Author: Sports Radio Service

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast with Barbara Mason: Final Four–Who’s going to win it all?; Stanford eliminated by Norte Dame women; plus more

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Photo credit: @SInow

Barbara Mason is filling in for Amaury Pi Gonzalez:

#1 The Final Four is amongst us and taking a look at each game this coming Sunday. Taking a look at Auburn-Virginia, Auburn has been the surprise — do you see this game being a real contest?

#2 Texas Tech-Michigan State is the next game on Sunday. The Red Raiders gave it their all when they beat Gonzaga last Sunday and the Spartans are one the winningest and high-ranking teams in the Tournament.

#3 The Stanford Women (31-5) and Notre Dame (34-3) battled it out, but after giving it their all all season long, the Cardinal could not withstand and lost to the Fighting Irish 84-68.

#4 The Oakland A’s started the 2019 season with two loses in Tokyo to the Seattle Mariners. Since that trip, it looks like the A’s have shaken off the jet lag and have been on track winning taking three of four from the Angels since coming back to Oakland and a win over the Boston Red Sox on Monday night to open another four-game series.

#5 The San Jose Sharks’ troubles continue after they dropped their eighth loss in nine games to the Western Conference first place Calgary Flames on Sunday. The win secures the Flames for first place and what was worse was that it was done on the Sharks’ home ice.

Barbara Mason does That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

AAF folds up league, couldn’t get NFL to get on board with business model

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Photo credit: espn.com

By Jeremy Harness

Thomas Dundon, the majority stake holder of the Alliance of American Football, and his partners could not reach a happy medium to continue to keep the league going and has decided to suspend all operations as announced on Tuesday. The AAF issued the following statement with the reasons why the league was folding. One was the AAF partners wanted the NFL to be part of their business model in creating an AAF network, marketing, revenue sharing, partnering in supporters the AFF’s teams, and creating a marketing plan that would get the AAF to a level of profit to make the league viable. These plans never came to fruition and the league’s owners and partners couldn’t agree on a direction.

The league statement reads:

“Over the last year, we have been able to realize some amazing accomplishments. We launched a football league, a ground breaking sports technology and APP, and established production and broadcast arrangements to air our content on major networks. Together we created some incredible moments for football and our fans. We are very proud of what we accomplished and appreciate the contributions each of you made during that process.”

Sadly, eight AAF teams will also fold with the league Atlanta Legends, Birmingham Iron, Memphis Express, Orlando Apollo, Arizona Hotshots, Salt Lake Stallions, San Antonio Commanders, and the San Diego Fleet. Co-founder Bill Polian expressed his disappointment in the suspension of the league after some eight months and one season, stating in a press conference today.

“I am extremely disappointed to learn Tom Dundon has decided to suspend all football operations of the Alliance of American Football,” said Polian to the media on hand.

“When Mr. Dundon took over, it was the belief of my co-founder, Charlie Ebersol, and myself that we would finish the season, pay our creditors, and make the necessary adjustments to move forward in a manner that made economic sense for all.”

Mr. Polian also expressed that not only is this a hit to the league and it officers and front office staffs, he expressed sadness for it’s players and many of the people who work on the day-to-day operations, the stadium employees, tickets sales staff, concessions, ticket takers, marketing staff, TV and radio production staffs and media who covered the league are all now out of work.

“The momentum generated by our players, coaches and football staff had us well positioned for future success. Regrettably, we will not have that opportunity.”

It was also reported that players on this week’s current road trips must pay for their own airfare to get back home and clean out their locker. The players were caught off guard by today’s announcement. Trainers, coaches, ball boys, media relations staffs, game day staffs, and everyone else, including cheerleaders traveling with the team, must pay for their own airfare to get back home because the league will seek bankruptcy.

AAF quarterback Johnny Manziel tweeted to his teammates and fellow players: “If you’re an AAF player and the league does dissolve. The last check you got will be the last one that you get. No lawsuit or anything else will get you your bread. Save your money and keep your head up. It’s the only choice at this point unless something drastic happens.”

Jeremy Harness has covered the XFL, the UFL, and is currently covering the NFL for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Giants must depend on young outfield and hitting in Dodgers series

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Four games amount to three loses as the Giants scored only five runs.

#2 The Giants utility players Conner Joe and Michael Reed started in the opening series in San Diego. Reed went 0-7 and Joe went 0-4. The Giants will really be depending on Joe and Reed to come off the bench and help with the hit production.

#3 The Padres got some decent pitching out of starter Chris Paddock, who went five innings, two hits, one run, one walk, and seven strikeouts.

#4 Giants starter Jeff Samardzija went five innings, three hits, one run, four walks, and two strikeouts in a 3-1 loss.

#5 The Giants open up with the Dodgers tonight in L.A. The Dodgers already have scored 14 runs in three games and lead the NL West with a 3-1 record.

Morris does the Giants podcasts and game recaps each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Paddack, Machado lead the Padres to 3-1 win over the Giants

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Photo credit: @sportingnewsca

By Jeremy Kahn

Even though he did not get the win in his major league debut, this will be a game that Chris Paddack will never forget.

Paddack retired the first 10 batters he faced, and struck out seven in five innings of work, as the San Diego Padres defeated the San Francisco Giants 3-1 to win the opening series of the season three games to one.

Not all things went well for Paddack, as he blew a chance to get his first major league run batted in, when Giants right fielder Gerardo Parra threw Paddack out at first base to end the bottom of the second inning.

Manny Machado, who signed a lucrative contract with the Padres after finishing the 2018 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers after being acquired from the Baltimore Orioles drove in the eventual game-winning run with a ground out in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Giants got to Paddack in the top of the fifth inning, as Brandon Crawford singled and then Pablo Sandoval doubled him Crawford for what was the Giants only run of the afternoon.

Unfortunately, that lead would last until the bottom of the inning, as Franchy Cordero waked as a pinch hitter for Paddack, when to second on a Sandoval throwing error and then scored the tying on a Eric Hosmer single.

The Padres took the lead for good in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Nick Vincent walked Hosmer to load the bases; however, Machado beat the throw on a ground ball from Joe Panik that allowed Hunter Renfroe to score from third base.

Austin Hedges drove in the final run of the game, as he singled in the bottom of the eighth inning.

San Diego native Vincent, who grew up in Ramona, allowed one run on three hits in 1.1 innings in relief of Giants starter Jeff Samardzija.

It was a tough no-decision for Samardzija, who went five innings, allowing an unearned run on three hits, walking four and striking out two.

Adam Warren pitched two strong innings to notch his first win as a member of the Padres.

NOTES: Evan Longoria sat out the finale after fouling a pitch off his calf in his second at-bat on Saturday night.

UP NEXT: Drew Pomeranz will make his Giants debut on Monday night, as the Giants open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

Kings beat Spurs on the road for the first time since 2012–113-106

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Photo credit: @NBA

By: Jeremiah Salmonson

Sunday’s matchup featured the Sacramento Kings and the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center. The Spurs have guaranteed themselves a playoff spot, and the Kings were recently eliminated from contention. Sunday’s game for the Kings was the last stop on a five-game road swing taking them through Los Angeles, Dallas, New Orleans, Houston, and San Antonio. The tip-off was set for 4:00 PM PST.

In the first quarter, the Kings showed what appeared to be a lack of energy, which is understandable considering this game was the second night of a back-to-back. With seven minutes having already passed in the first, the Kings were down by 10 with the score being 21-11. At this point, the game was looking close to getting out of hand. LaMarcus Aldridge led all scorers in the first with a terrorizing 18 points. However, the Kings weren’t gonna go away quietly in the first. They battled back to make it a two-point game after the first quarter 30-28.

In the second quarter, the Kings and Spurs traded baskets. It’d prove to be one of the more entertaining quarters this year. Buddy Hield led the Kings in scoring in the first half dropping 11 points with Fox behind him with nine points. For the Spurs, LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points with Rudy Gay behind him with 12. Going into halftime, the Kings managed to take a slim lead 58-57 into the locker room.

The third quarter was filled with excitement and back and forth between the Kings and Spurs. The Kings scored 31 points compared to the Spurs’ 30. This gave the Kings a two-point 89-87 lead going into the last 12 minutes. In the third, the fiery Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich was ejected after an out-of-bounds call going against the Spurs. Popovich was immediately T’d up following the play then proceeded to go onto the court and was dealt the ejection. It was a entertaining turn of events as the teams continued to put on a show. Leading the way through three quarters for the Kings were Buddy Hield with 24 points, Harrison Barnes with 11 points, and Willie Cauley-Stein with 10 points.

Going into the fourth quarter, the Kings seemed confident and that was exactly what the Kings played with. The Kings started the fourth by scoring the first nine points to take a 98-87 lead. From there, the Spurs made a run to tie the game, and it was a back-and-forth affair until the final minute of the game. The Kings managed to get a few key defensive stops paired with some makes to beat the Spurs 113-106. It was a great game for a young Kings team that was eliminated from playoff contention just the night before.

NOTES: Kings swept the season series for the first time ever against the Spurs. The Kings beat the Spurs at home for the first time since 2012.

UP NEXT: The Kings head home to host the Houston Rockets Tuesday at 7:00 PM PST.

March Madness podcast with Michelle Richardson: Michigan State edges Duke 68-67; Texas Tech advances over Gonzaga; plus more

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Photo credit: express.co.uk

On the March Madness podcast with Michelle:

#1 The Michigan State Spartans battled the Duke Blue Devils today and got a 67-68 win. Michelle, it was a game that was a nail biter right down to the end.

#2 The Texas Tech Red Raiders got a 75-69 win over Gonzaga on Saturday. The Red Raiders are looking forward to the next step in the big dance.

#3 Biggest time of the year for the NCAA. Michelle talks about what was the most exciting part of March Madness.

Michelle is your host for March Madness podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

NHL podcast with Daniel Dullum: Yotes-Wild battle for Wild Card; Caps’ Ovi makes it a 50-goal season; Sharks win! Get home ice in first round; plus more

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photo from arizonarepublic.com: The Arizona Coyotes Derek Stepan (21) and the Colorado Avalanche’s Alexander Kerfoot (13) anticipate the puck in last Friday night’s game. The Coyotes and Minnesota Wild are tussling for a Wild Card berth.

On the NHL podcast with Daniel Dullum

1 Coyotes, Wild battle for shot at second West Wild Card berth

2 Washington’s Alex Ovechkin posts his eighth 50-goal season

3 Sharks end losing streak, secure home ice for round one

4 Islanders clinch East playoff spot with 5-1 win over the Buffalo Sabre

5 Houston and Cincinnati in the NHL? It almost happened in the 1977 NHL-WHA merger talks

Join Daniel on the NHL podcast each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cal Bears BB new head coach: Fox could be that silver lining that Cal hoops is looking for

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keywordsking.com photo: Mark Fox seen here as former head coach at Georgia steps in as Cal’s head coach and likes what the Cal program is all about. Fox has been to five Tournaments in the last 14 years.

By Morris Phillips and Michael Duca

BERKELEY — Cal’s Athletic Director Jim Knowlton’s hiring of Mark Fox called the hiring “a man of unparalleled integrity with a proven record of success as a head basketball coach.”

After the firing of former head coach Wyking Jones last Sunday Knowlton wanted to hire someone as quickly as possible and put last season in the rearview mirror. The Bears didn’t win a Pac 12 game until they won their last three games of the regular season. Jones and the Bears had a 16 game losing streak during last season.

Fox come in from Georgia University with five tournaments while coaching in the last 14 seasons at the University of Nevada and Georgia compiling a 286-176. Knowlton said that the hiring pool had many candidates and said that Fox is exceptional and he was a good choice what direction Cal wants to go.

The Bears were thought to have former Cal player and NBA standout Jason Kidd ending up coming back to Cal and coach the team. Kidd is currently working on getting his degree and Kidd said that he wanted to coach in the NBA.

Fox is 50 did not coach last season after getting fired from Georgia where he did pick up two NCAA Tournaments. It was at Nevada where he coached the team to the Tournament three times and compiling a 123-43 record in five years.

Fox was an assistant coach to Jeff Van Gundy on the US World qualifying team and assisted on the Milwaukee Bucks summer league. Fox got to coach with some of the greats Geno Auriemma, Gregg Popovich and Brad Stevens during last season.

Knowlton is confident that Fox can get the program going again and Fox said that he’s confident that the Cal academic program is an amazing opportunity and said he appreciates Knowlton and Cal Chancellor Christ giving him opportunity and looks forward to getting to work.

Morris Phillips and Michael Duca cover Cal Bears basketball for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants finally get in the win column with a 3-2 victory over the Padres

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Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Well, it took three games, but the San Francisco Giants got into the win column with the help of great pitching from their starter and bullpen.

Dereck Rodriguez went five innings plus, giving up two runs and five hits, as the Giants defeated the San Diego Padres 3-2 at Petco Park.

Rodriguez got into a jam in the bottom of the sixth inning, as he gave up a leadoff double to Manuel Margot and a single to Ian Kinsler that ended Rodriguez’s evening on the bump.

Travis Bergen came onto replace Rodriguez, but was treated rather rudely, as he gave up a two-run double to Eric Hosmer that cut the Giants lead down to 3-2.

Reyes Moronta then replaced Bergen, and responded by striking out the side, including Manny Machado, Will Myers and Hunter Renfroe to end the threat.

In two innings of work, Moronta struck out five in his season debut for the Giants and also gave up just one hit, before turning the ball over to Tony Watson, who gave up two hits in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Will Smith came on in the bottom of the ninth inning, striking out two to pickup his first save of the young season.

The Giants took a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning, as Yangervis Solarte doubled in Steven Duggar, who singled off of rookie Nick Margevicius, who was making his major league debut for the Padres.

Joe Panik drove in the final two runs of the game, as he singled off of Robert Stock, who replaced Margevicius that scored Evan Longoria, who singled to score Solarte; however, Buster Posey was thrown out at the plate trying to stretch the Giants lead.

It was an impressive debut for Margevicius, who went five innings, allowing one run on five hits, while walking no one and striking out five.

NOTES: With the victory, the Giants avoided their first 0-3 start since the 2012 season, when they won their second World Series in three seasons under manager Bruce Bochy.

The Padres were going for their first 3-0 start since the 1984 season, when they went on to their first World Series appearance and ironically, the backup on that team was none than Bochy.

Another ironic twist to those two seasons is the fact that the Giants swept the Detroit Tigers in the 2012 World Series behind World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval, and in 1984, the Padres were defeated in five games to the Tigers.

Longoria left the game with a calf injury, and is day-to-day and Duggar was hit by a pitch in the first inning off the nose; however, he stayed in the game.

UP NEXT: Jeff Samardzija will make his season debut on Sunday afternoon, while the Padres will send Chris Paddock to the mound, as the right-hander will make his major league debut.

Barracuda take down Condors 4-2

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by Marko Ukalovic

The San Jose Barracuda exorcised their demon known as the Bakersfield Condors. San Jose never trailed in a 4-2 victory over the Pacific Division leaders for their third straight win on Saturday evening at Rabobank Arena.

A pair of streaks were snapped with the Cuda’s win. San Jose’s five game losing streak to Bakersfield is history and they finished the season series 5-5 against the Condors. Bakersfield also lost their six game winning streak.

Bakersfield (39-18-2-3) had the ice tilted in their favor in the first period as they out shot San Jose 15-7. However Cuda goalie Josef Korenar (21-8-2) stood his ground as the rookie net minder stopped all 15 shots he faced.

San Jose (35-20-2-4) finally drew first blood early in the second period. Anti Suomela sent a pass over to Marcus Vela whose shot was partially fanned on that deflected off of Matt Fonteyne’s stick past Condors goalie Shane Starrett (25-5-5) for his fifth goal of the season at the 3:09 mark. was credited with the secondary assist.

Bakersfield scored the equalizer in the final minute of the middle frame. Luke Esposito scored his sixth goal of the season at the 19:11 mark. Cameron Hebig and Jacob Stukel received assists.

The third period featured three goals in the first five minutes. With Evan Polei in the sin-bin for hooking, the Cuda’s Cavan Fitzerald didn’t waste any time giving San Jose the lead. The faceoff came right to the stick of Fiztgerald who blasted the puck off the far bar and into the back of the net for his sixth goal of the season 28 seconds into the period.

Bakersfield responded as P.C. Labrie found an open Cooper Marody and he buried the puck past Korenar for his 19th goal of the season at the 4:25 mark. Tyler Benson received the secondary assist.

San Jose regained the lead just 31 seconds later. Nick DeSimone found Maxim Letunov open in the high slot. Letunov skated in and wristed a shot on the short side over the pad of Starrett for his 11th goal of the season at the 5:06 mark.

Bakersfield pulled Starrett for an extra attacker in the last 1:40 of the third period but Jeffery Viel iced the game with an empty net goal for his 10th goal of the season with 58 second left. Alex True and DeSimone were credited with assists.

Kornear stopped 27 of the 29 shots he faced to earn his 21st win of the season. Starrett made 25 saves on 28 shots in suffering the loss.

GAME NOTES: San Jose was 1/4 on the power play. They have scored a power play goal in three straight games. Bakersfield was 0/6.

DeSimone is currently on an eight-game scoring streak.

San Jose is now 4-6-1-2 when they are tied after 2nd period.

The announced attendance was 6,502.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda return home to host the San Diego Gulls on Wednesday 4/3 at 7:00pm at SAP Center.