Tag: Sports radio

Headline Sports podcast PT 1 with Marko Ukalovic: NHL and players look to finalize six year CBA; Both sides working on safety rules for playoffs

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NHL and NHLPA logo image from nhl.com

Headline Sports podcast with Marko Ukalovic:

#1 NHL players will be voting this week on starting the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs in the new CBA. Nothing is official yet on the two bubble cities Edmonton and Toronto but a vote is coming soon.

#2 Both sides are working out a Memorandum of Understanding know in the union-management trade that all rules and binding agreements are in place. Both sides are hoping to iron out a six year agreement. Both sides are looking to start the post season August 1st.

#3 One of the biggest concerns in the contract language is safety in procedures on how NHL personnel and the players will stay at local hotels and go straight to the rink and back everyday and how safety procedures will in place.

Marko does Headline Sports each Wednesday night at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Headline Sports podcast Part 2 with Marko Ukalovic: Laughton wins NHL Class Guy Award; Yzerman wants Red Wings fired up for next season

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The Philadelphia Flyers Scott Loughton received the prestigious Yanick Dupre Class Guy Award for 2019-20 (nhl.com file photo)

On Headlines Part 2 with Marko:

#1 Marko talk about the Philadelphia Flyers Scott Laugton who just won 2019-20 Yanick Dupre Class Guy Award. The award goes to the player that shows class on and off the ice and the Philadelphia chapter of the Professional Hockey Association voted Laughton for the award.

#2  Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman challenged his players during this layoff to “figure it out” as the Wings will not be in Toronto for the post season. Yzerman wants to get his players fired up and motivated for next season.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: 1961 When Professional Baseball Died in Cuba (Memories)

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Former Washington Senator pitcher Pedro Ramos in his first uniform in 1955 now 85 years old who pitched for six Major Leagues teams between 1955-1970 is part of Amaury’s Commentary today (photo from en.wikipedia.org)

1961 When Professional Baseball Died in Cuba(Memories)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

I remember 1961 as I was arriving in the United States leaving behind Cuba. It was precisely that year for the first time that the Cuban-Communist government banned professional baseball, as well as all pro-sports.

The last year that there was professional baseball in the largest island in the Caribbean was the 1960-61 season, the old Cuban-Winter Professional League. The Cienfuegos (Elephants) won the season with a 48-24 record and finished 12 games ahead of the Tigres (Tigers) of Marianao.

Right hander pitcher Pedro Ramos won the MVP that year with Cienfuegos. Ramos threw side-arm had a nasty sinking fastball; he was a very popular player in Cuba as well as in the Major Leagues with the Washington Senators and Minnesota Twins.

Pedro Ramos (Pete) many called him Cuban Pete or the Cuban Cowboy was a colorful man that loved to wear cowboy boots. After one season I remember seen him in front of Union Radio a famous radio station next to Havana’s Central Park signing autographs and driving a shining brand new Cadillac with a pair of Longhorns at the front of the hood.

In the US Pedro Ramos was called a ‘hot dog’ something like another Cuban-born player today in MLB, Yasiel Puig. I always said and written about, there is nothing wrong if you are a ‘hot dog’ as long as you can play.

Ramos was a great athlete with great speed. There is a story that he once challenged Mickey Mantle in a sprint race in the outfield, prior to a game at Yankee Stadium when the Senators visited which he beat a young and very fast Mantle.

But I remember Pedro Ramos pitching next to another great Cuban pitcher, Camilo Pascual with a great curveball on those Cienfuegos teams of the old and famous league, considered one of the strongest outside the Major Leagues in the US.

Numerous American players participated in that Cuban winter league. I remember players like Wilmer (Vinegar Bend) Mizell, Bob Allison, Al Cicotte, Bob Shaw, Jackie Brandt, Bobby DelGreco, Forest Jacobs, Bill Werle, Al Spangler, Rocky Nelson, Jim Bunning; my favorite US-born player in Cuba was Brooks Robinson, and many others. They will be scattered on rosters of the four teams that made that league: Cienfuegos, Havana, Marianao and Almendares with some great Cuban players like Minnie Miñoso saw him with Marianao Tigers, Luis Tiant with the Havana Lions, Chico Fernandez, shortstop with the Scorpions of Almendares, and I am just mentioning a few.

Cuba until Castro killed professional baseball was the #1 country sending talent to the Major Leagues. Baseball has always been the top sport in Cuba, after many decades of the actual Cuban dictatorship many Cubans have escaped the island in small man-made crafts, or defected with their teams when they were playing tournaments outside the island. As of today’s rosters there are approximately 20 to 25 Cuban players in the Major Leagues.

Bill Werle who pitched with Marianao, was born and lived here in the Bay Area was pitching last time that club won the Cuban title in 1956. He was a popular major league scout. I had many conversations with him when he was scouting here and he would tell me “during those years the best league outside the major leagues was that Cuban league and many of us players were lucky to be able to go and play winter ball there, where they also paid the best”. Bill Werle was born in Oakland, California (1920-2010) pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, St Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox.

The memories of baseball from Cuba to the US are precious to me and my family and no matter what happens in baseball, today or in the future, those 1950’s and 1960’s years are some of the best in the history of the game. The Castro governments took my family’s property and change our way of life, but the memories that I have from those years, nobody can take away from me.

Stay well and stay tuned.

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

Sacramento Kings beat report: Lawsuit filed against officers for putting knee on trespasser at Golden One Ctr killing him

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Golden One Center home of the Sacramento Kings; security camera still: Video from cameras at Golden One Center in Sacramento show Mario Matthews pinned to the floor by six police and security officers on the morning of July 2, 2019. One of the security officers put a knee on Matthews killing him which triggered a lawsuit by the Matthews family

By Charlie O

SACRAMENTO–Three Sacramento Police officers and three security guards at Golden One Center home of the Sacramento Kings pinned down a man who entered into the arena around 3 AM on the morning of July 2, 2019 in a lawsuit saying that the six officers unreasonably restrained Mario Matthews and killed him.

Matthews entered a propped door and actually got onto the floor of Golden One and started dancing and moving erratically and had to be escorted out to a hallway area where officers restrained and detained Matthews. It was at that point where Matthews was slammed to the floor in the Golden One hallway where one of the private guards put a knee on Matthews cutting off his breathing.

Matthews family filed a lawsuit saying that while during the restraint the guard put his knee on Matthews and were using unnecessary forced and he became unresponsive. Matthews was rushed to the hospital where he never regained consciousness. The amount of the lawsuit was not disclosed and what law firm is representing the Matthews family.

The lawsuit stated the Matthews family is holding the security officers and their company responsible, Golden One Center, Sacramento Police and the City of Sacramento. The lawsuit goes onto say Matthews, “needlessly died because he was unreasonably restrained by the combined efforts of three private security guards and three Sacramento Police Department officers.”

The Sacramento City Attorney’s office said they have received the lawsuit and are looking into the matter. The entire detainment of Matthews from handcuffing to his handling to putting a knee on his neck was video taped by in house security cameras at Golden One Center.

Charlie O is a beat writer for Sacramento Kings basketball and does Headline Sports at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Barbara Mason: Washington minority owners trying to get out of ownership; Six coaches over 60 heading to WNBA bubble in Florida; plus more

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espn.go.com file photo: Washington Mystics head coach Mike Thibault said he’s heading down to the WNBA Florida bubble. Thibault is one of six coaches over 60 heading to Orlando and said the bubble is a controlled environment it shouldn’t be a problem

On Headline Sports with Barbara:

#1 Washington football team minority owners Fred Smith, Dwight Schar, and Robert Rothman are seeking help from an investment banking firm to help them find buyers to buy their shares of ownership of the Washington football as majority owner Dan Snyder has refused to change the name Redskins to another name.

#2 Snyder has said he will explore changing the name with Washington head coach Ron Rivera. Rivera said that changing the name would be awesome.

#3 Barbara, five coaches in the WNBA are over 60 and in an interview with the Hartford Courant 69 year old head coach of the Washington Mystics Mike Thibault who has a likely chance to contract the virus is still heading to the WNBA bubble in Florida and said it’s a controlled environment but could he and the other coaches be making a big mistake?

#4 Barbara, there are six teams vying for the last and eighth spot in the NBA Playoffs Memphis, Portland, Sacramento, New Orleans, San Antonio, and Phoenix. The Mavericks have a magic number of one win and one Grizzlies loss to gain the seventh spot which is very possible.

#5 Former Penn State guard Rasir Bolton said that Penn State basketball head coach Pat Chambers had made racial remarks about a noose. According to Bolton in Bolton’s 2018-19 freshman year Chambers said to Bolton “I want to loosen the noose that’s around your neck,” Bolton’s parents went to see the Athletic Director about the remarks and Chambers who attended the meeting said he was impressed how “well organized” and “well spoken” Bolton’s parents were which are racial reference connotations assuming that black people are not organized or articulate.

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Too many roadblocks for A’s new park bulid; A’s working out all week at Coliseum

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Manica Architecture image: Howard Terminal ball park design for the Oakland A’s which is facing a lot of roadblocks

On That’s Amaury’s podcast:

#1 The Sierra Club has raised environmental concerns regarding traffic and transit issues at Howard Terminal for the A’s new ball park build will this be another road block to stop the A’s construction at Jack London Square?

#2  Among other issues that were mentioned by the Sierra Club Sea level rise, contamination toxic waste and parking. The Sierra Club suggested that the A’s were better off staying at the Oakland Coliseum location where there was BART and freeway access. The A’s are dead set on getting out of Coliseum.

#3 Oakland City Council had already agreed on the sale of the city’s share of the Oakland Coliseum and Alameda County is prepared to sell their share of the Coliseum property as well.

#4 The A’s will buy the property to develop the land for retail, entertainment and a ball park for local schools and colleges. The A’s will not purchase the Coliseum land until they are 100% approved to develop their new ball park at Howard Terminal.

#5 On Sunday the Oakland A’s had 42 players at the Oakland Coliseum ready for workouts but due to results from testing last Friday were delayed due to the 4th of July Holiday weekend and workouts were rescheduled on Monday.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s Spanish play by play announcer and does That’s Amaury each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Morris Phillips: Cal’s Bynum leads eight players on Lindy’s pre season team

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calbears.com file photo: Bears cornerback Camryn Bynum has a great track record not missing the last 38 games over the last three seasons and is first pick on Lindy’s 2020 pre season All Pac 12

On Headline Sports with Morris:

#1 Morris talk about first teamer cornerback Camryn Bynum who started Cal’s last 38 games over the last three years at cornerback.

#2 Bynum has 169 career tackles, six tackles for a loss (-13 loss) and 0.5 sacks (-5 yards) and five interceptions.

#3 Bynum got on the All Pac 12 honors in 2019 as a junior he was one of seven out of 12 players to start every game including one of five on the defensive side of the ball.

#4 Bynum was a first pick on Lindy’s 2020 pre season All Pac 12 on Cal’s first team pick

#5 Morris tell us about how the safety rules will work as the Bears open their season just next month on Sat Aug 29th at UNLV at Allegiant Stadium in Vegas.

Join Morris for Headlines podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Headline Sports podcast with Daniel Dullum: Redskins and Indians will eventually have to change the names; Push to get Landis name off MVP Award by players; plus more

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mlb image: The American League Kenesaw Mountain Landis Award, some players have requested that the Landis name be removed from the award because Landis refused to integrate MLB

Daniel on Headlines pod:

1 What’s in a name? Redskins and Indians feeling pressure to rebrand themselves

2 Past MLB MVPs would like to see Kenesaw Mountain Landis’s name removed from the award

3 Dodgers pitcher David Price won’t play this season because of coronavirus; he’s not alone

4 Covid-19 issues in the NBA, Heat and Clippers shut down practice facility, Lakers and Pelicans assistants skipping NBA restart

5 RIP Gay Culverhouse, advocate for retired NFL players dealing with CTE

6 Multiple players on the St Louis Blues have tested positive for Coronavirus and practice on Friday was canceled. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the Blues had taken all the safety steps necessary.

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

Headline Sports podcast with Len Shapiro: Oilers McDavid and Draisaitl at morning skate as Edmonton prepares to host Stanley Cup Playoffs

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@EdmontonOilers photo: The Oilers tweeted out a message “It’s happening everybody stay calm” and  “McDavid, Draisaitl, Nurse & Kassian are all back in town.”

On the Headlines pod with Len:

#1 How crucial of a decision was it for the NHL to decide to play all of it’s post season games including the Stanley Cup Finals in both Canadian cities of Edmonton and Toronto?

#2 Edmonton and Toronto has done such a great job with flattening the curve while the US leads the world in Coronavirus it made the choice easy for the NHL.

#3 Vancouver was a city that was in the running for being a hub city but the political concerns amongst Vancouver’s political leaders thought the better of it as Vancouver has kept the Corona flat lined and wanted to keep it that way.

#4 Len talk about the best of five series and round robin games in the two Canadian hubs

#5 To add extra excitement for this NHL post season the Edmonton Oilers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will be a couple of hometown favorites in the playoffs. Both were at Friday’s morning skate to add to the excitement of the return of hockey.

Len Shapiro was the former media relations manager for the NHL’s first Bay Area team the now defunct California Golden Seals and does Headlines podcasting every other Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Sports Teams What’s in a Name?

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wikipedia.com image: Who is offended by the Seattle Mariners name? Fans whose been following the team for 43 years and still haven’t won a World Series

Sports Teams: What’s in a Name?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

A friend of mine that lives in Seattle tells me: “I am not a sailor but if I were one, I would be offended of the Seattle team name Mariners,because they have never won a World Series in 43 years of their existence…they would be associated with a loosing sailor, and I am not a looser”.

This man is a happy-go-lucky type of man an honest man,that takes life in stride, yet he makes a point that he could be also offended by the name Mariners if he was a sailor! Sound funny and some might say ‘a stretch’but it is not an illogical statement. The Mariners are not going to change their name and that is the least of the problems for this last place team.

So here we go. As a minority myself I understand why some teams want to change their names/logos. I get it. In Cleveland, the name Indians will be changed. John Adams was a Founding Father and the second president of the United States. John Adams is also the name of the drummer that is a super fan of the Cleveland team, famous for beating the drums in the bleachers in support of the home team.

He will probably not be allowed to do that anymore. On a video Mr.Adams says: “I bought this drum for $25 dollars and on August 24, 1974 I started. I have missed 45 games in 45 years, with the same drums…If we have a guy in scoring position, that be second or thrid, then I start …(and he added) “I feel blessed I get to meet so many wonderful people from all over the world I would never have dreamed something like this would come from baseball.”

A colorful character, like so many that enjoys the game of baseball and found a unique way to show it.He is loved by the fans in Cleveland. Baseball needs all the help they can get, but this man will not be playing his drum anymore at the ballpark, he did it with no malice, he enjoyed and the fans also enjoyed it for years.

Are we going to accuse him of being a racist as well as all the Cleveland fans? Of course not. Major League parks are in need of colorful fans, in Latin America there are more characters and color among fans rooting for their teams. I am sure Mr.Adams will be missed at Progressive Field.

In 2009 while traveling to the east coast I visited the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington,D.C , in my family I have somebody that has Potawatomi blood. A tribe originally from the midwest,who were not warriors but business people, fur traders, to be exact. I learned a lot about this tribe and understand very much the plight of the Native-American, the truly originals inhabitants of this country.

Their land was taken, their treaties with the US government were repeatedly violated. Today most tribes are organized and get much respect from the government, they have their own leaders and lobbyist in Washington to defend their affairs. Still their history is a sad one.

Washington Redskins. This is not the first time the controversy has arrived, but this time because of the current situation in the country it looks, this time it will happen. The Redskins logo was introduced in 1972 and proposed by Walter Wetzel,a former Blackfeet tribal chairman and once a President of the National Congress of American Indians, and was modeled after the likeness on the Buffalo nickel.

In 2014 Mr.Wetzel said “Don’t call the Redskins logo offensive”. And there have been polls conducted . As late as August 2019 a Washington Post poll found that 9 of 10 Native Americans aren’t offended by Redskins name. Ironically, and for political pressure reasons the name might be changed regardless. And it goes ever further,many Native-Americans are proud that name is on an NFL franchise.

At the end the Cleveland and Washington teams, do not set policy,domestic or foreign, they represent two teams of two of the top four professional sports leagues in our country. No more,no less.

In today’s culture we could always find something that will offend us. A lot of people do not like the scales when they visit the doctor, they might discover that weight-scale are also offensive, because they cannot believe they weight that much! I personally think parking meters are offensive, but I have to put money all the time or get a ticket,it is the law. One of the many reasons we have survived as the longest running Democracy in the world is because we are a country of laws.

I am sure by the time you read this, we might already have heard of other teams, getting pressure to change their names.

Stay well and stay tuned.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s Spanish play by play announcer 1010 KIQI San Francisco and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com