Best 15 Minutes in Sports–Wednesday
………..(Basketball)………….
Aztecs-New Mexico….Lobos opt out of Wednesday-Friday games because of Covid issues in Albuquerque…Lobos might opt out of rest of the Mountain West Conference season because of injuries and players opting out…Lobos (1-11) in league play…Down to 6-healthy players last weekend…New Mexico has played 16-road games this year, playing home games in Lubbock, Texas-5 hours away.
Aztecs….Trying to schedule weekend game with Gonzaga as replacement on schedule…willing to travel to Spokane to play (16-0) Bulldogs who are ranked #1 in nation.
Aztecs…ESPN March Madness poll..ranks SDSU as an 11th seed.
Aztecs..Former F-Trimaine Davis will be honored as ‘Honorary Captain’ at Super Bowl for academic leadership work at CSUN-and-SDSU…securing computers..hot spots…lap tops..family counseling during Pandemic for black students…Actively involved in Black Male Initiatives and African American Brotherhood programs at both schools.
USD-BYU…Tuesday game cancelled…Covid issues at USD…4th time team has had to pause workouts and cancel games…..Game was cancelled at 2pm while BYU was in town…USD says it will not practice till February 18th….Toreros (2-7)…
—————
(NBA)
Clippers-L-Brooklyn. (124-120)…Kyrie Irving (39P)…Kevin Durant (28P)..James Harden (23PO-14A)…Nets hold off 4th quarter comeback by LA…Kawhi Leonard (33P)..Paul George (26P)… Clippers hit 15-3’s….but Nets shot (57%) in win …..LA (16-6)…Nets won 7-of-10 since Harden trade with Houston
Clippers-at-Cleveland…Wednesday game
Lakers..flew home after completing 7-game road trip
Lakers..Atlanta Hawks officials ejected 5-fans including husband and wife who confronted LeBron James from courtside seats.
NBA…Negotiating to stage All Star Game in Atlanta on March 7th.
========================
…………(Baseball)…………..
Padres..Give 4-year contract extension to GM-AJ Preller…Name him President of Baseball Operations…Contract runs thru 2026…Padres have had just 1-winning season in Preller’s 5-seasons as GM
Padres..Elevate Eric Gruebner to CEO and give him contract extension thru 2026.
Angels..Suspend Pitching Coach-Mickey Calloway while MLB conducts probe into allegations he was involved in lewd behaviour with 5-different female sports writers while he was Manager of Mets and a pitching coach in Cleveland…Angels said Calloway ‘violated organizational values’.
Angels..Report 7-more female reporters have come front and center and say they had problems dealing with advances from Calloway also.
Angels..Former SS-Andrellton Simmons says he opted out of Halos final week of season..battling severe depression…did not want to go into hotel bubble for playoffs…Admitted he contemplated suicide
——————–
(MLB)
Union…Rejects Commissioner’s offer to play 154-game schedule and move World Series to first week in November….Union response:
..Refuse give Rob Manfred ‘unilateral power’ to cancel games
..MLB made no offer of formula about players pay if games cancelled
..Worry about players injuries if spring training delayed a month
Colorado…Owner Dick Monfort demands Nolan Arenado “5-for-1” trade with Cardinals in heated press conference in Denver:
..Overhauling team..this is not a rebuild
..We are built to compete
..Team underperformed
..We wanted to keep Aronado for entire career-did not work out
..Losing DJ LeMahieu really hurt the team
..We believe in our kids
..We have talented group of pitchers coming
Pittsburgh..Former Pirates pitcher Grant Jackson-passes away (79)..pitched 18-years..Pirates..Phillies..Orioles (86-75) career record
—————–
(Roster Moves)
Rockies-Cardinals..Complete 5-for-1 Nolan Arenado trade..Rockies get:
..P-Austin Gomber (7-3) St Louis
..3B-Ele Montero (.269) minors
..SS-Mateo Gil (.257) minors
..P-Tony Locey (20-8) U-Georgia
..P-Jake Sommers (2-3) minors
Phillies..sign FA-P-Hector Rondon-ex Arizona
Phillies..sign FA-P-David Paulino-ex Blue Jays
Reds..sign FA-P-Sean Doolittle-ex Washington
Tampa Bay..sign FA-P-Chris Archer-ex Pirates
Texas..sign FA-P-Spencer Patton-ex Cubs
Yankees..sign FA-P-Kyle Barraclaugh-ex Giants-Texas-Padres
=======================
…………….(Football)…………
Super Bowl..Chiefs-Tampa Bay….KC Coach Andy Reid calls it matchup of “Geritol Bowl” coaches…Reid (62Y)…Bruce Arians (68Y)
Chiefs..Def Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo calls Tom Brady…”cerebral” ..says he is “step ahead of everyone”
Bucs..Def Coordinator Todd Bowles calls Pat Mahomes…”a 12th man-makes so much happen” on the field.
Chiefs…Assistant coach Eric Bienemy…disappointed not get head coaching job…”Chemistry was not a fit”
Mark Walton..ex Bengals RB-arrested..Miami restaurant incident..suffering from Bipolar disorder.
—————–
(Coaching Moves)
Jaguars..Hire Brian Schottenheimer QB-coach-ex Seattle-Jets-Rams
Jaguars..Hire Chris Ash-DB coach-ex Ohio State-Texas assistant
Jaguars..Hire Zach Orr-LB coach-ex Ravens
Jaguars..Hire Bob Sutton-LB coach-ex Falcons
Saints..hire Kris Richard-DB coach..ex Seattle-Dallas assistant
Bears..hire Mike Adams-safeties coach
Jetrs..hire Marquand Manuel-safeties coach-ex Seattle
Packers..Interview longtime NFL assistant Jerry Gray…Jim Leohnard-Wisconsin…Bob Sutton-Atlanta for Def Coord job
Miami..Promote Eric Studesville..George Godsey to be co-Off Coord
———————
(College Football)
Michigan…QB-Dylan McCaffrey transfers to Northern Colorado
USD..Unveils 6G-spring schedule…open March 13th-at Drake..also road games @Presbyterian..@Valpariso…Home games with Butler-Davidson-Stetson.
==========================
…………(Hockey)………….
Kings-Ducks….Ducks led (1-0) in 2nd period at Press time…Dominant impressive opening period in LA…Tuesday game….Kings (3-3-2)…Ducks (3-5-2)
Gulls..Continue preparation for Friday AHL-Opener vs Bakersfield.
NHL..Postpones Buffalo-Islanders….Travel delay to NY because of blizzards..delayed Covid testing for Sabres.
Buffalo…Furious with NHL…how 2-Sabres test positive after playing weekend series with New Jersey-who had 6-players who got sick as virus spread.
Penguins..Interview John Ferguson-Junior for vacant GM job..currently with Boston
Penguins..will interview Chris Drury-currently with Rangers
Flyers..F-Morgan Frost-surgery-shoulder..could be out 3-months
===================
………………(General)……………
Rafael Nadal….ailing back-may not play in Australian Open.
John Forbes…legendary horse trainer passes away (73)…won over 2100-races in career
English Premier League…Tuesday scoreboard”
..Manchester United-W-Southampton (9-0)..Southampton plays shorthanded for 89-minutes after red card for spiking incident start game
..Sheffield-W-West Brom..Billy Sharp game winning goal
..Arsenal-L-Wolverhampton…Gunners lose 2-players with red cards
..Crystal Palace-W-Newcastle…CP gets goals (21-26′)
==============