Tag: Sports radio

Headline Sports podcast with Morris Phillips: US prepared to re-open but at what cost and risk?

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Friday fiasco takes protesting against social distancing, sheltering in, and demands to end the shutdown to new levels here protesters in front of the Governor’s residence in St.Paul with protesters standing shoulder to shoulder (AP photo)

Morris on Headline Sports podcast:

#1 On the face of it re-opening sounds like there might some normalcy returning and with it sports could not be too far behind

#2 Some places have already opened up the beaches, Santa Cruz was named as one of them but how risky, how certain is it that it is safe. You’ve done some work in Santa Cruz and go there frequently what will re-opening Santa Cruz and the Beach be like?

#3 Texas, Indiana, New Hampshire, Nevada, Maryland, Utah, and Wisconsin protested in from of their state capitals on Saturday. During those protests they did not social distance and were shoulder to shoulder, they were demanding to open up now. If they get what they want and it backfires then what?

#4 Pro and College teams plan to open their parks and arenas with no fans but at what risk to the players and working personnel all it takes is one person that could get sick?

#5 Some places have unofficially reopened in the US while 60% polled said that social distancing should continue and it’s too risky to open now. Will baseball take all the pre cautions despite all the protesting and push to get it to open up as soon as possible?

Join Morris Phillips for Headline Sports each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Daniel Dullum: Fox’s broadcaster turns down offer to voice over porn flicks; Garrison off ventilator and on the mend; plus more

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Fox Sports broadcaster Joe Buck was offered voice over work to narrate porn movies for $1 million which he turned down (file photo from New York Post)

Daniel does Headline Sports each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Coronavirus concerns:

1 MLB: A’s minor league manager Webster Garrison off ventilator in fight with Coronavirus; new details released about Roy Halladay plane crash

2 NHL focused on flexibility as Dr. Fauchi sets parameters for return of sports

3 NFL: ESPN. NFL Network prepare for challenges of remote draft telecast

4 NBA: Adam Silver says league not in a position to make decisions on return; NBA and Players Association agree to 25 percent salary cuts starting May 15

5 RIP Bobby Winkles, College HOF coach, former A’s manager

6 Joe Buck turns down $1 million offer to narrate porn flicks

Daniel Dullum does Headline Sports each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: The Baseball Situation

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Dr. Anthony Fauci said MLB and sports needs to take a very cautious approach to re-opening the season that players, working personnel, and family do not infect each other. (file photo from minnpost.com)

The Baseball Situation

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Even if there is a 2020 season,under the most recent plan by Major League Baseball of some kind of a season with 15 teams in Arizona and 15 in Florida playing with no fans in attendance,all the powers-to-be at this time do not seem to agree on issues pertaining to a season. MLB, the owners,the players.

Why owners are hesitant to start the season? Teams have already lost money, no ticket sales,no sales of parking lot spaces, no sales of souvenirs, food, suite rentals,the advertising (signage) inside the stadiums. If season is shortened, players would get paid portion(pro-rated)per their contracts. However they will not receive their full salaries if the season takes place with the regular 162 game schedule, something that is very unlikely at this time.

Because we are in unprecedented situation,these issues are very fluid. MLB is listening not only to politicians who have the power to declare stay at home policies and all the other stuff that we by now have become accustomed to, for the first time in our lives, but also most of these decisions are under the guidance of the medical experts. For example,this is what renown Dr.Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases believes has to be done: “Nobody comes to the stadium. Put (the players) in big hotels, test them every week, and keep them very well under surveillance. Make sure they don’t wind up infecting each other or their families and let them play the season out.”

Some players might not want to take their families to Arizona or Florida.Two of the higher profile players,both from Los Angeles area teams, Mike Trout of the LA Angels and Clayton Kershaw of the LA Dodgers already objected to the long time separation from their families.

According to Major League Baseball the original March agreement did not protect clubs in the event games were played in empty ballparks.The union says salary issues were clearly covered. The main trust of the issue by owners (as it seems) is that nobody ever anticipated playing games in empty ballparks.

Millions of people are currently unemployed,some might never get their jobs back. Across the country thousands of businesses are trying to survive,some might, some might not,they are racing for loans and grants from the government.

In the best scenario,suppose teams go back and play May and June in Florida and Arizona with no fans and then if the situation greatly improves they return to their respective cities across the country and let the fans in. But how about the fans? Going to the park,if you do not have a job baseball is not going to be a priority anyway, it is a luxury.

A unique and different challenge to all the people in the business of baseball who has never been in this situation, but the country also has never been in this situation. According to a report by Forbes,  Major League Baseball grossed a record $10.7 billion in revenue for the 2019 Season an increase from the $10.3 billion the prior year

So I leave it to your imagination. At the end this might be too big to solve, for the National Pastime at least for 2020.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Len Shapiro: Rangers Panarin could be NHL MVP; Flames looking to sign Hamonic and Brodie; plus more

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New York Rangers Artemi Panarin is a candidate for the NHL for the Hart Trophy if the season was to be wiped out by the current pandemic (file photo New York Post)

Headline Sports with Len Shapiro:

# 1 The New York Rangers Artemi Panarin was mentioned for a candidate for the Hart Trophy. Rangers head coach David Quinn said that Panarin was well deserving. Panarin scored 95 points (32 goals and 63 assists).

#2 The Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving said he’s considering signing defensemen Travis Hamonic and TJ Brodie but is holding off until the pandemic shutdown is over.

#3 How crucial is it that the Seattle NHL leadership get the expansion team on track and have things ready in time for the 2021-22 season. Edmonton Oilers head coach David Tippet said it will be an exciting addition to the league and as a new expansion team they’ve got a lot to live up to after what the Vegas Golden Knights did for expansion.

#4 Len after the long layover if the NHL is successful in bringing neutral site games to North Dakota and Saskatchewan can the San Jose Sharks recover from the long lay off and may Eric Karlsson and Logan Couture can shake off the cob webs and have had time to heal from their injuries?

#5 The Shark goalie Aaron Dell had some solid goaltending before the season was suspended with 3.17 goals against a .907 save percentage he could be a factor if the season was to return.

Join Len for Headline Sports at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Headline Sports podcast with Matt Harrington: Byfuglien and Jets part ways might retire; Bettman says things will remain on hold until it’s safe; plus more

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On Headline Sports podcast with Matt:

#1 The Winnipeg Jets Dustin Byfuglien and the Jets have parted company. The Jets terminated Byfuglien’s contract which had one more year on it. It was a mutual parting of the ways as the 35 year Byfuglien had ankle surgery back in October and missed 71 game including pre season back in September.

#2 The NHL hasn’t given up on the season yet NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said safety comes first for the players and the public before the league returns back to action.

#3 The idea to have neutral site games in places like North Dakota and Saskatchewan and have some 30 teams up for games could be a gamble for Bettman it could be a successful idea that could go without a hitch or it could be just that one player or one worker in the arena that could set shelter in place up all over again.

#4 The Montreal Canadiens Andrei Markov 41 who has played 16 seasons and 900 games has announced his retirement. Markov said he wants to spend more time with his family and said the time has come.

Matt Harrington is your host each Saturday for Headline Sports at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Stephen Curry’s wife being sue for $10 mil; Top WNBA prospect will watch draft on line; plus more

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Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry’s wife Ayesha is being sued by Flutie Entertainment and her lawyer Michael Plonsker said the suit was nonsensical (sfchronicle.com file photo)

On Headline Sports with London:

#1 Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry’s wife Ayesya Curry is being sued for more than $10 million from Flutie Entertainment. Robert Flutie manager of Flutie Entertainment said Ayesha did not share the proceeds from her six businesses and took away a top Flutie employee. The suit contends Ayesya devalued and gutted Flutie Entertainment. Ayesha terminated her business relationship with Flutie in 2019.

#2 Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has been doing a lot of yoga saying he hasn’t broke a sweat and it doesn’t seem quite the same as doing regular exercises. For Kerr this is a whole different regiment than going to the gym which is closed due to the current panemic.

#3 The WNBA draft is on Friday night but it’s all being done digitally from social distancing. WNBA top prospect Sabrina Ionescu is expected to be a first round pick. The draft will be on virtual live stream with Ionescu watching from her home in Walnut Creek and the main in event in New York.

#4 The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for the draft with two first round choices, two in the fifth round, one in the sixth and two in the seventh. The 49ers may consider a quarterback in their later round choices.

#5 Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker said that African American players are getting bypassed or overlooked as there are only 7.7% African American players in MLB today. The 73rd anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color line in baseball was celebrated this month, the color line was broke by Robinson in 1947.

Join London each Friday for Headline Sports at http://www.sportradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Sports in Limbo

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Amaury Pi Gonzalez (left) and Manolo Hernandez-Douen Spanish play by play announcers for the Oakland A’s working at the Oakland Coliseum radio booth might see limited or no action at the Coliseum due to the current pandemic shutdown (file photo from twitter)

Sports in Limbo

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

As individual states begin to gradually open up their economy across the country, after 22 million people have filed for unemployment during just the last three weeks, the country is getting is eager to go back to work. Never in our history all 50 States were declared in an Emergency.

But sports (as we are used to, with thousands of people in the seats) could be the last thing to come back,maybe not at all this year. We are a long way for most people in the country to be tested for Covid-19 and probably much longer until somebody develops a vaccine.

We are in uncharted territory. If the economy continues to be closed, the population could lose more people to unemployment at the end to Covid-19. Because of depression, mental issues, drugs, suicide and other stuff that only God knows.

As much as we who love and work in sports for a long time would hate to admit. Sports are not essential in life. It is psychological to have sports back as people would always need a escape. However, you might be able to open a restaurant or other business and develop a system where you could space people six feet apart, but for a 40,000 seat arena, that is totally another problem.

The best analogy of the importance of sports, is my personal experience as a TV Sports Anchor.I used to prepare approximately three minutes of sports for the 30 minutes 6PM Newscast,they were usually at the end after the weather segment.

I cannot remember how many times those three(3) minutes which I worked for eight hours produced, wrote and anchored (and sometimes edited) became 1.5 minutes or less. There will be breaking news stories and they would usually, cut my sports segment. In some cases, the news director will tell met to tape a segment and go home.There will be no live sports today. Yes, folks, although sports is big business in our culture remains the ‘toy department’ in the media world.

So what would have to happen? To go to a sporting event, might be a much bigger challenge than to get on a plane at the airport. People’s temperature (individually) would probably have to be taken at the gate, everybody would have to be separated by at least six feet, but the seating would be the biggest challenge for obvious reasons, i.e. people proximity,eating, talking, screaming, going to the restrooms.

There are no drive-thru windows at the park so you can eat at home or bring your food and eat it inside the car in the parking lot. Needless to say if you want to go to a game that begins at 1PM on a Sunday afternoon, you better be at the park at eight in the morning. Teams will have to hire more attendants at the park. I am sure you can come up with many other scenarios, but none is very pleasant and if we want the fans to have a nice experience, some of these changes will be anything but nice, actually it would create more stress and less enjoyment. .

The most logical option for sports to resume, MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL and MLS. For Baseball.Using the model proposed by the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball. 1-Play in empty stadiums (Arizona and Florida) 2-Players quarantined in hotel rooms nearby the area where they play(Arizona and Florida)as proposed 3-Coverage: Games televised live with the announcers not at the park location but at a television studio, separated by individual booths Print Media and Radio Broadcast probably determined by individual publications and radio stations.

Eric Garcetti, the Mayor of Los Angeles, second most populous city in the country said: “Coronavirus will likely halt sporting events with crowds until 2021”

Stay well. Adios.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for Oakland A’s baseball at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 AM Sacramento for 41 home games and on tunein.com for 41 home games and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Could a second wave of Covid-19 hit if the games were to open with just players and working staff

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Hohokam Stadium in Mesa Arizona after it’s completion for the Oakland A’s spring training home. Still the discussion is on to have games there without fans and will it be safe for players and working personnel? (file photo arizonarepublic.com)

On Headline Sports with Jerry F:

#1 MLB executives have said to listened to the scientists and have faith that they can make the right decisions during this long pandemic to get us through it

#2 California Governor Gavin Newsom said that the possibility to reopen is “negligible” at best adding until a vaccine is available everything is on hold

#3 The basic bottom line from Newsom is until there is a vaccine expect not to go see any sporting events which could be as long as the 18 months or September 2021.

#4 Major League Baseball has taken part in a anti-body study that antibodies are developed so the virus or a bacteria is recognized in the body. The research is taking place in Santa Clara and Los Angeles as well as at USC. It was reported that the Oakland A’s are also on board with the program.

#5 Events are possibilities to be held without fans but what about at risk personnel, the players, medical staff, EMTs, trainers, security, engineers, custodians, front office personnel and the media?

Jerry does Headline Sports each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

Headline Sports podcast with Joe Lami : No Super Bowl parade might have saved more people from Covid-19; NASCAR and sponsors fire Kyle Larson; plus more

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Aerial view of Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl celebration in downtown Kansas City following the Chiefs victory over the San Francisco 49ers (kansascitystar.com file photo)

On Headline Sports podcast with Joe Lami :

#1 A report suggested that the lack of a Super Bowl parade in downtown San Francisco after the 49ers lost the Super Bowl to the Kansas City Chiefs prevented more Coronavirus cases in the City.

#2 How shocking was it that NASCAR driver Kyle Larson used a racial slur during a irace virtual event that will cost him eight figures in sponsorships and pay. Larson later said it would be an understatement to say he made a fatal career mistake and apologized especially to the African American community.

#3 The Edmonton Oilers Colby Cave’s family have established the Colby Cave Memorial Fund proceeds will benefit mental health for under privileged children.

#4 The Buffalo Sabers announced they have furloughed 104 employees and laid off 21 employees, also the Sabers parent company has cut pay to 36 employees who are management, hockey personnel, and broadcasters.

#5 Joe would you say the San Jose Sharks greatest moment of this season was Joe Thornton’s 1500th point?

Joe Lami is filling in for Marko Ukalovic  for all the latest in Headline Sports each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Barbara Mason: Larson drives his career off the road with racial slur; High school graduates might play overseas; plus more

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cnn.com file photo: NASCAR driver Kyle Larson who was fired from his sponsors and supporters admitted as much that his career in NASCAR is pretty much over after using the N word in a irace car conference call on Tuesday morning

On Headline Sports with Barbara:

#1 How could race car driver Kyle Larson of Japanese decent say the N word during a iracecar conference call on Tuesday with a good number of the race car driver community listening in to the live call? Needless to say Larson admitted himself that his career is toast after being suspended from race car driving.

#2 Many high school graduates lost their dream going to a big college division one school as the school season is shut down. They lost the senior year celebration, the prom, and the chance at their first year in college basketball. Some may choose now to play over seas instead of college.

#3 Barbara as you know this time of the year the NHL and the NBA are in the playoffs and post season but it looks like it won’t happen and if it does there is talk it could take place as late as July or August.

#4 MLB whose thinking about a two league, three division system played in two different states Florida and Arizona. Will a format like this work in an abbreviated schedule and will there be much fan interest?

#5 Easter celebration took a toll on the players and fans and their kids with all the shut downs and non traditional ways to celebrate the holiday. But none the less the purpose of it all is to stay safe.

Barbara does Headline Sports each Tuesday night at http://www.sportsradioservice.com