but I would imagine that you might have to play more than one game per day in the facilities. And it doesn't help the food and beer vendors, ticket staff, etc. in the home towns. 

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Great points, Shebengal. Doubt really any of this gets off the ground. Every sport/everywhere is on a “who knows?” holding pattern.

 

A few “maybes”...like the English Premier League “hoping” to resume (complete) their 19-20 season “in June”—but little in specifics, other than multi-match at neutral locations, with no spectators. And the main beneficiary would be TV providers. Sort of sounds like the MLB idea. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Intraconference college football an option in 2020 if leagues cannot align return-to-play timelines

With universities likely reopening at different times amid the coronavirus, a national season may be difficult

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/intraconference-college-football-an-option-in-2020-if-leagues-cannot-align-return-to-play-timelines/

 

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North Carolina governor OKs NASCAR race at Charlotte

 

https://www.wralsportsfan.com/north-carolina-governor-oks-nascar-to-race-at-charlotte/19075665/

 

MLB discussing plan to start season in late June, playing in home stadiums with realigned league

 

Maybe it’s a dream scenario.
Maybe it’s premature to get excited.
Then again, maybe it just might work.

 

Major League Baseball officials have become cautiously optimistic this week that the season will start in late June, and no later than July 2, playing at least 100 regular-season games, according to three executives with knowledge of the talks. They requested anonymity because the plan is still under consideration.

 

And not only would baseball be played, but it would be played in their own major-league ballparks, albeit with no fans.

 

MLB is considering a three-division, 10-team plan in which teams play only within their division – a concept gaining support among owners and executives. It would abolish the traditional American and National Leagues, and realign the divisions based on geography.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2020/04/28/mlb-optimistic-about-starting-season-late-june/3039275001/

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2 hours ago, High School Harry said:

John Ross is hard at work in training prepping for the upcoming Professional Super Mario Cart season.

Ross competes as Princess Peach.  When asked for comment on his progress and his chances for winning it all

Ross responded "Peachy!".

Princess Peach is HOT.

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On ‎3‎/‎14‎/‎2020 at 12:48 PM, I_C_Deadpeople said:

End of the day this is a great life lesson for the University sports kids - things are not always pleasant in life and life does not, in the end, revolve around sports

Yup, but I do feel sorry for the HS senior athletes.  Not only are they losing their senior seasons, if they are playing in college, they now have to compete against the seniors that get another year of eligibility and choose to return.  Four seniors on my Daughter's college softball team are returning.  She is stoked that the girls are returning, but the freshmen housing will now be a bit cramped.

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On 3/14/2020 at 12:48 PM, I_C_Deadpeople said:

End of the day this is a great life lesson for the University sports kids - things are not always pleasant in life and life does not, in the end, revolve around sports

While what we see in the media are big time NCAA athletes, most "University sports kids" work their ass off for the love of the game.  They don't get to be normal college students.  They have almost zero free time.  Most male athletes not playing D1 Football or Basketball do not get full rides.  Sure, this is a life lesson for them and all of us, but these kids already know there isn't a pot of gold at the end of the college sports rainbow.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I am not a NASCAR person, but did tune in for a minute yesterday. It was a bit strange: no infield overload of people...no fans in the stands. But, with the roars of the engines, and the infrequent shots of the stands, one could almost see it as a normal event. 
 

The German Bundesliga resumed on Saturday. Now those were surreal. Totally empty stands. You could hear all of the players/coaches shouting directions, and the referees arguing with players (and vice versa). I understand some German, so a significant amount of the exchanges were saucy to say the least! 
 

No high fiving or hugging after goals. Although they were all playing as hard and as close to normal as possible, one could detect something missing in their play. Have to believe the lack of crowd atmosphere had a lot to do with it. 
 

Will be interesting to see how NBA/MLB fares in this environment, as they are next up for the experiment. NFL will be taking note too, for sure

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  • 2 weeks later...

Interesting plan to finish a season:

 

NHL adopts 24-team playoff if season returns

 

The NHL will abandon the rest of the regular season and go straight into the playoffs with 24 teams instead of 16 if it is able to resume play, commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday.

 

The NHL will now move on to a 24-team, conference-based, postseason format that was approved by the NHLPA on Friday by a 29-2 vote, with the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning the only teams whose representatives voted against it.

 

The games would be held inside empty arenas at two hub cities, where players, staff and others would be housed during the season restart. Originally, the NHL was seeking four different hubs, but logistics and a refocusing on the 24-team, conference format narrowed that to two.

 

Bettman said Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver are being considered. The hubs would have secure arenas, hotels and practice facilities, and there would be aggressive COVID-19 testing and protocols at each site.

 

The Canadian government's mandatory 14-day quarantine could force the NHL to pick two U.S. locales.

 

"The interpretation of the quarantine consistent with our players' ability to travel in and not have to do a strict self-quarantine in a hotel room, we won't be in a position to use any of the Canadian cities as a hub city," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. "We're faced with having to find a solution to that. Hopefully we can."

 

The top four teams in each conference ranked by points percentage -- Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington and Philadelphia in the East and St. Louis, Colorado, Vegas and Dallas in the West -- will play separate round-robin tournaments to determine seeding in the first round.

 

They will be played with regular-season overtime and shootout rules.

 

Those teams will be accumulating points within that round robin, and if there are any ties, they will be broken by which team has a higher regular-season points percentage. As an example: If the Bruins and Lightning both go 2-1 in the round robin, Boston would earn the top seed based on points percentage.

 

The remaining 16 teams, seeded by conference, will play best-of-five play-in series. These games will be played with playoff overtime rules, and these play-in series will determine which teams advance to a traditional 16-team Stanley Cup playoff bracket.

In the East, the play-in series matchups would be No. 5 Pittsburgh vs. No. 12 Montreal; No. 6 Carolina vs. No. 11 New York Rangers; No. 7 New York Islanders vs. No. 10 Florida; and No. 8 Toronto vs. No. 9 Columbus. In the West, it would be No. 5 Edmonton vs. No. 12 Chicago; No. 6 Nashville vs. No. 11 Arizona; No. 7 Vancouver vs. No. 10 Minnesota; and No. 8 Calgary vs. No. 9 Winnipeg.

 

 

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/29225074/nhl-adopts-24-team-playoff-season-returns

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