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Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders took over Greece during an offseason bikini birthday vacation

Tue, 19 May 2026 16:26:13 -0400

Things are looking up right now for America's Sweethearts. Several members of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders just gave Greece all it could handle of them during an offseason bikini vacation.

Is there a better offseason vacation than one involving bikinis? I'll leave that debate to much smarter people. This trip wasn't about proving or disproving that — it was apparently about celebrating a birthday.

Members of the cheerleading squad who were in attendance, from Abby Summers to Camille Sturdivant and others, were apparently there to celebrate Brooklyn Davis' birthday.

Mykonos and Santorini didn’t stand a chance. The cheerleaders are enjoying arguably the best part of the season for a team like the Dallas Cowboys.

COWBOYS CHEERLEADER DRILLED IN HEAD BY KICKOFF MISHAP IN FINAL GAME OF SEASON

They just came off of the NFL Draft last month, the expectations heading into the new season are high, and the devastation of coming up short again is several months away.

It's the perfect time for an offseason bikini vacation.

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The birthday and being months away from realizing that the expectations heading into the season were, once again, way too high aren’t the only things the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have to celebrate.

On Tuesday, Netflix announced that the squad's Emmy Award-winning reality series was returning for a third season. America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is set to air on June 16.

OUTKICK IS NOW ON THE FOX APP: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

"The world of DCC is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to stories to be told," said director and executive producer Greg Whiteley. "I’m grateful our crew has another season to keep telling them."

I told you, things are looking up right now for America's Sweethearts. The entire NFL season is ahead of them, they're coming off of fun in Greece, and they're back for another season on Netflix.

DAVID MARCUS: Patriotic Team USA wins gold as anti-America whiners flop

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 07:00:16 -0500

Sunday’s 2-1 overtime win for the United States men’s hockey team over archrival Canada is arguably our nation’s most significant winter gold medal since the last time our boys were kings of the sport during the 1980 "Miracle on Ice," and the team’s pride in its country just made it all the sweeter.

You may recall that, from the outset of the games in Milan Cortina two weeks ago, there were American athletes chiding and criticizing our nation from their press podiums, and while correlation is not causation, many of them didn’t fare terribly well.

Take Hunter Hess, the American freestyle skier who said about representing the U.S. prior to competing, "It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now. It’s a little hard. There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of." He added, "I think, for me, it’s more I’m representing my friends and family."

Hess finished 10th — and his 15 minutes of fame ended.

TEAM USA MEN'S HOCKEY ARRIVES IN FLORIDA AFTER WINNING OLYMPIC GOLD

Then there was figure skater Amber Glenn, who said members of the LGBT community in America are "having a hard time" and that she would use her voice to "try to encourage people to stay strong."

It’s worth noting that Iran had a winter Olympic team this year. One wonders how Glenn thinks gays and lesbians are treated there.

Notably, while her teammates helped secure a team gold in figure skating, Glenn finished a disappointing fifth in singles, missing the podium — which hopefully gave her extra time to focus on gay rights.

'MIRACLE ON ICE' STAR TELLS '60 MINUTES' HISTORIC OLYMPIC VICTORY SHOWED 'WHAT MAKES OUR COUNTRY SO GREAT'

America did win singles gold, through figure skater Alysa Liu, who not only did not complain about her country but chose to compete for the United States instead of China, as fellow Chinese-American freestyle skier Eileen Gu did. Liu and her family, after all, found freedom here.

Then there was hockey — the glorious men’s and women’s tournaments in which both U.S. teams took gold. There was no whining about America or President Donald Trump. Instead, there was downright pure, unapologetic patriotism on display.

Take women’s hockey star Taylor Heise, who told ӣ��Ƶ Digital, "Playing for your country and the pride of the place that you live in is pretty amazing and to wear that USA emblem on your chest every day is something you don’t want to take for granted."

'MIRACLE ON ICE' LEGEND PRAISES USA OLYMPIC TEAM FOR SHOWING 'SAME EDGE' AS 1980 SQUAD: 'YOU CAN FEEL IT'

Hear, hear.

Or consider Jack Hughes’ postgame interview on Sunday. His broken teeth and game-winning goal were emblematic of Team USA’s grit. He said, "It’s all about our country right now. I love the USA. I love my teammates — it’s unbelievable. The USA Hockey brotherhood is so strong, and we had so much support. I’m so proud to be American today."

Not long after, the boys in red, white and blue were speaking with President Donald Trump in the locker room via speakerphone, excited about the chance to attend Tuesday’s State of the Union address — the same event many Democrats in Congress are petulantly skipping out on.

PETE HEGSETH DUBS TEAM USA GOALTENDER THE 'SECRETARY OF DEFENSE' AFTER AMAZING OLYMPIC SAVE

There is no scientific way to know whether feeling patriotism, rather than ambivalence and dull shame, when competing for your country at the Olympics impacts performance. But it certainly seems like playing for millions of people — instead of just your "friends and family" — could provide a boost.

By definition, top Olympic athletes compete at such a high level of talent and ability that the slightest advantage can make all the difference. Some of these sports are decided by fractions of seconds.

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Maybe it’s cheesy, but it certainly sounded as though the winners drew inspiration, courage and energy from knowing the American people were cheering them on. They weren’t winning for Boston, Dallas or Philadelphia — they were winning for all of us.

As our focus shifts to the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles later this year, American athletes should take note: patriotism and pride in America just might be a competitive advantage. And yes, I’m looking at you, men’s basketball team.

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On Sunday morning, millions of Americans shared something very special — a victory as unlikely as our great nation, similarly won through guts and determination. And now we get to watch viral videos of sad Canadians shocked at the result.

So, thank you to the patriots of Team USA. You made the dark days of winter a little brighter and made us proud — not just of you, but of the remarkable nation we share.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM DAVID MARCUS

USA women's hockey sings national anthem arm in arm after Olympic gold medal win: 'The best part'

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 11:17:45 -0500

The United States women’s ice hockey team stood arm-in-arm, proudly singing the national anthem after stunning Canada 2-1 in a thrilling overtime victory to capture the gold medal at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics on Thursday.

"It’s the best part. The best f---ing part," Team USA captain Hilary Knight, who was mic’d up by NBC’s broadcast for the moment, exclaimed as the arena announcer asked the crowd to stand for the national anthem.

The gold medalists were joined by the American fans at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in belting out "The Star Spangled Banner."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

"When you only get to hear your national anthem one time, and it’s if you win, it's unbelievable," forward Taylor Heise told KSL-TV’s Sam Farnsworth of the moment. "Getting to hear that national anthem, and getting to be on [the podium] with your girls, and to celebrate that big win is huge."

Knight stood by her declaration that this women’s ice hockey team is "America’s team."

"To find success on the world stage representing your country, I mean – and the anthem going, it’s just incredible," she told KSL-TV.

HILARY KNIGHT MAKES OLYMPIC HISTORY WITH DRAMATIC GAME-TYING GOAL THAT SPARKED TEAM USA GOLD

Knight made history scoring the game-tying goal with 2:04 left in regulation to force overtime. The score marked her 15th goal and 33rd point of her Olympic career, both U.S. records. Megan Keller found the back of the net with a backhander 4:07 into overtime to secure the gold medal.

"This team’s got so much resolve. Never quit. Always ready to fight and go to battle," Knight said. "It’s just a testament to the preparation of our group and the love that we have in that room, and the way we found a way to get the job done at the end of the night."

The focus now shifts to the men’s game as Team USA hopes to win another gold. They face Slovakia in the semifinals on Friday.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"We were talking about it last night; we were talking about it again this morning," Coach Mike Sullivan said of the women’s gold medal win. "It’s a great thrill. Those girls, what a terrific hockey team, and they’ll be an inspiration for the next generation of girls growing up in the United States. ... We couldn’t be more proud of them."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Super Bowl LV will host 22,000 fans, including 7,500 vaccinated health care workers

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 08:28:56 -0500

Super Bowl LV will have 22,000 fans in attendance at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., including 7,500 vaccinated health care workers, the NFL announced Friday.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a news release that the health care workers will be guests of the league to thank them for their service during the coronavirus pandemic. The health care workers will come from hospitals in Tampa and other areas of Central Florida and will receive free tickets to the game.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

"These dedicated health care workers continue to put their own lives at risk to serve others, and we owe them our ongoing gratitude," Goodell said. "We hope in a small way that this initiative will inspire our country and recognize these true American heroes. This is also an opportunity to promote the importance of vaccination and appropriate health practices, including wearing masks in public settings."

There will be 14,500 additional fans allowed to attend the Super Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. The NFL said the protocols for fans attending the game outdoors include mandatory mask-wearing, social-distancing, podded seating, touchless concession stands and other security checkpoints.

SUPER BOWL LV TIME, DATE AND EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE GAME

"Florida is proud to host Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa to crown the champion of an unprecedented NFL season," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said.

"On behalf of Floridians and football fans across the nation, I'd like to thank the many men and women who worked hard to make this game a reality, especially our frontline health care workers who have worked tirelessly over the past year to keep people safe. I look forward to the positive impact this game will have on the Tampa Bay area, and my family and I can't wait for the big game."

Several teams began hosting fans throughout the season. Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., and Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., will each have a limited number of fans in the stands for the conference championship games.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Super Bowl LV kicks off Feb. 7.

2021 NASCAR Daytona 500 to be held with fans in attendance

Sun, 06 Dec 2020 05:15:48 -0500

Fans will be in the stands at NASCAR’s season-opening Daytona Speedweeks next February.

The Daytona International Speedway has started hiring 2,500 people to work the marquee Daytona 500 and additional events planned for throughout the year.

“The Great American Race will once again have the aura and atmosphere that fans have come to know and love. From the pageantry of our pre-race festivities to the rumble of 40 engines roaring around the high banks, it’s the biggest stage in motorsports,” track president Chip Wile said in a news release.

THE BEST ADVICE BILL ELLIOTT GAVE SON CHASE

The Florida track did not say exactly how many people will be allowed to attend, but The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported that 25 percent of the 100,000 seats were filled for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 in August, which was held under coronavirus protocols. Current ticket holders will be contacted about changes to their seats as a result of social distancing measures.

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NASCAR has released a schedule of 36 points-paying races that includes a visit to the Road America road course and a dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Attendance at each event will be governed by local rules and regulations in regard to the pandemic.

Planned B-2 stealth bomber flyover ahead of Chiefs home-opener canceled due to poor weather

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 09:06:17 -0400

A planned B-2 stealth bomber flyover prior to the start of the Kansas City Chiefs home-opener at Arrowhead Stadium against the Houston Texans was canceled over inclement weather.

The Whiteman Air Force Base, which is located outside Kansas City, said in a press release that low cloud cover and poor visibility was the purpose for canceling the flyover.

2020 NFL SEASON: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW AHEAD OF KICKOFF

“Continuing a long-standing tradition between Team Whiteman and our community partners, the Kansas City Chiefs organization, the B-2 Spirit was slated to open the game featuring the KC Chiefs vs. the Houston Texans with a demonstration of precision air power,” officials said in a statement.

“The 509th Bomb Wing continues a strong legacy of partnership and will join future community events soon.

CHIEFS HAVING LIMITED FANS AT ARROWHEAD STADIUM MAY BE SAFER THAN WATCHING GAME AT BAR, CROWDED HOME, HEALTH OFFICIAL SAYS

“The B-2 Spirit is America’s premier strategic stealth bomber and one of the world’s most advanced aircraft. It is operated by the active-duty 509th Bomb Wing and the Missouri Air National Guard’s 131st Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Missouri, 45 miles east of Kansas City."

The defending Super Bowl champs will have a tough task looking to fend off the Texans, who are seeking revenge for being eliminated by Kansas City in the playoffs. Houston built out a giant lead early in their game but blew it and lost 51-31, which sent the Chiefs to the AFC Championship game.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE NFL COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Kickoff is set for 8:25 p.m. ET.

NASCAR's Bristol playoff race is sold out, may have largest US sports crowd since pandemic began

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 10:16:32 -0400

NASCAR’s upcoming playoff race at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee is sold out and could become the highest-attended sporting event in the U.S. since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

Speedway officials announced Wednesday that the socially-distanced allotment of seats for the Sept. 19 event has been spoken for. It didn’t say exactly how many were made available, but the 162,000-seat track has been approved by the state to have roughly 30,000 fans in attendance.

That was also the case for the NASCAR All-Star race in July, where 22,000 fans showed up, according to the Associated Press. NASCAR and its host tracks do not typically release official attendance numbers.

The July race took place two days after Tennessee reported its peak daily number of COVID-19 cases at 3,314, which has since declined by 75%.

JIMMIE JOHNSON SIGNS WITH CHIP GANASSI RACING'S INDYCAR TEAM

The All-Star Race crowd is still the biggest at any sporting event since coronavirus restrictions began being eased this summer. The University of Tennessee is currently planning to offer approximately 25,000 seats for its football home opener against Missouri at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville on Oct. 3.

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Chiefs having limited fans at Arrowhead Stadium may be safer than watching game at bar, crowded home, health official says

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 08:06:46 -0400

The Kansas City Chiefs are just one of a handful of teams that are going to allow a limited number of fans to come through the gates at their stadium starting in Week 1 against the Houston Texans.

Arrowhead Stadium will be filled at 22% capacity with 16,000 fans at the maximum being allowed into the building.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS HIGHLIGHT GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE WHEN ATTENDING HOME GAMES AMID CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

One school district in Missouri took issue with the Chiefs being allowed to have 16,000 fans in the stands while high schools are only allowed to have 100. The Blue Springs High School was issued a warning on breaking capacity limits for a sporting event at the end of August and could face a ban if the limit is broken again, according to FOX 4 KC.

Dr. Rex Archer, the Kansas City health director, told the station that the difference between a professional NFL game having thousands of fans during a pandemic versus a high school event comes down to hours and hours of extensive planning and manpower.

“Just because the Chiefs have the resources to do this in a relatively safe matter doesn’t mean that a high school stadium does,” Archer told FOX 4 KC.

Archer said he supported the limit on the number of fans at schools and contended that having fans at a larger event space like Arrowhead Stadium could be safer than having fans in a bar or crowded living room.

2020 NFL SEASON: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW AHEAD OF KICKOFF

“We want to give it a try. There’s no guarantee we will even have the second game if this doesn’t work, but we thought it was worth trying,” he said.

The Chiefs laid out specific planning on their website for fans.

Seating and high-traffic areas of the stadium have been modified to support social distancing standards, and all concessions, retail points of sale and parking tollbooths will be cashless. All bags will be prohibited inside the stadium, and everyone must wear a mask at all times except when eating or drinking.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE NFL COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

The Chiefs ask that fans “be patient and understand that these are unprecedented times.”

“We are all in this together so let's work with one another to keep Chiefs Kingdom safe by adhering to the guidelines outlined,” the Chiefs said.

NFL Week 1 preview: Chiefs and Texans kick things off to start the season

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 08:04:23 -0400

Each of the NFL’s 32 teams will be in action during the first week of the season.

The first matchup features the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans in a rematch of their divisional round playoff game from last season's playoffs. The Texans blew a giant lead to the Chiefs and allowed Kansas City to win the game, 51-31.

Sunday’s marquee game is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers debut of Tom Brady who is facing Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints. It’s a battle of two of the best quarterbacks in NFL history and will surely be one of the best matchups to watch.

Monday night features two games: the New York Giants vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos vs. the Tennessee Titans.

If you’re ready for pro football to be back, keep reading for a brief preview of the Week 1 matchups.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE NFL COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

CHIEFS vs. TEXANS

The Chiefs and the Texans will square off in the first game of the 2020 season. The Chiefs are coming off of a Super Bowl victory while the Texans will look for revenge on the team that cost them a spot in the AFC title game earlier this year. Houston blew a tremendous lead against Kansas City in that game. Locking down Patrick Mahomes will obviously be a huge factor in this matchup.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Tied 5-5

DATE: Sept. 10

TIME (ET): 8:20 pm

WHERE: Arrowhead Stadium

WATCH: NBC

WASHINGTON vs. EAGLES

Washington and the Eagles get a chance to get an early jump on the NFC East race. Philadelphia is the defending division champions and getting Washington out of the way is going to be more difficult than they think. Washington’s Chase Young will be making his debut and he will be looking for a few sacks to start his career off the right way.

ALL-TIME SERIES: 85-79-5 Washington

DATE: Sept. 13

TIME (ET): 1 pm

WHERE: FedEx Field

WATCH: FOX

PATRIOTS vs. DOLPHINS

The Dolphins potentially cost the Patriots a bye in the playoffs last season and now it will be up to New England to get some revenge. Miami and New England have a whole host of new players that will be making their team debuts. Watch for Cam Newton to try and start his Patriots career off right while Tua Tagovailoa will look to get his first bit of action if Ryan Fitzpatrick fails to deliver off the bat.

ALL-TIME SERIES: 55-51 Dolphins

DATE: Sept. 13

TIME (ET): 1 pm

WHERE: Gillette Stadium

WATCH: CBS

VIKINGS vs. PACKERS

The NFC North rivalry game is among the marquee matchups in Week 1 of the season. The Packers are looking to get back to the NFC title game while the Vikings are looking to build upon the momentum are knocking off the Saints in the playoffs last season. Green Bay swept Minnesota last season.

ALL-TIME SERIES: 61-53-3 Packers

DATE: Sept. 13

TIME (ET): 1 pm

WHERE: U.S. Bank Stadium

WATCH: FOX

JAGUARS vs. COLTS

A road win against the Jaguars is going to be tough to come by for the Colts. Jacksonville wants to prove the naysayers wrong while Indianapolis is about to embark on the Philip Rivers era in an attempt to make it back to the playoffs. The Jaguars have won two of the last three meetings.

ALL-TIME SERIES: 24-14 Colts

DATE: Sept. 13

TIME (ET): 1 pm

WHERE: TIAA Bank Field

WATCH: CBS

LIONS vs. BEARS

The other NFC North rivalry game will be played Sunday. The Lions are trying to come off of a disappointing season in 2019 and beat the Bears. Chicago will hold out hope that the offense, led by Mitchell Trubisky, can start off on the right foot. The Bears have won the last four meetings.

ALL-TIME SERIES: 101-74-5 Bears

DATE: Sept. 13

TIME (ET): 1 pm

WHERE: Ford Field

WATCH: FOX

PANTHERS vs. RAIDERS

Matt Rhule is making his NFL coaching debut as the Panthers take on the Raiders. Las Vegas has a tough task coming from the west to the east for a 1 p.m. game on Sunday. Carolina has a bevy of new talent on the team, starting with Teddy Bridgewater and one of the younger defenses in the NFL. The Raiders’ Derek Carr is looking to prove himself this season.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Tied 3-3

DATE: Sept. 13

TIME (ET): 1 pm

WHERE: Bank of America Stadium

WATCH: CBS

BILLS vs. JETS

Buffalo made one of the splashiest moves in the offseason in acquiring Stefon Diggs from the Vikings. Josh Allen and company are hoping that it’s enough to at least game them a win in Week 1. The Jets organization has a ton of pressure on them to win now.

ALL-TIME SERIES: 62-56 Bills

DATE: Sept. 13

TIME (ET): 1 pm

WHERE: Bills Stadium

WATCH: CBS

RAVENS vs. BROWNS

The overachieving Ravens and the underachieving Browns square off in Week 1. Baltimore was the best team in the AFC last season only to lose in the AFC playoffs. Cleveland had a lot of talk coming into 2019 but didn’t live up to the hype. This matchup should be a lot closer than it has been in the past. The Ravens have won two of their last three games against the Browns.

ALL-TIME SERIES: 31-11 Ravens

DATE: Sept 13

TIME (ET): 1 pm

WHERE: M&T Bank Stadium

WATCH: CBS

FALCONS vs. SEAHAWKS

The Falcons and Seahawks are among the top teams facing off in the first game of the season. Atlanta reloaded with Todd Gurley and Dante Fowler in the offseason while the Seahawks are looking to build upon a solid 2019 campaign that nearly resulted in an NFC West title.

ALL-TIME SERIES: 11-6 Seahawks

DATE: Sept. 13

TIME (ET): 1 pm

WHERE: Mercedes-Benz Stadium

WATCH: FOX

BENGALS vs. CHARGERS

The Joe Burrow era officially begins in Cincinnati. Burrow will take on a tough Los Angeles team that is in a bit of flux itself. The Chargers gave the starting nod to Tyrod Taylor despite drafting Justin Herbert. It will be the first time since 2004 the Chargers won’t have Philip Rivers on their team.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Chargers 20-14

DATE: Sept. 13

TIME (ET): 1 pm

WHERE: Paul Brown Stadium

WATCH: CBS

49ERS vs. CARDINALS

San Francisco might be the defending NFC champions but the division is really more of the Wild West. Arizona traded for DeAndre Hopkins in the offseason to give Kyler Murray more targets to throw to. We’ll see what happens when a rising offense meets an early impenetrable defense.

ALL-TIME SERIES: 31-26 49ers

DATE: Sept. 13

TIME (ET): 4:25 pm

WHERE: Levi’s Stadium

WATCH: FOX

SAINTS vs. BUCCANEERS

The matchup of the day is between the Saints and the Buccaneers. Drew Brees and Tom Brady – who are first and second respectively in all-time passing touchdowns and all-time passing yards – will face off. It will be Brady’s Buccaneers’ debut as Tampa Bay looks to get the season off on the right foot. New Orleans was one of the best teams last season so an early-season defeat won’t be easy to come by.

ALL-TIME SERIES: 35-21 Saints

DATE: Sept. 13

TIME (ET): 4:25 pm

WHERE: Mercedes-Benz Superdome

WATCH: FOX

RAMS vs. COWBOYS

The Rams will open SoFi Stadium against the Cowboys on Sunday night. SoFi Stadium, a $5 billion behemoth of a stadium, will open without fans amid the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. Dallas has a W on its mind as the Cowboys look to rectify nearly winning the division title last season.

ALL-TIME SERIES: 14-12 Cowboys

DATE: Sept. 13

TIME (ET): 8:20 pm

WHERE: SoFi Stadium

WATCH: NBC

GIANTS vs. STEELERS

The Steelers will have Ben Roethlisberger back after he missed a majority of the 2019 season with an elbow injury. Pittsburgh’s defense will have to try and stop Giants running back Saquon Barkley, who has been known to run through opponents. Pittsburgh’s chances to win the AFC North are going to be tougher than ever. It starts with Week 1 in New Jersey on Monday.

ALL-TIME SERIES: 44-30-3 Giants

DATE: Sept. 14

TIME (ET): 7:10 pm

WHERE: MetLife Stadium

WATCH: ESPN

BRONCOS vs. TITANS

The Titans were oh so close in reaching the Super Bowl. But they are back with Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry leading the charge. They will have to go up against a Broncos team that is still searching for an identity. Drew Lock is the full-time quarterback with a two-headed rushing attack led by Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay. Getting around Titans newcomer Jadeveon Clowney is going be difficult.

ALL-TIME SERIES: 22-16-1 Titans

DATE: Sept. 14

TIME (ET): 10:20 pm

WHERE: Empower Field at Mile High

WATCH: ESPN

2020 NFL season: Everything you need to know ahead of kickoff

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 06:00:23 -0400

The 2020 NFL season might be the most anticipated in recent memory.

The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off a magical season in which Patrick Mahomes led the team to its second Super Bowl championship in dramatic fashion over the San Francisco 49ers.

Both teams got back to work after the clock hit triple zeroes in Miami. But along with the other 30 teams in the league, had to face the uncertainty regarding the coronavirus pandemic which has claimed the lives of thousands and even affected some NFL players directly.

The pandemic forced the NFL to hold a virtual draft for the first time in history. Most of the seven rounds took place from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s basement. Fans got to peer into rookies’ homes to see how they were celebrating and even got to witness a few general managers at work.

After the draft was over, the NFL held virtual minicamps and eventually canceled the preseason in hopes of being more prepared to deal with the unknown come September when the Chiefs and the Houston Texans kick-off.

In the midst of the pandemic, there were also some offseason shakeups.

Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cam Newton joined the New England Patriots. Mahomes, Chris Jones, and Travis Kelce received lucrative contract extensions. Several coaches were fired and hired.

All roads have led to Sept. 10 – the first game of the 2020 season and the start of the journey to Tampa, Fla., where Super Bowl LV will take place.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE NFL COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Here is everything you need to know about the 2020 season.

2019 AWARDS RECAP

Super Bowl champs: KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

AFC champs: KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

NFC champs: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

NFL MVP: LAMAR JACKSON

NFL Coach of the Year: JOHN HARBAUGH

NFL Offensive Player of the Year: MICHAEL THOMAS

NFL Defensive Player of the Year: STEPHON GILMORE

NFL Offensive Rookie the Year: KYLER MURRAY

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: NICK BOSA

GO DEEPER

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- NFL COULD LOSE BILLIONS ON THE TICKET MARKET IF FANS ARE BARRED FROM STADIUMS

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- ROGER GOODELL: NFL PREPARED TO PLAY FEWER THAN 16 GAMES OVER CORONAVIRUS

- ROGER GOODELL: NFL WILL SUPPORT PLAYERS WHO PROTEST THIS SEASON

- SPORTS TEAMS SCRAMBLE TO CALCULATE MAGIC ATTENDANCE NUMBER

- NFL TO KEEP LIVE NATIONAL ANTHEM PERFORMANCES OUTSIDE STADIUMS OVER CORONAVIRUS FEARS: REPORT

- SUPER BOWL LOSS 'INGRAINED' IN 49ERS BRAINS

- KANSAS CITY CHIEFS TO LIMIT ATTENDANCE TO 22% OF STADIUM CAPACITY

- COWBOYS STAR EZEKIEL ELLIOTT EXPLAINS WHY ALLOWING FANS AT GAMES IS AN 'ADVANTAGE' THIS SEASON

- GOODELL TELLS FOX SPORTS' ACHO 'I WISH WE HAD LISTENED EARLIER' ON KNEELING, RACE

- NFL TEAMS ADJUSTING FROM 80,000 DIE-HARDS TO 80 DECIBELS

- NFL WILL PLAY BLACK NATIONAL ANTHEM PRIOR TO WEEK 1 GAMES, REPORT SAYS

- VIACOMCBS SEEKS ABOUT $5.5M FOR 30-SECOND ADS IN 2021 SUPER BOWL

- NFL BETTING WILL BE 'BUSINESS AS USUAL,' ONLINE CASINO SOFTWARE CEO SAYS

- BUFFALO WILD WINGS OFFER NFL FANS 'SEASON TICKETS' TO RECREATE STADIUM EXPERIENCE

- PATRICK MAHOMES IS PROHIBITED FROM DOING THESE ACTIVITIES AFTER SIGNING NEW CONTRACT

ARIZONA CARDINALS

2019 record: 5-10-1

2019 finish: 4th NFC West

Coach: Kliff Kingsbury

Players of note: Budda Baker, Chandler Jones, DeAndre Hopkins, Jordan Hicks, Kyler Murray, Larry Fitzgerald

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

ATLANTA FALCONS

2019 record: 7-9

2019 finish: 2nd NFC South

Coach: Dan Quinn

Players of note: Calvin Ridley, Dante Fowler, Deion Jones, Julio Jones, Matt Ryan, and Todd Gurley

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

BALTIMORE RAVENS

2019 record: 14-2

2019 finish: 1st AFC North

Coach: John Harbaugh

Players of note: Chuck Clark, Derek Wolfe, J.K. Dobbins, Lamar Jackson, Marcus Peters, Mark Andrews, Mark Ingram, Marlon Humphrey, Marquise Brown, Matthew Judon

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

BUFFALO BILLS

2019 record: 10-6

2019 finish: 2nd AFC East

Coach: Sean McDermott

Players of note: A.J. Epenesa, Jerry Hughes, Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

CAROLINA PANTHERS

2019 record: 5-11

2019 finish: 4th NFC South

Coach: Matt Rhule

Players of note: Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, Shaq Thompson

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CHICAGO BEARS

2019 record: 8-8

2019 finish: 3rd NFC North

Coach: Matt Nagy

Players of note: Allen Robinson, David Montgomery, Khalil Mack, Mitchell Trubisky, Nick Foles, Robert Quinn

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CINCINNATI BENGALS

2019 record: 2-14

2019 finish: 4th AFC North

Coach: Zac Taylor

Players of note: Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd

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CLEVELAND BROWNS

2019 record: 6-10

2019 finish: 3rd AFC North

Coach: Kevin Stefanski

Players of note: Austin Hooper, Baker Mayfield, Jarvis Landry, Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb, Odell Beckham Jr.

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

DALLAS COWBOYS

2019 record: 8-8

2019 finish: 2nd NFC East

Coach: Mike McCarthy

Players of note: Amari Cooper, Andy Dalton, CeeDee Lamb, Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

DENVER BRONCOS

2019 record: 7-9

2019 finish: 2nd AFC West

Coach: Vic Fangio

Players of note: Courtland Sutton, Drew Lock, Jerry Jeudy, Melvin Gordon, Phillip Lindsay, Von Miller

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

DETROIT LIONS

2019 record: 3-12-1

2019 finish: 4th NFC North

Coach: Matt Patricia

Players of note: Adrian Peterson, D'Andre Swift, Danny Amendola, Jamie Collins, Jeff Okudah, Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones, Matthew Stafford

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

GREEN BAY PACKERS

2019 record: 13-3

2019 finish: 1st NFC North

Coach: Matt LaFleur

Players of note: Aaron Jones, Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Amos, Allen Lazard, Davante Adams, Kevin King

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HOUSTON TEXANS

2019 record: 10-6

2019 finish: 1st AFC South

Coach: Bill O’Brien

Players of note: Deshaun Watson, J.J. Watt, Kenny Stills, Whitney Mercilus, Will Fuller V

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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

2019 record: 7-9

2019 finish: 3rd AFC North

Coach: Frank Reich

Players of note: Darius Leonard, Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

2019 record: 6-10

2019 finish: 4th AFC South

Coach: Doug Marrone

Players of note: Dede Westbrook, Gardner Minshew, Joe Schobert

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KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

2019 record: 12-4

2019 finish: 1st AFC West

Coach: Andy Reid

Players of note: Anthony Hitchens, Charvarious Ward, Chris Jones, Frank Clark, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Tyrann Mathieu, Tyreek Hill

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LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

2019 record: 7-9

2019 finish: 3rd AFC West

Coach: Jon Gruden

Players of note: Cory Littleton, Darren Waller, Derek Carr, Erik Harris, Henry Ruggs III, Josh Jacobs, Maxx Crosby

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

2019 record: 5-11

2019 finish: 4th AFC West

Coach: Anthony Lynn

Players of note: Austin Ekeler, Joey Bosa, Justin Herbert, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

LOS ANGELES RAMS

2019 record: 9-7

2019 finish: 3rd NFC West

Coach: Sean McVay

Players of note: Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp, Jalen Ramsey, Jared Goff, Robert Woods

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

MIAMI DOLPHINS

2019 record: 5-11

2019 finish: 4th AFC East

Coach: Brian Flores

Players of note: DeVante Parker, Kyle Van Noy, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tua Tagovailoa,

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

2019 record: 10-6

2019 finish: 2nd NFC North

Coach: Mike Zimmer

Players of note: Adam Thielen, Anthony Barr, Anthony Harris, Dalvin Cook, Danielle Hunter, Eric Kendricks, Harrison Smith, Justin Jefferson, Kirk Cousins, Yannick Ngakoue

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

2019 record: 12-4

2019 finish: 1st AFC East

Coach: Bill Belichick

Players of note: Cam Newton, Devin McCourty, Julian Edelman, Sony Michel, Stephon Gilmore

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

2019 record: 13-3

2019 finish: 1st NFC South

Coach: Sean Payton

Players of note: Alvin Kamara, Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis, Drew Brees, Janoris Jenkins, Jared Cook, Malcolm Jenkins, Marcus Davenport, Marcus Williams, Michael Thomas

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

NEW YORK GIANTS

2019 record: 4-12

2019 finish: 3rd NFC East

Coach: Joe Judge

Players of note: Blake Martinez, Daniel Jones, Logan Ryan, Saquon Barkley

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

NEW YORK JETS

2019 record: 7-9

2019 finish: 3rd AFC East

Coach: Adam Gase

Players of note: Le'Veon Bell, Sam Darnold

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

2019 record: 9-7

2019 finish: 1st NFC East

Coach: Doug Pederson

Players of note: Brandon Graham, Carson Wentz, Fletcher Cox, Jalen Hurts, Jalen Reagor, Miles Sanders, Rodney McLeod

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

2019 record: 8-8

2019 finish: 2nd AFC North

Coach: Mike Tomlin

Players of note: Ben Roethlisberger, Bud Dupree, Cameron Heyward, Diontae Johnson, James Conner, Joe Haden, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Terrell Edmunds, T.J. Watt

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

2019 record: 13-3

2019 finish: 1st NFC West

Coach: Kyle Shanahan

Players of note: Fred Warner, Jimmy Garoppolo, Nick Bosa

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

2019 record: 11-5

2019 finish: 2nd NFC West

Coach: Pete Carroll

Players of note: Bobby Wagner, DK Metcalf, Jamal Adams, Russell Wilson, Tyler Lockett

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

2019 record: 7-9

2019 finish: 3rd NFC South

Coach: Bruce Arians

Players of note: Carlton Davis, Chris Godwin, Devin White, Lavonte David, Leonard Fournette, Mike Evans, Ndamukong Suh, Rob Gronkowski, Shaq Barrett, Tom Brady

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

TENNESSEE TITANS

2019 record: 9-7

2019 finish: 2nd AFC South

Coach: Mike Vrabel

Players of note: A.J. Brown, Corey Davis, Derrick Henry, Jadeveon Clowney, Rashaan Evans, Ryan Tannehill

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM

2019 record: 3-13

2019 finish: 4th NFC East

Coach: Ron Rivera

Players of note: Alex Smith, Chase Young, Dwayne Haskins, Jon Bostic, Landon Collins, Steven Sims Jr., Terry McLaurin, Thomas Davis

TEAM PREVIEW | 2020 SCHEDULE | MUST-SEE MATCHUPS | 2020 DRAFT

Kansas City Chiefs highlight gameday experience when attending home games amid coronavirus pandemic

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 05:59:17 -0400

The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will host the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night to kick off the 2020 NFL season.

In a league year that will be filled with uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Chiefs have taken the proper precautions to make sure fans, staff and players are safe, which includes plans that have been finalized for a reduced capacity, as well as other important health and safety protocols.The team will be allowed to have 16,000 fans in attendance.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE TEAM'S 2020 SEASON

The University of Kansas Health System outlined everything in consultation for fans who will attend games at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs, who are only one of five teams that will have fans in their stadium to begin the season, announced that they will have intensified methods, including the cleaning and sanitization of high-touch areas before and after each game and regularly throughout the game with hospital-grade disinfectants.

All staff members who enter the building will go through a health screening, which features a questionnaire and temperature check. They are expected to routinely wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer when unavailable. Staff members must also wear masks throughout their entire shift.

CHIEFS, TEXANS FINE-TUNING FOR NFL OPENER THURSDAY NIGHT

The gameday experience for fans will be quite different than usual as well. Seating and high-traffic areas of the stadium have been modified to support social distancing standards, and all concessions, retail points of sale and parking tollbooths will be cashless. For the fans attending games, all bags will be prohibited inside the stadium, and everyone must wear a mask at all times except when eating or drinking.

The NFL is also providing every team a stadium-specific recording of crowd noise that must be played at a required level of 70 dB throughout every game, except during injury timeouts and quarter, halftime and commercial breaks.

A league official will be monitoring these levels on the sidelines every game. Teams that don't follow the rules will be subject to fines, suspensions or even lost draft picks.

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The Chiefs ask that fans “be patient and understand that these are unprecedented times.”

“We are all in this together so let's work with one another to keep Chiefs Kingdom safe by adhering to the guidelines outlined,” the Chiefs said.

Dolphins plan to have limited fans in stands during home opener, among other policy changes

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 11:39:58 -0400

The Miami Dolphins will have fans in the stands during their home opener at Hard Rock Stadium on Sept. 20 against the Buffalo Bills.

The team announced Monday a limited number of fans will be able to attend the game as the NFL gets ready to kick off the 2020 season amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“When we started the process back in March of exploring what a socially distanced stadium could look like, we made the health and safety of everyone the first priority; knowing that if we felt that we couldn't make it safe, we simply wouldn't have fans,” Dolphins vice chairman and CEO Tom Garfinkel said in a news release.

TITANS ROOKIE ISAIAH WILSON NEARLY JUMPED FROM BALCONY AFTER GETTING SPOTTED AT COLLEGE PARTY, REPORT SAYS

“We're happy that our elected officials recognize the attention to detail and diligence that we've put into creating a safe environment and that they made the decision to move forward with a 13,000-capacity stadium at this time.”

GIANTS' JOE JUDGE GETS SOME ADVICE FROM LEGENDARY SUPER BOWL-WINNING HEAD COACH

Miami also announced a list of policies for the upcoming season. Hard Rock Stadium, also a coronavirus testing site, was the first public facility to earn the Global Biorisk Advisory Council’s STAR accreditation, ESPN reported. It’s the standard used for different facilities to implement certain cleaning to prevent diseases.

Fans will be required to wear a mask when seated in their socially distant cluster; there will be more points of entry with mobile touchless entry, timed stadium entry, cashless payments at food kiosks, parking and retail and no tailgating.

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The Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars also have announced plans for limited numbers of fans at games this season.

US Marine lands deal with Patriots after putting football career on hold to serve

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 09:58:22 -0400

A U.S. Marine who has been out of football for over five years landed a job with the New England Patriots on Sunday after getting a tryout earlier last week.

Paul Quessenberry played defensive end when he was at Navy and last played a game in 2014. He became a U.S. Marine officer the following year, NESN reported.

He was on the Patriots’ tryout list heading into camp last week and signed his first pro deal Sunday.

JETS LINEBACKER THROWS PUNCHES AS FIGHTS BREAK OUT AT PRACTICE

The 28-year-old played defensive end for the Midshipmen but is set to convert to tight end. He played in 38 games over four seasons at Navy from 2011 to 2014. He recorded 80 tackles, 3.5 sacks, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble during his collegiate career.

RAVENS TERMINATE CONTRACT OF S EARL THOMAS AFTER FIGHT

The Patriots have had a history of taking flyers on players who had military backgrounds or who came from military or law enforcement families. Running back James White’s parents worked in law enforcement in Florida, Rex Burkhead’s dad was an FBI agent, Jason and Devin McCourty’s father served in the U.S. Army and Joe Cardona served in the U.S. Navy, Military.com reported.

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Quessenberry is also the brother of current NFL offensive linemen David and Scott Quessenberry, according to Capital Gazette.

David Quessenberry has played for the Tennessee Titans, and Scott Quessenberry is a member of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Lehner, Golden Knights shut down Blackhawks 4-1 in opener

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 05:19:46 -0400

Robin Lehner had more trouble with one of his skates than he did with his former team.

Reilly Smith, Shea Theodore and the Vegas Golden Knights took good care of their goaltender Tuesday night.

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Theodore and William Carrier scored 2:17 apart midway through the second period, Lehner made 19 saves against his former team, and the Golden Knights beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 in Game 1 of their Stanley Cup playoffs first-round matchup.

Smith scored twice in the third period as the top-seed in the Western Conference kept their scoring outburst from the round-robin seeding games going in the playoff opener. The Golden Knights scored 15 goals in the three seeding games and didn’t slow down against the Blackhawks.

Game 2 is Thursday.

“Goals are huge in the playoffs and sometimes it's just throwing pucks on net and then hoping for bounces,” Smith said. “So we've got to continue to do that. The ice isn’t great, so over passing doesn’t really help, so we get pucks on net and try to crash it. Playoffs, this is where you score dirty goals, so we've got to continue to do that.”

Lehner, who was traded from Chicago to Vegas in February, was the backbone of a Golden Knights defense that shut down the Blackhawks. Lehner’s biggest problem was a faulty skate blade that led to delays in the second period.

Chicago’s veteran stars Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith were mostly held quiet. Toews and Kane both hit posts, but combined the trio had just five shots on goal.

“What’s so good on our team is everyone works back, everyone’s blocking shots,” Lehner said. “The (defense) was really good today about cleaning up the rebounds. They're a dangerous team so we just got to tighten up a little bit. I think we can be even better.”

Lehner said he learned Monday morning he would start Game 1 rather than Marc Andre-Fleury. Lehner played two of the three games during the round-robin.

“There’s no better duo in the NHL for goalies,” Vegas center Jonathan Marchessault said. “(Fluery) is an amazing team player as well. He was the first to cheer the boys on in the locker room, and he’s such a leader on and off the ice. I think whoever’s in that, we we feel 100% confident as a group.”

David Kampf scored short-handed for the Blackhawks in the second period thanks largely to the work of Brandon Saad forcing a turnover, but that was the extent of Chicago’s scoring.

“I think we’ll definitely have adjustments, but for the most part I think we did a pretty good job,” Saad said. “We've got to know that’s how the series is going to be. We can’t just when things aren’t going our way get frustrated or if they score a goal, kind of get let down.”

Theodore scored his third goal of the postseason, flicking a wrist shot past Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford from the right circle. Minutes later, Carrier jabbed home a loose puck in front of Crawford’s net after Ryan Reeves had thrown the puck on net to give the Golden Knights a 2-0 lead.

Smith assisted on Theodore’s opener before finding the net himself twice in the final 20 minutes. Both goals were assisted by Marchessault, the second allowing Smith to skate in free and lift a backhanded shot over Crawford’s glove.

Vegas earned the top-seed in the Western Conference after winning the Pacific Division and going 3-0 in the round-robin qualifying round to determine playoff seeding.

But Chicago was an unexpected first-round opponent for the Golden Knights. The Blackhawks, as the No. 12 seed, were impressive in dispatching heavily-favored Edmonton in four games in the qualifying round.

NOTES: Vegas F Max Pacioretty made his postseason debut after being slowed by a minor injury. Pacioretty led Vegas with 32 goals and 66 points this season. ... The game was stopped for several minutes early in the second period after Lehner lost the blade on his left skate after banging it into the goal post. Lehner needed additional work on the skate later in the period during a timeout and had the blade come off the skate again late in the period during a Chicago power play. “I was pretty frustrated. That's the first time that has happened to me,” Lehner said.

Portland beats Orlando 2-1 to claim MLS is Back championship

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 05:02:48 -0400

Soaked in sweat and doused in water, the Portland Timbers hoisted the MLS is Back trophy at midfield and then headed toward a giant TV screen filled with fans cheering from afar.

It was a huge Zoom party. It might just be the way to celebrate championships in 2020.

Dario Zuparic’s first goal of the season gave Portland a 2-1 victory against Orlando in Major League Soccer's return tournament finale Tuesday night, capping a month-long event that showed sports can be played safely inside a bubble.

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“I always think the more difficult the fight is the more beautiful the victory is at the end,” said Portland's Larrys Mabiala, who scored the game's first goal.

Orlando was slow to react to Diego Valeri’s corner kick in the 66th minute, allowing Eryk Williamson to collect the ball, change direction and take a shot that Jeremy Ebobisse deflected to Zuparic’s feet. Zuparic didn’t have to do much to get it by Pedro “The Octopus” Gallese, who had made two fantastic saves in the lead-up to the corner kick.

The goal started the celebration on Portland's sideline and sent Orlando into panic mode. The Lions had a chance in the closing minutes, but failed to get the equalizer.

“It’s a group of players in a lot of pain right now," Orlando coach Oscar Pareja said. "Things didn’t bounce our way. We made a couple of mistakes.”

The Timbers, who spent 39 days in the MLS bubble and remained on West Coast time, hugged and danced after the final whistle. They raised the silver trophy while hooting and hollering. But the lasting image will be players and coaches waving at a camera and reaching hundreds back home.

It ended a wild month for the MLS, which managed to play 51 matches in 45 days at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports complex at Disney World.

No family. No friends. No fans.

But it was by most accounts a rousing success, especially considering how it started. FC Dallas and Nashville were forced to withdraw days before the start because of positive coronavirus tests.

Players, coaches and support personnel were tested regularly inside the MLS bubble. The league reported just two positives out of nearly 35,000 tests following the initial setbacks that threatened to derail a tournament that came with a $1.1 million purse.

“We just told ourselves we need to make it worth it," Mabiala said, adding that his son has been calling, crying and clamoring for him to come home in recent days.

Portland will get $328,000 in prize money to split. The Timbers also earned a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League, their first since 2016.

Orlando settled for $150,000 to share.

Orlando's appearance in the finale was a surprise considering the team finished 11th out of 12 in the East last season and fired coach James O’Connor. Pareja took over in 2020 and made an immediate impact.

Pareja convinced his players, including star Nani, to settle into the bubble several days early. They won the tournament opener, a group-stage victory against Miami, and ended up spending nearly seven weeks quarantined in the bubble.

Portland’s experience — the Timbers won the MLS title in 2015 and were runners-up two years ago — showed in the finale.

Portland’s first shot on goal found the back of the net. Valeri delivered a perfectly placed free kick into the box that Mabiala headed past Gallese in the 27th minute. It was Valeri’s 93rd assist with the Timbers.

But considering Portland has managed just three clean sheets in its last 23 matches, it was no surprise to see a defensive breakdown just a few minutes later.

Nani worked the ball down the left side following a turnover and created enough room to get a crosser into the box. Mauricio Pereyra got a foot on the ball and then took advantage of a fallen defender to tie the match.

The equalizer came shortly after Portland’s Sebastian Blanco exchanged words with Pareja during a hydration break. Referees stepped between them, and they later apologized and hugged it out.

The league resumes its regular season Wednesday night with Dallas playing at Nashville. The league’s 26 teams will play 18 games apiece. A majority of the games will be played without fans because of local regulations. Teams will be subject to a rigorous testing protocol and will use charter flights or buses to limit outside contact.

“We have to see if it works,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. “If it does, we go through with it. If it doesn’t, we’ll have to adjust.”

Flyers clinch top seed in East with 4-1 win over Lightning

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 07:13:01 -0400

Rookie Nicolas Aube-Kubel scored twice, and the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 on Saturday night to clinch the Eastern Conference’s top seed through the playoffs.

The Lightning not only dropped the game in completing preliminary round-robin play with a 2-1 record, Tampa Bay’s star defenseman Victor Hedman did not return after appearing to twist his right ankle while going down untouched midway through the first period.

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Coach Jon Cooper didn't have an update on Hedman's status or how much time he might miss, though acknowledged his potential loss would create a notable hole in the Lightning's lineup.

“It's a little frustrating because we feel like we're going in the right direction and to lose some of the star power we have,” said Cooper, noting the Lightning are also without captain Steven Stamkos and played Saturday minus Hedman's defensive partner Jan Rutta. “We’ve got to circle the wagons.”

Stamkos has been out since sustaining a lower body injury before the start of training camp last month. Cooper would only list Rutta as being unfit to play.

Joel Farabee had a goal and assist, Tyler Pitlick scored into an empty net with 1:20 left, and Carter Hart stopped 23 shots for the Flyers, who finished 3-0. Philadelphia didn’t allow more than one goal in also defeating Boston and Washington, and out-scored its opponents by a combined 11-3.

The Flyers, who entered round-robin play as the East’s fourth seed, move on to the first round next week and face the 12th-seeded Montreal Canadiens.

Montreal upset Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in four games of their best-of-five preliminary round series. Philadelphia and Montreal have split their previous six playoff meetings, and the teams meet for the first time since the Flyers defeated the Canadiens in five games of the 2010 East finals.

Tyler Johnson scored for the Lightning, and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 26 shots. Tampa Bay was coming off a 3-2 win over Boston on Wednesday, and also had a 3-2 shootout win over Washington.

Hedman, a Norris Trophy finalist this year, went down as he spun around to skate backward at the Tampa Bay blue line with Pitlick driving up the right wing. Hedman then got up slowly and broke his stick while heading down the tunnel to the locker room.

“You hate to see any of your teammates have to leave a game. Obviously, we know the significance and the role that Heddy plays on our team," Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. “It was tough to see but we've got to roll with what happens.”

Tampa Bay will enter the first round of the playoffs as the East’s second seed.

The Lightning will face the winner of the best-of-five preliminary round series between eighth-seeded Toronto and ninth-seeded Columbus, which will be determined in Game 5 on Sunday. The Lightning were swept by the Blue Jackets in a first-round meeting last year, and after Tampa Bay won the Presidents’ Trophy. The Lighting and Maple Leafs have never met in the playoffs.

Aube-Kubel, who has seven goals in 45 career NHL games, enjoyed his first career NHL two-goal outing by staking the Flyers to a 2-0 lead by scoring less than seven minutes apart in the first period.

A Lightning turnover in their own zone led to Aube-Kubel standing in front and deflecting in Shayne Gostisbehere’s shot from inside the blue line 7:40 in.

His second goal came on a 2-on-1 break during which he converted Sean Couturier’s pass from the right wing.

“There's a young man that figured out what it would take for him to play at this level,” Flyers coach Alain Vigneault said of Aube-Kubel. "He deserves the ice time and he deserves to be playing right now.”

Vigneault also credited Hart for making two clutch saves on Lightning sniper Nikita Kucherov, who got behind the Flyers defense twice in the opening seven minutes

“We bent a little bit. We didn’t break, a lot of it thanks to Carter,” Vigeneault said.

Farabee then sealed the victory by one-timing in Gostisbehere’s pass into the right circle to put the Flyers ahead 3-1 with 5:38 left in the second period, and 10 minutes after Johnson scored a power-play goal.

Gostisbehere had a two-point outing in making his playoff debut after sitting out the first two games

NOTES: Flyers RW Jakub Voracek did not play for an undisclosed reason. He had an assist in two games. ... Lightning made one rosrter change from Game 2, with D Zach Bogosian returning to the lineup and D Jan Rutta scratched. ... Vasilevskiy appeared in his 36th career playoff game, tying Ben Bishop for the most in team history. Bishop started all 36 appearances, while Vasilevskiy ranks third with 31 starts, two behind Nikolai Khabibulin.

UP NEXT

Flyers: Face Montreal in first round of playoffs.

Lightning: Face Columbus or Toronto in first round of playoffs next week.

MLS to resume regular season following Florida tournament

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 06:50:51 -0400

Buoyed by the MLS is Back tournament and confident of its coronavirus protocols, Major League Soccer will resume its regular season with teams playing in their home cities.

The league's 26 teams will each play 18 games, with the first between FC Dallas and Nashville set for Wednesday. Dallas and Nashville will play three games against each other, having been forced to withdraw from the MLS is Back tournament because of COVID-19 cases.

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A majority of games will be played without fans because of local regulations. Teams will be subject to a rigorous testing protocol and will use charter flights or buses.

“We believe we have a good plan, we believe our players and our staff are focused on adhering to our protocols, and if we’re able to do that, we ought to be able to get our games in," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Saturday during a conference call. "And if we can’t do that in a way that’s safe, and one that’s ensuring the health of our players, we’ll have to address it.”

MLS continues to work with the Canadian teams because of travel restrictions. The Canadian teams — Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver — have not been included in the first phase of the schedule.

The plan comes as corornavirus cases and deaths mount across the country. Nearly 5 million people have contracted COVID-19 and 161,000 have died.

“We understand that getting back to play is going to have some challenges. We’re aware of those challenges, we’re prepared for it, we are understanding that it’s not going to be easy,” Garber said. “We know that we might have issues that are going to disrupt us and might even force us to postpone games. We’re aware of the need to be flexible, we’re aware that we are entering a new normal for our industry.”

The monthlong MLS is Back tournament has been played without fans at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World. The championship match is set for Tuesday between the Portland Timbers and Orlando City.

Players and team personnel have been sequestered in tweo Disney resorts for the duration of the tournament, which started July 8. The group stage matches counted toward the regular season.

MLS suspended the season March 12 because of the pandemic after teams had played two games each. Celebrating its 25th season, the league had added two expansion teams this year, Nashville and Inter Miami.

MLS is Back appeared that it might be derailed at the start when Dallas and Nashville had to drop out. But apart from those two teams there have been only two confirmed positive tests — one from Sporting Kansas City and one from Columbus.

After their game at Toyota Stadium on Wednesday, Dallas and Nashville will play again Aug. 16. A third match between the two teams will be scheduled later.

“Having suffered the heartache of the Orlando Tournament, it’s wonderful to be preparing for our first game in five months,” Nashville coach Gary Smith said in a statement. “The players and staff are excited to be competing again and we would all like nothing more than to get into a rhythm of games to promote the team development we have all missed.”

FC Dallas announced that Toyota Stadium will be opened for a maximum 5,110 fans, and all must wear masks.

The league's teams will play six games in phase one of the season's return, three home and three away. Real Salt Lake and Sporting Kansas City also announced that a limited number of fans will be allowed into games.

Eighteen clubs will make the playoffs. The final day of the regular season is Nov. 8. and the MLS Cup championship is Dec. 14.

Nick Markakis returns to Braves in dramatic fashion weeks after choosing to opt out of 2020 season

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 06:50:36 -0400

Nick Markakis was one of the first Major League Baseball players to decide to opt out of the season over fears of contracting the coronavirus in the midst of a global pandemic.

The Atlanta Braves outfielder would eventually reconsider his decision and return for his sixth season with the team. In his second game of 2020, Markakis proved his worth.

BREWERS' CHRISTIAN YELICH HITS 'THE LUCKIEST HOME RUN IN BASEBALL HISTORY' VS. WHITE SOX

He delivered a walk-off home run Thursday night against the Toronto Blue Jays to give the Braves the 4-3 victory. He hit the homer off Blue Jays pitcher Wilmer Font.

“To me, we really shouldn't have been in that situation,” Markakis said after the game. “I had a couple chances to push a run across there and we didn't. That's the beauty of this game. You always get another opportunity.”

ATHLETICS' RYAN CHRISTENSON CAUGHT PERFORMING APPARENT NAZI SALUTE, APOLOGIZES: 'WHAT I DID IS UNACCEPTABLE'

The veteran announced last week he would return to the team nearly a month after choosing to opt out.

“It was a little weird but that's the situation we're in,” Markakis said. “We're still out here playing the game. We're still playing for everybody. We're still playing for the fans.”

The 36-year-old played in 116 games last year for the Braves. He hit nine home runs and recorded a .285 batting average to go along with a .776 OPS.

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Atlanta improved to 9-5 with the win. Toronto fell to 4-6.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Marlins' 6-1 start is reminiscent of the 1899 Perfectos

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 04:50:15 -0400

Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly was talking about this week’s doubleheader sweep at Baltimore that involved a parade of relievers, including several newcomers rescued from unemployment, and after naming three of them he drew a blank.

“I’ve got to remember who all we used,” Mattingly said. “Who else pitched today? I don’t know.”

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For the Marlins, this season has been a bit of a blur. It was halted for eight days because of a coronavirus outbreak that sidelined more than half the team, and even now, five games into the resumption of play, there's cause for eye-rubbing.

The Marlins are in first place in August, a first for the franchise. In fact, at 6-1 they have the best record in baseball, staging a one-year turnaround not seen since the 1899 St. Louis Perfectos.

“I’m going to have to write a book after this,” Mattingly said. “You get tested, and you persevere.”

Following a decade of sub-.500 seasons, the Marlins reported for spring training with something close to a swagger in Year 3 of their rebuilding project under CEO Derek Jeter. They still sounded confident even after the virus sidelined three-fifths of their rotation, eight relievers and six other players.

“We’re ready to win games,” rookie outfielder Monte Harrison said. “A lot of people don’t understand that we’ve got some people here that can play. Whatever they want to call us — the bottom feeders or whatever — there’s a rude awakening that is going to be happening.”

Harrison spoke boldly even though he has one career hit, a scratch single Thursday in the Marlins' 8-7 win at Baltimore. That completed Miami's first four-game series sweep in more than four years.

Coming off a 57-105 season, the Marlins are the first team to win at least six of its first seven games after losing 105 or more the previous year since the Perfectos began 7-0 in 1899. That's according to @StatsbySTATS.

And the Perfectos didn't have their season disrupted by a virus.

After only three games, the Marlins became stranded for a week in Philadelphia. The infected players were bused back to Miami, while the holdovers were confined to their hotel rooms and searched for ways to stay sane and in shape.

“I would line up the mattress and set up the chairs as hitters,” closer Brandon Kintzler said, “and I would throw for about half an hour every day.”

Meanwhile, management scrambled for reinforcements, and came up with a mix of veteran castoffs and minor leaguers. Jeter refused to panic and promote top prospects who aren't ready; instead, Miami called up such farmhands as 30-year-old infielder Eddy Alvarez, a former Olympic silver medalist in speedskating.

Alvarez, who joined the Marlins' system last year, started both games of Wednesday's doubleheader. He's 0 for 5 so far as a big leaguer, but he's also undefeated and said the team's record is no fluke.

“The public doesn’t understand our culture here in the Marlins organization, a culture I’ve been extremely blessed to be a part of,” Alvarez said. “I didn’t quite understand what it is to have a winning culture. Derek Jeter takes the lead role. That’s the captain, and we can feel that.”

There's a curious cohesion and chemistry to the patchwork team, including the infected players, who were represented in absentia in Baltimore with cutout images propped in seats near the dugout.

Among the quarantined players back in Miami cheering the club on was shortstop Miguel Rojas, who fired off more than a dozen tweets during the latest win, a seesaw affair.

“I’m sweating," he wrote, "and I don’t have fever.”

On the subject of pennant fever, it should be noted that four of the Marlins' six wins have come against the Orioles, who lost 108 games themselves last year. It should also be noted that the 1899 Perfectos faded after their fast start to a fifth-place finish in the National League.

The Marlins going from 105 losses to the playoffs in one season despite a wave of virus infection would be crazy, right?

But it would also be so 2020.

Eddy Alvarez, silver medalist skater at 2014 Winter Olympics, makes Marlins debut

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 07:28:34 -0400

Eddy Alvarez, who won the silver medal for the U.S. in speed skating at the 2014 Olympics, made his debut for the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night in the team’s win against the Baltimore Orioles.

Alvarez started at second base for the Marlins but was 0-for-3 with a strikeout. The Marlins still picked up the 1-0 victory to improve to 4-1.

MLB TIGHTENING VIRUS PROTOCOLS, INCLUDING MASKS IN DUGOUTS

He is believed to be the first Olympic medalist, outside the sport of baseball, to play in a Major League Baseball game since Jim Thorpe. He told MLB.com in 2019 he refocused his efforts on playing baseball after the 2014 Games.

“When I picked up a bat for the first time, it was heavy,” Alvarez said. “It felt like home. I really missed it. I knew I wanted to give it a go. I didn’t know it was going to be professionally right away. I’m one of those people that always told myself that I didn’t want to have any regret doing anything in my athletic career. I did quit skating at the peak of my career to try and basically start over again at a different sport. I knew that if I didn’t try that, I would regret it.”

NATS ACE SCHERZER LEAVES START VS METS AFTER JUST 1 INNING

Alvarez failed to qualify for the 2010 Vancouver Games but made the U.S. team for Sochi. He didn’t medal in three individual races but won silver in the 5000-meter relay.

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He joined the Chicago White Sox organization in 2014 and found himself in the Marlins’ system in 2019. In 213 minor league games, he was hitting .278 with a .788 OPS and 40 home runs. Miami called him up because the team had been short of players due to their coronavirus outbreak.

High school athletes fear shorter seasons, less college recruiting over coronavirus concerns this fall

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 17:17:05 -0400

Douglas Ferguson is a rising senior at Samuel Clemens High School in Schertz, Texas. He's also a defensive tackle and middle linebacker for the school's football team, although he's not sure what his final season is going to look like thanks to the coronavirus.

"Right now, we’re not allowed to compete, you can get with the team and do team workouts and strength and conditioning," Ferguson said. "It’s still a worry on my mind, everything in the news is saying it’s only gonna get worse before it gets better and I’m worried about having a senior season."

Texas is one of a just a few states that are allowing a football season to go forward, albeit delayed. But other states like California are having their fall and winter sports seasons start in January.

Michigan is moving forward on time with its "low-risk" sports like golf, tennis and swimming, with little to no physical contact. Football and volleyball — in the "high-risk" category — can begin practice, but not competition yet.

These moves come as multiple school districts announce remote learning going into the fall academic season because of the pandemic.

NFL OPT-OUT DEADLINE IS SET, REPORT SAYS

According to the National Association of High School Sports Associations, eight states and the District of Columbia won't have football programs this year and almost 30 states have had to delay the start of the fall athletic schedules due to the virus with some swapping seasons with less-contact-based spring sports.

"Even for these schools that might not start out the year in the classroom, we feel comfortable doing things athletically with them," said Geoff Kimmerly, a spokesperson for the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA).

For high school athletes, especially those who want to play in college, their futures are uncertain and opportunities limited as school administrators delay sports seasons and college coaches have their recruiting budgets slashed.

"If we move a season to the spring, we might lose some of our elite players, because they might have already enrolled in college, we want to see them complete their high school careers," Kimmerly added.

Coaches on the college-side have been negatively impacted as well.

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"COVID-19 is definitely impacting recruiting. First, kids just haven’t been playing in the normal capacity, lots of seasons were cut short. ... A lot of the camps, tournaments, recruiting events were cancelled and so athletes didn’t have the ability to play like they normally would," said Lisa Strassman, president of Next College Student Athlete (NCSA), a recruiting network for college athletes.

Ferguson says he's been recruited to play at two different colleges already, but isn't sure if more opportunities will come into play. Many athletes have had to rely on digital recruiting sessions to highlight their talent using last season's highlight reels to college coaches and via Zoom calls.

In an already competitive field, the pandemic has created a smaller window of opportunity for many. Strassman says over 280 college programs have been cut, leaving stranded athletes looking for a second home, and limiting the amount of roster spots available for those high school players looking for their college team.

"There's more competition for available roster spots than in years previous," said Strassman.

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For Ferguson, he says his mom gets sentimental about his football, especially it being his last season. He told ӣ��Ƶ he and his mom were recently reading an email from his coach about the new season's schedule, and his mom started crying, worried it might be cancelled.

"I still have college," Ferguson told his mother.

2020 PGA Championship: What to know about the event

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 11:37:09 -0400

The 2020 PGA Championship will be the first major tournament event of the PGA Tour season since the coronavirus pandemic forced the alteration of the schedule.

The event was originally scheduled to take place May 14-17 and be the second major of the season after the Masters. But the pandemic forced the postponement of nearly all events, pushing the PGA Championship back to August and the Masters to November.

Brooks Koepka enters as the two-time defending champion and will be looking for the elusive third consecutive title. Should he win the event, it will be the first time a golfer has won the tournament three straight times since Walter Hagen won the event four times in a row from 1924 to 1927.

The coronavirus pandemic has also forced the tournament, which is being held at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, to be played without fans. Some golfers have decided to opt-out of the tournament.

Some of the withdrawals include: Ryan Moore, Branden Grace, John Daly, Vijay Singh, J.B. Holmes, Charles Howell III, Paul Waring, Francesco Molinari, Padraig Harrington, Y.E. Yang, Thomas Pieters, Shugo Imahira, Lee Westwood and Eddie Pepperell.

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Here are other things to know about the event.

WHERE: TPC Harding Park, San Francisco

WHEN: August 6-9

PURSE: $11 million

TV: ESPN, CBS

LAST FIVE WINNERS

2019: BROOKS KOEPKA

Brooks Koepka became the first golfer to win back-to-back PGA Championships since Tiger Woods did it in 2006 and 2007. At Bethpage Black, he shot 8-under par and held off Dustin Johnson by two strokes.

2018: BROOKS KOEPKA

Koepka won his second major title in 2018. He held off Woods by two strokes finishing 16-under par at Bellerive Country Club in Missouri.

2017: JUSTIN THOMAS

Justin Thomas captured his lone PGA Championship with a two-stroke victory over Francesco Molinari, Louis Oosthuizen, and Patrick Reed. Thomas shot 8-under par.

2016: JIMMY WALKER

Jimmy Walker captured his only major tournament title in 2016 at the PGA Championship. Walker scored a 14-under par. He defeated Jason Day by one stroke.

2015: JASON DAY

Day won his first PGA Championship in 2015 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. He defeated Jordan Spieth by three strokes.

Baseball teams try to adapt, find safe options on road trips

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 04:51:16 -0400

Gone for now are the days of baseball players, often dirt-stained and still in uniform, gathering in the clubhouse to scarf down a late night meal before heading their separate ways until doing it all again some 24 hours later.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed that cherished time when players could sit together at a table to decompress from a long game, celebrate a hard-fought win or support each other through a tough defeat.

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Still, many teams are trying to find smart and creative ways to mingle safely and have some semblance of that close-knit normalcy while paying close attention to season-stalling outbreaks for the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals.

The San Francisco Giants arrived at their team hotel in Denver on Sunday night and discovered what manager Gabe Kapler thought would be an ideal space for planning meetings and players to hang out during the club's current four-game series with the Colorado Rockies.

Then he found something safer.

“We scoped them out indoors initially and we met with the hotel to ensure that those would be places that we could utilize and spread out, and then this morning, we audibled because we found an outdoor area right outside one of those meeting rooms that was especially spread out and gave us an opportunity to do our advance meetings," Kapler said at the start of a 10-game trip that also goes through Los Angeles and Houston.

Road teams have been hit hardest by COVID-19. The Marlins played in Philadelphia and the Cardinals were in Minnesota when the coronavirus began to spread through their rosters, leading to postponements that are wreaking havoc on the shortened 60-game schedule.

“It’s not a normal year, so to keep guys healthy is huge,” Giants right-hander Jeff Samardzija said. “We’re still learning right now. We’re still learning the best spots to put bikes and have guys see the trainers. It’s just completely fluid.”

The teams out West don't necessarily feel removed geographically from what is affecting those as far as 3,000 miles away.

“We are all in this together as the National, League, the American League, all of baseball, all of us,” Rockies manager Bud Black said.

Joe Maddon wants his Los Angeles players to be able to gather after night games — socially distanced, of course. So he planned to secure a banquet room or conference space as the Angels begin a six-game trip Tuesday in Seattle that ends this weekend at Texas. Maddon also hoped to have a small room for coaches to spend time together.

The Texas Rangers rent a ballroom on the road with a side space used for meetings and also have a hospitality room. Manager Chris Woodward's priority is to prevent players from moving room to room within the hotel, and he's asking them to wear masks and keep their distance in banquet room.

“What we're seeing now, I feel like, we're really close to possibly shutting down if there's another outbreak somewhere,” Woodward said. "So we're trying to be as preventative as we can.”

Black heard of Maddon's idea and said he would consider the options for Colorado, hoping it could make up for some of what has been lost due to clubhouse safety protocols.

“There’s obviously a component that players are used to postgame, being in the clubhouse, hanging out, talking about the game, sharing a meal, relaxing, hanging out, together. The new guidelines and protocols do not recommend that,” Black said. "To be able to spread out and maybe kibitz a little bit would be something that is beneficial.”

Medical experts say the bigger the room with more space to spread out, the lesser the risk — but there's certainly still risk when gathering groups such as baseball teams.

“I would not characterize spending time in the same room for long periods of time a high risk activity for transmission, but some might assume no risk if you’re physically distanced, and we should be clear about the fact that we do have evidence of transmission in this kind of setting," said Dr. Emily Gurley, associate scientist in the department of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

"... The ballroom solution does not eliminate risk for transmission. Another step to further reduce risk in this setting is to increase the airflow in the room.”

Many are adapting as they go.

“I think we need to have thick skin and be resilient and be willing to adjust," San Francisco's Samardzija said. “It's a short season. We certainly knew going in it was going to be a different situation. But as long as we're healthy and we can continue to get stronger as a team then those teams are going to be in great position to make the playoffs.”

2 teen lacrosse players score goal in fight against hunger

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 13:30:26 -0400

Owen Estee and Zach Appel found a way to both teach the sport that they love and help feed people in need when their lacrosse season was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The two teenage lacrosse players in the San Francisco Bay Area launched “Lacrosse Against Hunger,” an initiative where they coach kids and other teens in exchange for donations to a local food organization. So far, the 15-year-olds have raised more than $2,000 to provide over 2,000 meals for agencies that serve the homeless, as well as foster youth, low-income seniors, children and their families.

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“This is a really big, problematic time, where people are in need. Everything’s just a little harder these days,” Appel said. “Helping people out by doing the little things, just like donating a few thousand bucks that can raise actually quite a few meals, really is helpful.”

The Acalanes High School students teach young lacrosse players the basics of the sport for $25 a lesson while observing Contra Costa County health guidelines. They practice social distancing, limit how many train at a time and wear masks when entering and exiting the field.

“It’s such an amazing feeling,” Estee said. “I’ve had parents tell me that their kids call it the highlight of their summer. ... It’s something they look forward to every week.”

Through a GoFund me page, they then donate all the money to the White Pony Express, which delivers surplus food from grocers to local community groups that serve the hungry.

“Our aspiration is that we serve without thought of reward. And that’s exactly what Zach and Owen did,” said Eve Birge, executive director at White Pony Express.

“Our deliveries are now three times as big as they were before COVID, so Zach and Owen are helping us keep our doors open.”

During the pandemic, a wave of hunger has swamped food programs nationwide. At White Pony Express, most of the volunteers during the crisis have been teenagers, Birge said. “Young people are really stepping up to answer the call. And Zach and Owen are terrific example of that.”

Ohio IndyCar races postponed due to coronavirus, Indy 500 still set for fans

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 09:22:35 -0400

The IndyCar double-header scheduled for the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Aug. 8-9 has been postponed due to issues caused by the coronavirus.

“This decision was made through communication with local health officials given the current environment,” the track said in a press release.

JIMMIE JOHNSON TESTS INDYCAR

Last Monday, Mid-Ohio announced the addition of a second race to the weekend and plans to sell a limited number of tickets, but the state government changed its guidance on mass gatherings later in the week.

The track said it would try to reschedule the races for sometime in September or October.

The move means that the next IndyCar race will be the Indy 500 on Aug. 23 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where attendance has been capped at 25 percent capacity.

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