Tag: Sports radio

Whitecaps second half goals doom Earthquakes 2-1

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The Vancouver Whitecaps make it up field on the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night at Providence Park in Portland in their one goal win over the Earthquakes 2-1 (@ WhitecapsFC photo)

Marko Ukalovic

PORTLAND, Ore.-The Vancouver Whitecaps scored two goals in a six-minute span early in the second half en route to a much needed 2-1 comeback victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on a chilly Saturday evening at Providence Park.

Vancouver’s win snapped a four-game losing streak to San Jose. The Whitecaps have won three out of its last four games and have tied San Jose for seventh place in the Western Conference with 24 points. The Quakes are 4-2-1 in their last seven matches with three matches left in the regular season.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Canada still has its border closed and therefore Vancouver has needed Providence Park to play its matches, including it’s final four where there will be the home team in three of them.

San Jose (6-8-6) controlled play in the first half as they won the possession battle 62%-38%. Cristian Espinoza had a quality chance to put the Quakes on the board in the 18th minute when Chris Wondolowski set him up with a back pass just outside the box but Espinoza fired high and wide of the net.

The Quakes scored the match’s first goal in the 24th minute. Espinoza started a counter attack near the end line at midfield. He raced down the right side centering the ball right into the middle where an open Carlos Fierro one-timed a right footed shot into the lower right corner of the net beating Whitecaps goalkeeper Evan Bush for his second goal of the season.

The Fierro/Espinoza combo has become a deadly weapon for head coach Matias Almeyda. Espinoza recorded his team leading eighth assist (fourth overall in MLS) on Fierro’s goal. The goal was a rarity for San Jose as that was just its seventh first half goal of the season, compared to the 22 they have scored in the second half.

Vancouver (8-12-0) made its comeback early in the second half. Left back Ali Adnan rifled in a free kick from 30 yards out into the upper left corner of the net that Quakes goalkeeper J.T. Marcinkowski had no chance at in the 51st minute. It was Adnan’s second goal of the season.

Then just six minutes later, a defensive breakdown by San Jose led to an odd-man rush inside the box where Cristian Dájome’s shot from the left side deflected off the hand of Marcinkowski over to Tosaint Ricketts. The Canadian midfielder made a point-blank finish into an empty net for his second goal of the season.

“Vancouver came out and wanted to press us down the middle, and we played right into the teeth of it,” said Wondolowski on the Whitecaps second half success. “Also, we just weren’t able to connect passes. I think once we did connect a pass, we didn’t move after and give us an option. When we do that, we become stagnant. We lose a lot of possession and a lot of passes that we shouldn’t. That usually feeds into another team’s counterattack. They punished us twice and rightfully so. Then we’re playing catchup. I thought we combined well after that. We just couldn’t hit that final pass.”

The two quick goals by Vancouver shell-shocked San Jose as they were never able to recover the rest of the second half. Their passing was sloppy and rushed which resulted in turnovers. Even with substitutions made at the 71st and 72nd minutes, they could not regain the momentum they had established in the first half.

“I think we had a great first half in which we had the lead. We were interpreting how to play the game. But then we went back to making the same mistakes that were made previously. In five minutes, there was a lack of concentration that the opponent took advantage of. Once the opponent took the lead, I think the momentum in the match shifted. We were not able to find that final pass to create those chances that would give us the tie or win,” Almeyda said.

Despite having a few chances in the final five minutes of the match, San Jose was not able to score the equalizer and were left to contemplate the disappointing result.

Bush only needed to make one save for the victory. Marcinkowski finished with two saves on the evening in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: Both teams had six corner kicks during the match.

Vancouver leads the overall series 9-8-9.

San Jose had its shutout streak snapped at 234 minutes (over 2.5 matches), plus stoppage time.

UP NEXT: The Quakes return home to host Real Salt Lake on Wednesday 10/28 at 7:30pm at Earthquakes Stadium.

San Francisco 49ers podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: 49ers look for their second straight win in New England Sunday

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Former New England Patriot quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) greets former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) following their game Aug 26, 2016 (AP News photo)

On the SF 49ers podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 This is the first time in 19 years (2001) that the New England Patriots have had a 2-3 start. They are not at that elite status they once were after quarterback Tom Brady left for Tampa Bay.

#2 The Patriots who host the 49ers this Sunday in Foxborough were without quarterback Cam Newton who returned last Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Newton said his game isn’t where it should be and threw for 157 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions.

#3 The 49ers who most likely will not play this Sunday in New England cornerback Richard Sherman (calf) and pass rusher Dee Ford (back) both have missed their last five games.

#4 On Tuesday California Health and Human Services Department gave the orange tier light to Bay Area counties to let fans back in. Santa Clara County said the idea is “unconscionable” and so the 49ers will continue to play 2020 in front of an empty stadium.

#5 49ers are New England Sunday as San Francisco is vying for their fourth win. 49er quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had a great outing against the Rams last Sunday how do you see him faring against the Patriots.

Join Jeremiah each Saturday night for the 49ers podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco 49ers preview: 49ers hope to get over .500 Sunday; Newton to start for Pats

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New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton (1) will start against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday Oct 25th. Newton had quarantined after testing positive for Coronavirus. (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SANTA CLARA–The San Francisco 49ers are coming off their third win of the season. Last week, in Santa Clara, the 49ers were able to take care of the formidable Los Angeles Rams by a final of 24-16.

This week, they turn their attention to the 2-3 New England Patriots. This matchup will feature two teams battling to keep playoff aspirations alive.

For the Patriots, it has been an underwhelming first year without Tom Brady. Not to mention they don’t have much in terms of weapons on the offensive side of the ball.

Bill Belichick will look to stifle the 49ers offense with a solid defensive effort. Cam Newton will start for the Patriots. It should also be noted he is undefeated against the 49ers in the regular season.

For the 49ers they will look to build off the momentum they have from last week. The 49ers remain without star running back Raheem Mostert. That will most likely have them rely more heavily on George Kittle and deception from Kyle Shanahan.

The coaching matchup couldn’t be any more fun. It is offensive minded Kyle Shanahan who can make some of the best defenses look silly versus defensive minded Bill Belichick who tends to pick you apart defensively. That in and of itself will be must watch.

The game kicks off at 1:25 PST in Foxborough on CBS

Jeremiah Salmonson covers 49ers football catch his podcast tonight at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: New MLB Rules Yes or No?

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The Los Angeles Dodgers Mookie Betts (right) and the Tampa Bay Rays Willy Adames (left) hug at second base during game 3 on Fri Oct 23, 2020 in the second inning after Adames stole second base. Betts and many MLB players say that Adames is one of the most liked players in the game. (AP News photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

We have seen this unique 2020 baseball season with a 60 game regular schedule as the games have been played under a slew of new rules. Some are popular, others are still up-in-the-air. Here are the most talked about. Would baseball want to keep permanently? With a rating of YES, NO or 50-50.

YES. The double-header seven (7 innings each game) Each extra-inning begins with a runner on second base, at the top of the eighth (I call the runner”a free runner”). The batter or a substitute for the batter who leads off an inning shall continue to be the batter who would lead-off the inning. Commissioner Manfred is very much in favor of this, because it keeps the game more interesting and also saves a lot of time. These games in 2020 averaged 2 hours and 30 minutes each. The reason for this rule? In the interest of player health and safety MLB and the Players Association jointly announced that both games of doubleheaders will be seven innings.(It became effective August 1).

NO. Sixteen Teams going into the Playoff. The jury still out on this, but best bet is that this is a 50-50 proposition. There is a school of thought that it should be fourteen teams, instead of sixteen. This will eliminate the possibility that (with 16 teams) teams with under .500 records would advance deep into the postseason, maybe the World Series. This season the Houston Astros (29-31) who finished in second place to the Oakland Athletics, seven(7) games behind the A’s, came within one game of representing the American League in the World Series.

50-50.Universal Designated Hitter. This will eventually will be the norm someday, but maybe not in 2021. Reports indicate some owners of teams in the National League have strong opposition. Originally the American League adopted the DH rule in 1973, with pitchers continuing to hit in games played at National League parks. That was not the case this 2020, both leagues used the Designated Hitter to avoid over-working pitchers by having them hit.

Universal lost of revenue. All 30-teams reported revenue loses. A ten (10) billion dollar industry, reported earlier prior to Opening Day, were each team was projected to lose hundreds-of millions of dollars with no fans in the stands.

No Bueno: World Series ratings for Game One according to Nielsen attracted 9.1 million viewers according to Fox Sports. The least watched World Series game ever since Nielsen began tracking ratings in 1968. It could be accredited to the protagonist, although they are the best teams by record this year, LA Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays are not a well-known popular franchise for a national audience. There would have been a totally different audience if the New York Yankees would have met the LA Dodgers in the Fall Classic, two huge media markets with two storied franchises. The Houston Astros vs the LA Dodgers would have been a much more drama-driven series and most fun for all, for obvious reasons if you have followed baseball the last few years. However, television can pick schedules, but never will be able to determine who wins and who doesn’t. The integrity of the game still prevails.

NBA TV ratings for the final between the LA Lakers and the Miami Heat were also one of their lowest in their history. Many things can be attributed to this decline in TV audiences, the Pandemic, mixed with more politics that most people can tolerate infiltrating into the sport, which at the end is supposed to offer relief and escape from the daily events that cause anxiety in people.

Let’s face it, as much as we love sports, all this looks insignificant in the world we are living today.

Like the great Howard Cosell used to say: “Sports is the Toy Department of Human life”.

Stay well and stay tune.

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

San Jose Earthquakes podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Quakes battle to maintain 7th place face Vancouver Saturday in Portland

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The San Jose Earthquakes face Vancouver Whitecaps for this Sat Oct 24th’s game at Providence Park in Portland neutral site game (@SJEarthquakes image)

On the Quakes podcast with Marko:

#1 The Quakes (6-6-7) are in seventh place heading to Portland to play a neutral site game against the Vancouver Whitecaps (7-0-12) the Quakes have gone undefeated in four of their last five games how crucial of a game is this one to keep their playoff hope going?

#2 In their last game last Sunday they battled the Seattle Sounders (9-4-4) tooth and nail to get a nil-nil draw and the Sounders are not a very easy task to accomplish that task.

#3 The tie gives San Jose 24 points on the season as they hold on to the seventh spot in the Western Conference and have earned a point in five of its last six matches

#4 Quakes head coach Matias Almeyda said that after all the loses the team had suffered before going undefeated in four of their last five it took hard work and having to admit the team was doing bad and gaining their confidence back it certainly started with that shocking win against LAFC (7-4-7) back on Sep 27th.

#5 Neutral site game on Saturday night at Providence Park in Portland against the Vancouver Whitecaps the Whitecaps have won two of their last three games including a game against LAFC. The Quakes shutout the Caps 3-0 last time they met Wed Oct 14th at Earthquakes Stadium. Marko set this match up for us.

Marko does the Earthquakes podcasts each Friday night at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

San Francisco 49ers podcast with Joe Hawkes: Mostert out for three weeks; Sherman and Ford out until week 11

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The San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman (left) will not be expected back before the 49ers bye on week 11 also Dee Ford is also not expected back before the bye either (photo from yahoo.sports.com)

On the 49ers podcast with J Hawkes:

#1  Joe losing Raheem Mostert to a high ankle strain for three weeks is a big loss in the team’s ground game.

#2 Mostert ran for 65 yards didn’t score a touchdown against the Rams last Sunday but has been key in getting the offense yardage and setting up the score.

#3 The season gets tougher for the 49ers and without Mostert they’ll face the Patriots this Sunday, followed by Seattle, Green Bay and New Orleans.

#4 Joe talk about the defense and how much the 49ers will be missing Richard Sherman and Dee Ford who are not expected back until at least week 11.

# 5 How important of a game is this for 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo after winning last week against LA and now facing his old teammates the New England Patriots and his old coach Bill Belichick?

Join J Hawkes each Friday morning for the 49ers podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

MLB The Show podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: A’s asst gm Owens up for Angels gm job; Introducing the Curt Flood Award

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Oakland A’s assistant general manager Billy Owens is looking to join the Los Angeles Angels as their new general manager. Owens is waiting for an interview with the Angels and former A’s first baseman Scott Hatteburg said Owens is an encyclopedia of baseball knowledge (photo from San Francisco Chronicle)

#1 Oakland A’s executive Billy Owens who is being considered for the Los Angeles Angels general manager job. Owens is a known for his vast knowledge of talent in MLB.

#2 If Owens was to leave Oakland and so with A’s vice president Billy Beane who is considering joining the Boston Red Sox this would be the dismantling of some of the best baseball minds in the game for the A’s.

#3 A’s owner John Fisher said he has preserved 90% of the A’s personnel for next season but with no fans returning that would put into question the A’s budget to keep employees, it’s real wait and see until spring training.

#4 MLB will have a Curt Flood Award which will be presented to either a living or deceased player who exemplified selfless devotion to the MLB Players Association, and advancement for players rights.

#5 Jerry for this World Series your getting two of the best teams in the game with the Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Join Jerry F each Thursday on the MLB podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Randy Arozarena – His Escape from Communist Cuba

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The Tampa Bay Rays Randy Arozarena gives thanks to the almighty after he hits a first inning two run home run against the Houston Astros in game 7 at Globelife Park in Arlington during the ALCS on Oct 17, 2020 (AP News photo)
That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Randy Arozarena plays left field for the 2020 American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays; he recently won the Most Valuable Player Award when his team eliminated the Houston Astros last week. Today, Arozarena is playing in the World Series. But his journey to this land of freedom was not easy, as you will find here.

He was born in Pinar del Río, the Westernmost province of Cuba, one of the six provinces of the largest island in the Caribbean. That region is famous for growing the best and most famous cigars in the world, across many decades since Cuba was a colony of Spain. Because of the current system of government, communism, with no free-trade or private ownership, the Cuban cigar enjoyed their best days in the past. Now the Dominican Republic can claim their cigars are just as good, if not better. So the Cuban cigar, barely survives by its reputation of days gone by.

Arozarena played fúbol (soccer) but he was a very good baseball player in Cuba. He played for the Vaqueros (Cowboys) team in Cuba. His journey to the United States began in 2015, as he was playing for the Vaqueros, but was cut from the team just before they left to Puerto Rico to represent his country in the Caribbean Series. Why? Because the Cuban authorities feared he was going to defect the island, like most Cuban players currently playing in MLB have done.

He was a very good player in Cuba with very good numbers; he was not cut because he wasn’t good. Note: To this day after 60 years of the Communist Revolution in Cuba, no Cuban citizen is allowed to leave the country freely, unless is a government official a diplomat or in many cases sports clubs representing the country in tournaments around the world. In the past entertainers/musicians were allowed to leave to other countries for concerts, but that has also changed. Cuba is basically a closed society.

It was then in 2015 after the team in Cuba cut him from going to Puerto Rico that Arozarena decided to defect. He left the island in a small raft and headed to the West, towards the Gulf of México, a very dangerous journey in shark infested waters, which took him 8 hours to arrive to Isla de Mujeres, a small island of the coast of the famous tourist beach resort of Cancún. There in México the Mexican government granted him political exile. His family lives now in Mérida, México, his brother plays fúbol/soccer for the Cafetaleros de Chiapa. He talks to them all the time on the phone, says he plans to join them there where he is planning to live.

In an interview he gave to the New York Times, the young Cuban Arozarena: “I will not represent Cuba until things there change” and “the only thing that ties me to Cuba is my family and friends and country” plus “The situation in Cuba is bad” and added he hopes the situation changes for the Cuban people and for the Cuban baseball players.

As dangerous journey as Randy Arozarena had to endure to arrive in the US, this is common to many Cuban-born players currently playing baseball in the Major Leagues and all over the world. However (like most baseball players anyplace) their dream is to play in MLB, the best professional baseball league in the world.

I never forgot what the great Orestes (Minnie) Miñoso once told me. “When I came to the Major Leagues from Cuba in the late 1940’s I could travel in and out of the island, I lived in Cuba, but played mostly for the White Sox in Chicago, but these Cuban kids arriving since after the revolution had to go through many difficult situations before they achieve their dream”.

Perhaps one of the most incredible stories of defection by a Cuban player is that of ex-major league player Kendrys Morales, after trying and failing to defect 12 times, three of which landed him on three-day stints in prison when he was caught, finally was able to take a small rowboat to a larger vessel which then took him to the United States. He told me that story while he was playing with the LA Angels and is well documented and reported by many news agencies.

Amnesty International a reputable non-profit organization that specializes in human rights violations reports that Cuba remained mostly closed to independent human rights monitors. The government of Cuba does not allow its citizens to freely express their views, especially if they are negative to the government. Finally: There have not been free elections in Cuba for over 60 years, since the current government took power. Cuba’s government condemns free-market capitalism, yet the founder of the revolution, Fidel Castro died with close to $1 billion dollar fortune according to Forbes Magazine, who specializes in money issues.

Stay well and stay tuned.

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

San Francisco 49ers podcast with David Zizmor: Belichick and Garoppolo reunion this Sunday

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Former New England Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will be reunited in New England this Sunday three years after Garoppolo left New England for San Francisco (file photo from boston.com)

San Francisco 49ers podcast with David:

#1 San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo who started his career with the New England Patriots will be facing his old coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots. This is the third anniversary since Garoppolo left the Patriots and he will be reunited with his old teammates when the 49ers play in New England this Sunday.

#2 Garoppolo made a number of short quick throws against the Los Angeles Rams last week do you see him making those same kind of passes to work his way against the Patriots this week?

Join David for the 49ers podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: With Prescott out Cowboys moral is falling fast; Titans got Covid-19 from off site workout; plus more

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Things have gotten worse for the Dallas Cowboys since quarterback Dak Prescott has left for the season. For example here Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) loses the football on a carry as the Arizona Cardinals safety Bubba Baker grabs hold it was Elliott’s second fumble in last Sun Oct 18th’s game in Arlington (AP News photo)

Headline Sports podcast with London:

#1 London even without the Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in the line up he still holds up in week 6 as the NFL’s leading passing yards quarterback at 1,856 just ahead of the Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan at 1,843.

#2 Jane Slater from the NFL Network reported that moral is falling fast in the Cowboys locker room tweeting that discontent is leaking out, the coaching staff is unprepared, the can’t adjust on the fly, and their not good at their jobs. Since Prescott’s season ending injury are guys starting to mail it in in Dallas?

#3 A off site workout facility has been mentioned as the source for the Tennessee Titans outbreak and that the team faces fines but will not be penalized from getting draft picks forfeitures. No players reportedly will face punishments or fines.

#4 Turning to MLS Soccer: The San Jose Earthquakes who have won three of their last five games and have lost only one game in their last five played one of the best MLS teams the Seattle Sounders last Sunday to a 0-0 draw at Earthquakes Stadium. Sounds like the Earthquakes have their confidence back.

#5 The Quakes Carlos Fierro putting much summarized what the Quakes need to do to get to post season saying that the team is fighting day after day, game after game, that the Quakes know what they want and are getting closer to it.

Join London each Wednesday for Headline Sports at http://www.sportsradioservice.com