Hometown Broadcasting Sports Friday 7/10/20
10 July 2020 Sports
The Green Bay Packers signed 5th round pick Kamal Martin on Thursday. The linebacker out of Minnesota is the 7th of 9 picks to sign with the team. Martin has a chance to earn some playing time early as there are not many experienced, inside linebackers on the Packers roster heading into training camp. 3rd round pick TE Josiah Deguara, and 6th round pick C Jake Hanson, remain unsigned.
-0-
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Big Ten conference announced Thursday that its members will not be allowed to participate in non-conference competition for fall sports this year. That means the Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame football game scheduled to take place at Lambeau Field will not take place on October 3rd.
The conference’s statements reads, in part:
“We are facing uncertain and unprecedented times, and the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes, coaches, game officials, and others associated with our sports programs and campuses remain our number one priority.
“To that end, the Big Ten Conference announced today that if the Conference is able to participate in fall sports (men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball) based on medical advice, it will move to Conference-only schedules in those sports. Details for these sports will be released at a later date, while decisions on sports not listed above will continue to be evaluated. By limiting competition to other Big Ten institutions, the Conference will have the greatest flexibility to adjust its own operations throughout the season and make quick decisions in real-time based on the most current evolving medical advice and the fluid nature of the pandemic.”
The statement concluded acknowledged a full cancellation of fall sports may be needed, saying, “We are also prepared not to play in order to ensure the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes should the circumstances so dictate.”
-0-
University of Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez released a statement Thursday night, reacting for the Big Ten’s decision earlier in the day that all fall sports will only play conference games in 2020, if they play any games.
Alvarez wrote “Needless to say, this announcement greatly affects our 2020 season in a number of ways. At the moment, we do not know what our schedules will look like or how many home games we will have. We hope to have that information from the conference as soon as possible.
No matter how many home games we have this season, game day at Camp Randall Stadium will look different. We will not be able to accommodate a full stadium. Through ongoing discussions with campus and local health officials, we are developing our plan to provide a safe game day environment for everyone. Once we have more clarity regarding the football schedule and the capacity of Camp Randall Stadium we will be able to communicate our ticketing plans.”
-0-
NFL teams will be prohibited from post-game interactions within 6 feet of each other so players won’t be allowed to exchange jerseys after games as part of the guidelines to help limit the spread of the coronavirus. The restrictions are outlined in the game-day protocols finalized by the league and NFL Players Association on Wednesday. The 11-page document obtained by The Associated Press includes several changes for the upcoming season. Players and coaches are not required to wear masks, but everyone else on the sideline is. The league and the players’ union still haven’t agreed on testing and screening protocols.
-0-
Collin Morikawa didn’t get rattled by his first missed cut as a pro or his first time playing Muirfield Village. Morikawa finally had a forced weekend off two weeks ago after 22 consecutive made cuts to start his PGA Tour career, three short of the standard set by Tiger Woods. He bounced back Thursday in the Workday Charity Open with a 7-under 65 for a 1-shot lead over Adam Hadwin. Hideki Matsuyama, Nick Taylor, Zach Johnson and Aaron Wise are two shots back.
-0-
Zion Williamson’s legal saga took a dramatic turn on Thursday when a court document outlined an alleged $400,000 payment to the basketball star and his stepfather before he played at Duke. Williamson’s legal team countered with claims of fraud and forgery. The affidavit was filed by attorneys for marketing agent Gina Ford, who is embroiled in a legal battle with the New Orleans Pelicans star seeking $100 million after he left her Prime Marketing Sports to sign with CAA. Ford has filed several documents seeking to prove that Williamson was never eligible to play at Duke, which would bolster the case for her legal claim. The more alleged dirt that Ford uncovers also theoretically increases the pressure on Williamson to settle.
-0-
Share |