Tag: Sports radio

Warriors-Suns game in Phoenix postponed due to Covid-19 issues on Friday

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Talking Stick Arena in Phoenix will remain empty for Fri Jan 15, 2021’s game between the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns due to Covid 19 issues (The Business Journal file photo)

Covid-19 effects reach the NBA´s West Coast as Warriors postpone Friday´s game

By Pearl Allison Lo

January 13, 2020

Welcome to the real world outside the bubble. So far, the San Jose Sharks and the San Francisco 49ers have played in Arizona, but that will not include former Phoenix Sun Kelly Oubre Jr. and Golden State, at least not yet. The Warriors are now the first California team in the NBA to have coronavirus concerns affect their schedule.

After protocols to protect the league´s players and teams were enhanced Tuesday, Wednesday saw the Warriors-Suns game on Friday, as one of two games added to the rescheduled slate. Instead of starting their three-game road trip with back-to-back games, Golden State will have three days in between Thursday’s match versus the Denver Nuggets and Monday´s contest back in California against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The coronavirus almost came even closer for the Warriors, when forward Eric Paschall, initially tested positive, missing Tuesday’s game. With another test though, it was deemed that the first result was a ´false positive´.

Friday will be the second postponed game for Phoenix, as they were scheduled to play the Atlanta Hawks Wednesday, before it was called off. In a bit of a domino effect, the Washington Wizards and Suns played each other Monday, with players testing positive on the Wizards’ side. Both teams are two of the three teams with multiple games sidelined amidst contact tracing, due to lack of the eight minimum personnel needed on each side to conduct a contest.

One NBA game was postponed in December and the count is currently at eight in the new year´s first month. These have been recent matches, spanning from the 10th to the 15th. According to the latest testing results, the positivity rate is at 3%. Of the 497 players tested for COVID-19 since Jan. 6, 16 new players have returned confirmed positive tests.

“This virus is nothing to play with whether it’s a false positive or an actual positive,” Golden State guard Damion Lee said. “I’m glad we took the right or proper protocols and handled everything the way we were supposed to.

Pacers’ defense shuts down Warriors attack in second half for win 104-95

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The Golden State Warriors Kelly Oubre Jr takes a shot against the Indiana Pacers defense in the first half at Chase Center in San Francisco on Tue Jan 12, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors faced the Indiana Pacers Tuesday night at the Chase Center. The Pacers, still smarting from a close loss to the Sacramento Kings Monday night, found a way to beat the Warriors 104-95.

The Pacers’ Victor Oladipo was not available to play. The Warriors’ Eric Paschall had to miss the game due to NBA protocol regarding the coronavirus. It is not known if Paschall has the virus or was in contact with someone that did.

The first half featured the teams playing outstanding defense. The Pacers wanted to stop Stephen Curry from beating them. The Warriors without Paschall, had to find a way to keep Domantas Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon to do the same to the Pacers.

Both strategies worked. The Pacers held Curry to just five points in the first half. The Warriors defense allowed Sabonis six and Brogdon seven. The Warriors finished the first 24 minutes of action leading 55-50.

Kelly Oubre, Jr. led the Warriors with 15. Oubre made three threes and had four boards. Oubre’s defense was stellar. Andrew Wiggins had 12 points, and he made two threes. The Pacers’ Myles Turner had 13. 

The second half belonged to the Pacers. They outscored the Warriors 23-18 in the third quarter to cut the deficit to two 77-73. Curry made three threes and recorded 11 of the Warriors 18 points. 

The Warriors and Pacers continued to play tough defense. Each team had to work hard to get points on the board. The Warriors led 90-88 when the Pacers went on a 13-0 run to lead 101-90 with about a minute left to play. The Pacers outscored the Warriors 31-20 in the fourth quarter to win 104-95.

Game Notes and Stats: With the loss, the Warriors are 6-5 for the year. The Pacers improved to 7-4. 

Andrew Wiggins continued to play well on both ends of the court. Andrew finished with 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists, four threes, and five blocked shots. Curry knocked down 20. He made three threes and had four boards and three assists. Oubre, who had 15 in the first half, tallied two in the second to finish with 17. He made three threes to go along with five rebounds and two assists. 

The Warriors made three turnovers in the first half. They made 12 in the second. The Pacers scored 24 points as a result of the turnovers to help them win.

The Warriors play the next three games on the road. They face the Denver Nuggets Thursday night at The Ball Center in Denver for a 7 pm tip. They play the Suns in Phoenix Friday night and the Lakers in Los Angeles Monday night.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Hendriks signs with White Sox 3 yrs $54M; Yankees LeMahieu looking for $110 million deal hasn’t heard from Yanks; plus more

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Former Oakland A’s reliever Liam Hendriks signed a three year deal for $54 million. Hendriks was the most sought reliever in free agency in baseball (CBS Sports file photo)

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary:

#1 Liam Hendriks former A’s pitcher has signed with the Chicago White Sox three year deal $54 million. In a big deal completed on Monday. The A’s Vice President Billy Beane will have to do his magic and build again.

#2 The New York Yankees DJ LeMahieu has heard very little from the Yankees as he’s seeking free agency. He wants a deal better than what Josh Donaldson got for four years and $92 million and something in the range of what JD Martinez got $110 million and five years. LeMahieu has said he would like to stay at the Yankees but has not heard from them.

#3 Amaury, former Los Angeles Angels clubhouse attendant Bubba Harkins said that he was defamed by the Angels who said he was distributing illegal substances to visiting and Angels pitchers. Harkins who worked for the Angels for four decades said he has named close to a dozen pitchers who pitched for the Angels who have used a sticky substance to doctor the ball. Harkins is suing for defamation and that the Angels used him as a “scapegoat” for distributing foreign substances. Harkins is suing for $4 million and his lawyer is waiting for the judge in the case to make a ruling to move the case forward.

#4 The New York Mets who signed shortstop Francisco Lindor last Thursday are expecting him to be their future at shortstop for the next decade for the team. Linder came to the Mets in a six player deal from Cleveland. Lindor hit .258, 8 home runs, 27 RBIs last season.

#5 Former Chicago Cub Kyle Schwarber signed a one year $10 million deal with the Washington Nationals Monday. The Nats say they like Schwarber for his bat and he has the potential to hit 30 or more homers a season. Last season Schwarber hit .188, 11 homers and 24 RBIs for Chicago.

#6 Cincinnati Reds pitcher Trevor Bauer whose agent is working the phones for Bauer. Bauer is talking with the New York Yankees and New York Mets. Before he joins another club Bauer has said he wants to see how those teams train, he doesn’t want to be part of a rebuild, and wants to be part of a team that doesn’t mind is vlogging, face time and social media commentaries.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast Tue Jan 11, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

NHL podcast with Mary Lisa Walsh: Flyers Patrick back from migraine issues; Wild’s Rossi out indefinitely with upper body injury; plus more

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The Philadelphia Flyers Nolan Patrick in this Mon Mar 19, 2019 file photo has missed 21 months due to suffering a migraine disorder will return on opening night against the Pittsburgh Penguins this Wed Jan 13, 2021 (AP file photo)

On the NHL podcast with Mary Lisa:

#1 The Philadelphia Flyers Nolan Patrick who suffered migraine disorder says he’s ready to return and has waited 21 months to get back. Patrick says he’s feeling better and wants to get back in the line up against the Pittsburgh Penguins for this Wednesday’s opener.

#2 It was reported that the Minnesota Wild’s Marco Rossi will be out indefinitely due to an upper body injury. Wild head coach Dean Evason said the 19 year old Rossi will not be available. Rossi signed a three year contract with the Wild on Oct 23, Rossi scored 100 points (39 goals and 81 assists) he did it in an impressive amount of time in just 56 games.

#3 At the San Jose Sharks training camp: John Leonard who played for the University of Massachusetts at forward. Leonard was drafted sixth in the NHL entry draft and is expected to make his NHL debut against the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday night. At Amherst Leonard in Division I Leonard led the division with 27 goals, 10 assists. That all ended when Coronavirus shut down the league back in March.

#4 Former Chicago Blackhawks goalie 36 year old Corey Crawford has announced his retirement from hockey and the New Jersey Devils this weekend. Crawford had not practiced with New Jersey since Jan 1st and in a statement said that he’s given everything he could to the game but it was time to retire.

#5 The New York Islanders have signed Matthew Barzal for a three year contract. The agreement was made on Saturday. In 68 games last season Barzal led the Islanders with 60 points, 19 goals and 41 assists. Barzal has led the Islanders in scoring in each of the last three seasons with the team and has played in the NHL All Star game in the last two seasons.

Join Mary Lisa for the NHL and San Jose Sharks podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL podcast with Mary Lisa Tue Jan 12, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Cal Bears podcast with Morris Phillips: Bears finally get their first Pac 12 win; Face Colorado on Thursday night

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The Cal Bears offense was able to hold off the Washington Huskies eclipsing them with a six point win at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Sat Jan 9, 2021 (calbears.com photo)

On the Cal Bears podcast with Morris:

#1 Morris how relieving is it that Cal (6-7) finally got in the win column with defeat over the Washington Huskies (1-9) on Saturday?

#2 The Bears got a six point win over the Huskies 84-78 did the game appear to look a lot closer and was there any point in the game that the Bears had to be concerned about holding onto the lead.

#3 Matt Bradley is still out of the line up with an injury but Cal forward Andre Kelly has helped picking up the slack with leading the Bears in scoring on Saturday with 22.

#4 Grant Anticevich has made a return with four points and five assists. Talk about how he’s looked in his return and how those assists helped out.

#5 Can the Bears keep it going they head to Colorado (8-3) the Buffaloes are 3-0 at home and have won their last game beating a very tough Oregon Ducks  (9-2) team 79-72 last Thursday. The Buffaloes have a game tonight in Utah (4-4) before hosting Cal on Thu Jan 14th.

Join Morris for the Cal Bears podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cal Bears podcast with Morris Phillips Mon Jan 11, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: XXXII Olympic Summer Games – Japan $12.6 Billion

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2021 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo (image from NBC Sports)

XXXII Olympic Summer Games – Japan $12.6 Billion

By Amaury Pi-González

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

The government of Japan has invested the equivalent of $12.6 billion dollars to host this Summer Olympic Games. Although it will be held between July 23 and August 8, 2021 the Tokyo Olympics will still be called the 2020 Olympics, that could not take place because of the Pandemic.

This is the first time this world sporting event will be held in an odd-numbered year, since the modern era began in 1896. Total of 11,091 athletes from 206 nations are scheduled to participate at the Japan National Stadium, in Tokyo.

Japan is the third most industrialized and third largest economy in the world, however beginning this 2021 newly reported cases of Coronavirus are an all-time high in Tokyo and a second state of emergency for the capital Tokyo with a population of 9.5 million people has been declared. Despite the current circumstances, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has remained steadfast in his plan to host the 2020 Olympic Games this summer.

The budget for this Olympic Games in Tokyo is a US equivalent of $12.6 billion dollars, by far the most expensive in history. And late last year it was reported it could even be twice as much. Even for a rich country as Japan, money is no match for the Coronavirus.

World Wars, politics, terrorism and pandemics have infringed the Olympics during history. If the Olympics do not take place, Japan looses a huge investment, but its only money and a rich country like Japan definitely could survive it.

For the thousands of athletes around the world, that have trained for years this moment in their lives that could definitely be devastating. After all they take place every four years. A 16-year old female gymnast, if the games are cancelled would be 20 years old when their next opportunity comes around.

That, most likely would kill the chances of that gymnast. A Gymnast has a window of opportunity when they are at the “top of their game”, during their young teen years. It would also affect mentally as well as physically most participants, regardless of age.

Many American Olympic hopefuls keep training and praying that the games take place as scheduled. The last Summer Olympic Games took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The USA delegation was the largest among all 206 nations, with 554 athletes. This year is expected to be very similar in size. There are a handful of new sports added this time.

Baseball and softball are back on the Olympics after being absent since the Beijing 2008 games. Major League Baseball players are not allowed to participate in the Olympics.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Hall of Fame Museum and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL podcast with Len Shapiro: Six Stars players out for Covid-19 tests, New Jersey goalie Crawford takes indefinite leave; plus more

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The Dallas Stars training facility in Frisco, Texas is shutdown as the Stars first two games to open the season has been postponed. This photo was taken on Wed Jan 6, 2021 and the facility shutdown on Friday. (AP News photo)

On the NHL podcast with Len Shapiro:

#1 Len, six Dallas Stars players and two staff members have tested positive for Covid-19 forcing both opening games on Jan 14th and 15th back to back games to be postponed and that the Stars facilities were closed and will not be projected open any earlier than Jan 19th.

#2 Len, New Jersey Devils 36 year old goaltender Corey Crawford has requested to take an indefinite leave. Crawford did practice with the team on Dec 31 and Jan 1st before asking for two more days off including Friday making it three days off. Crawford reportedly is taking the indefinite time off due to personal reasons.

#3 The Columbus Blue Jackets said on Friday that 19 players missed practice on because of Covid 19 protocol issues and the Jackets said this was done of caution. Jackets head coach John Tortorella said out of 40 healthy players 21 skated Friday morning.

#4 Washington Capitals goalie Hendrik Lundqvist is recovering from open heart surgery and Lundqvist’s recovery is coming along well, “”Day three surgery went really well, about five hours to get it all taken care of. Really appreciate the great staff here at the Cleveland Clinic.” said Lundqvist.

#5 Pittsburgh Penguins broadcaster Mike Lange will not start the 2021 season until a successful vaccine is ready. Lange who has broadcasted the Penguins for 46 years is 72 years old and said he wants to wait until the vaccine is distributed before coming back.

Len Shapiro does the NHL podcasts each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NHL podcast with Len Shapiro Sun Jan 10, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Headline Sports podcast with Daniel Dullum: Wild Card weekend in the NFL; NCAA wants a delay in compensation rules; plus more

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Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen (17) celebrates with teammate Stefon Diggs (14) after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Indianapolis Colts Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

On Headline Sports with Daniel:

1 NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend

2 NCAA wants to delay vote on athlete compensation rules

3 76ers suit up seven players for game against Denver

4 NHL sells naming rights for its reshuffled divisions; plus advertising on the helmets

5 RIP – Tommy Lasorda

Join Daniel Sunday nights for Headline Sports at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Daniel Dullum Sun Jan 10, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Cal Bears podcast with Michael Duca: Cal’s lack of Bradley in the line up fall short against WSU

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The Cal Bears couldn’t keep up with the Washington State Cougars in the second half of Thu Jan 7, 2021’s game at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley as Cal loses it’s seventh game of the season (image from @CalMBBall)

On the Cal Bears podcast with Michael:

#1 Michael Cal (5-7) had suffered it’s third straight loss and last night the latest to the Washington State Cougars (9-1) one of the winningest teams in the Pac 12.

#2 One player that Cal had a hard time shutting down was Cougars guard Issac Bonton who led with 21 points, he took advantage of having a hot hand and being able to take his shot.

#3 The Cougars had three players in double figures, Bonton, center Efe Abogidi who finished second with 12 points and guard Noah Williams with 11 points. The way the Cougars have been on offense even three players in double figures could spell doom.

#4 Cal badly misses Matt Bradley they also had three players in double figures but low double figures with Andre Kelly 11 points, Lars Thiemann and Ryan Betley both had ten points but trying to keep up with the Cougars proved too much in the second half as the Cougars were up by eight and won the game by nine.

#5 It’s a Saturday 12 noon lunch time special at Haas Pavilion this Saturday as the Cal Bears hope to turn the page on Thursday night’s loss as they meet the Washington Huskies (1-8) but they’re not in last place the Cal Bears who have won five games are 0-5 in the conference and are in last place in the Pac 12 standings.

Michael Duca does Cal Bears podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cal Bears podcast with Michael Duca Fri Jan 8, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: It’s a Brand New World for Women in Sports

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Boston Red Sox minor league coach Bianca Smith in Jan 4, 2021 tweet from the Red Sox welcoming Smith to the organization as coach making her the first black female in MLB history (photo from @RedSox)

It’s a Brand New World for Women in Sports

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Recently the Boston Red Sox hired Bianca Smith, the first black female coach in professional baseball history. She was assigned as a minor league coach in the Boston organization.

On November of 2020 Kim Ng was hired as the General Manager of the Miami Marlins, first woman GM and first Asian-American. And there are other women ascending into the professional baseball world. There is one category in Sports where woman are also under represented, Sports Agents.

Rachel Luba is an up-coming star in this field. A sports agent named to Forbes under 30 lists in 2021 of the Young Entrepreneur stars. Luba currently represents Trevor Bauer, who won the Cy Young Award in 2020 with the Cincinnati Reds and today is the most famous free-agent pitcher in Major League Baseball.

Last year, Bauer declined the team’s qualifying offer of $18.9 million to stay and pitch in 2021. Rachel Luba is currently negotiating a contract on behalf of her client and pitching star with different clubs.

At 29 years of age Rachel Luba is an Attorney and Baseball Agent in a male dominated field. She did not play baseball, but was a Gymnast in her high school days in Monterey, California, were she was born. Since High School her major career objective was to be a sports agent. She got her Degree in Communications at UCLA, where she also was a gymnast and later in 2016 graduated with a Law Degree from Pepperdine University.

Luba worked for the Major League Players Association and also Beverly Hills Sports Council, working on salary arbitration cases. Now she is close, perhaps, of making big news for her biggest client one of the most coveted baseball players in MLB, Trevor Bauer.

The New York Mets under their President (ex-Oakland A’S President Sandy Alderson) just acquired superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor and right handed pitcher Carlos Carrasco from the Cleveland team. The trade puts the Mets in the ‘thick of things’ against their top rival, the 2020 NL East Champion Atlanta Braves.

There are other teams trying to come back into contention, like the Los Angeles Angels, who need to give the great Mike Trout more support and catapult that club to their first playoffs since 2014.

In the American League there is no team in need of pitching more than the Angels. especially starting pitching and one of the caliber of Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer could be a big fish to catch in the team with the biggest Trout.

Rachel Luba could soon find a suitor for the #1 free agent pitcher in the baseball market and when that happens, she would have landed her biggest high profile athlete. By then the whole world would have learned of that. Good luck to her as an agent in her young career in the business.

Stay well and stay tuned.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead announcer for the Oakland A’s for Spanish radio on 1010 KIQI San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com