Hometown Broadcasting Sports Tuesday 6/9/20
9 June 2020 Sports
The Green Bay Phoenix are expected to introduce new men’s basketball head coach Will Ryan later this week. But his supporters were in full voice on Monday, the day after Ryan was officially hired.
Most notable his Hall of Fame father Bo Ryan, the former coach at UW-Platteville, UW-Milwaukee, and of course, the University of Wisconsin. Appearing on the Wilde & Tausch radio show on ESPN Milwaukee Monday morning, the elder Ryan recalled he faced a similar situation when he took over in Milwaukee. The Panthers were a downtrodden program with little following. His 41-year old son must re-energize a Phoenix fan base that has dwindled the last several years, despite winning teams.
Bo’s famous swing offense is part of his philosophy. Former Badger and Appleton West product Brian Butch played for Wisconsin when Will Ryan was Director of Basketball Operations under his father. Butch, now an analyst for the Big Ten Network, believes the Phoenix won’t be a carbon copy of the Badgers. But they will play differently than they did under Linc Darner, who believed in having as many offensive possessions as possible.
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Major League Baseball teams made a new offer to start the coronavirus-delayed season, proposing they guarantee 50% of players’ prorated salaries over a 76-game regular season and increase the money to 75% if the postseason is completed, people familiar with the plan told The Associated Press. The people spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because details were not announced. MLB’s latest offer would eliminate the loss of draft picks for teams that sign qualified free agents this fall, a change that would be valuable for some players in what is expected to be a difficult market. It also would forgive 20% of the $170 million in salaries already advanced to players during April and May.
Players agreed in March to a deal calling for prorated salaries that depend on games played, a deal in exchange for a guarantee of service time if the season was scrapped. MLB says it can’t afford to play in ballparks without fans and last week proposed an 82-game schedule and a sliding scale of pay cuts that would cause the biggest stars to lose a larger percentage of their salaries. The union countered with a 114-game schedule at prorated pay that would extend the regular season by a month through October. MLB is worried a second wave of the virus would endanger the postseason — when MLB receives $787 million in broadcast revenue.
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As the NFL gears up for players to return to team facilities, Commissioner Roger Goodell issued protocols to clubs detailed in a Monday memo obtained by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
The protocols for players’ return to club facilities are broken down into access, physical distancing, facility and equipment cleaning and disinfectant, food service, personal protective equipment and hygiene, compliance with protocols and education on the spread and prevention of infection.
Pelissero reported that while no dates have been set yet and no minicamps are expected, the NFL and NFLPA are discussing the possibility of certain players — such as rookies and veterans who changed teams and need physicals — returning to club facilities on a limited basis before June 26, per sources informed of the situation.
The protocols for return include cleaning, protective and other guidance to ensure the safety of players returning. Each team is required to certify they’ve met the guidelines and submit a copy of their infections disease plan.
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Former Packers receiver Jordy Nelson is one of 10 athletes who will be inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame on Oct. 4.
The Manhattan, Kan., native and Kansas State alumnus is also scheduled to be enshrined in the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame. That ceremony was scheduled for June 5 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nelson played 10 of his 11 NFL seasons with the Packers. He won Super Bowl XLV with the Packers in 2010 and was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2014. He finished his career with 613 catches, 8,587 yards, 72 touchdown receptions.
Prior to being drafted in the second round by Green Bay in 2008, Nelson was a consensus All-American selection at Kansas State. He holds school records for single-game receptions with 15 and receiving yards with 214, single-season receiving yards (1,606) and single-season yards per game (133.8). He was named to the K-State football Ring of Honor in 2015.
Nelson also was a three-sport athlete at Riley County (Kan.) High School in football, basketball, and track. All-state basketball selection in 2003; led Falcons to state tournament appearances in 2001, 2002, and 2003. Won five state track championships: 400-meter in 2002; 100-meter, 200-meter, 400-meter, and long jump, in 2003.
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