Best 15 Minutes in Sports–Friday
….(San Diego)….
Joseph Tsai….owner of San Diego Seals-Indoor Lacrosse team…and 49% owner of the NBA Brooklyn Nets confirms he has had discussions with investors and developers about a possible NBA-NHL arena for the East Village…but says without an anchor franchise-not likely to happen….Rumors persist AEG-Anschutz Entertainment Group and Henry Samueli-owner of Ducks hockey franchise-have also explored a possible arena.
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……(Baseball)……..
Padres…GM-AJ Preller confirms team will give outstanding minor leaguer Fernando Tatis the opportunity to win the starting 3B-job in spring training….Has never played above AA-Baseball-but has excelled at every minor league level and in Winter Ball.
Padres-Yankees…Reopen trade talks for P-Sonny Gray-has just signed (1Y-7.5M) contract….A’s-Reds-Pirates also involved in trade talks.
Padres..Sign FA-P-Carlos Torres…ex Washington National-NY Mets…been with 5-clubs…had (3.55-ERA) at Syracuse last year.
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(Roster Moves)
Yankees..Sign FA-P-Adam Ottavino-ex Rockies (3Y-27M)…had (2.43-ERA) last season in Colorado.
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(MLB)
MLB..Commissioner Rob Manfred-Union chief Tony Clark met Monday to discuss additional rule changes….MLB wants Union to sign off on adopting (:20) pitch clock to further speed up game…and further limits on mound visits….Under new ‘Pace of Play’ rules last year…length of games went from (3:05) to (3:00) last season.
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…..(Football)…..AFC-NFC Championship Weekend
Saints-Rams…Red hot offenses against each other at Louisiana Superdome….matchup of Drew Brees-vs-Jared Goff…Brees (84-48) record in home games…Brees (8-6) postseason…Sean Payton (8-5) postseason..
..Rams-#2 NFL Offense (421YPG)..only 19-turnovers
..Rams-#3 Passing (281YPG)
..Rams #5-Run (139YPG)
..Saints-#8 Offense (379YPG)
..Saints #2 Run Defense (80YPG)
..Saints #29 Total Defense (349YPG)
..Jared Goff (4875P-32TD)
..RB-Todd Gurley (1347R-18TD)
..RB-CJ Anderson (314R-4TD) last 3-games
..WR-Robert Woods (92R-10TD)
..WR-Branden Cooks (84R-11TD)
..Drew Brees (4293P-34kKTDK)
..WR-Michael Thomas (137R-10TD)
..RB-Alvin Kamara-Mark Ingram (2567APY)
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Chiefs-New England…Bitter cold weather projected for late Sunday game…Chiefs (8-1) at home this year…..Kansas City just (1-6) at Arrowhead Stadium in post season since 2004….Patriots (3-5) road record this year…Pats (3-4) on road in playoffs during Bill Belicheck era…..Belicheck (28-10) in postseason…Tom Brady (28-10) 72-touchdowns in playoffs….Brady (3-4) on road in posteason….Chiefs (2-10) in post season since 1994….Andy Reid (2-4) in Kansas City in playoffs…(12-13) overall.
..Chiefs #1-NFL Offense (425YPG) only 18-turnovers
..Chiefs #3-Passing (309YPG)
..Chiefs #31-Defense (405YPG)
..Chiefs #31-Pass Defense (273YPG)
..Patriots #5-NFL Offense (393YPG)
..Patriots #5-Pass Offense (266YPG)
,,QB-Patrick Mahomes (5375P-50TD)
..TE-Travis Kelce (110R-13YPC)
..WR-Tyreek Hill (95R-17YPC)
..RB-Damien Williams (455Y) last 5-games
..QB-Tom Brady (4698P-30TD)
..RB-James White (102R)
..WR-Julian Edelman (83R)
..TE-Rob Gronkowski (48R)
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(Coaching Moves)
Raiders…Hire AJ Smith-ex Chargers GM-as assistant to GM-Mike Manock
Eagles..Fire Eugene Chung OL coach..Gunter Brewer-WR coach..Chris Wilson-DL coach
Browns..Hire Joe Whitt-DB coach-ex Packers
Denver..Hire Wade Harman-TE coach-ex Falcons
Denver..Hire Reynaldo Hill-DB coach-ex Miami
Denver..Fire Bill Musgrave-Off Coord
Arizona..Hire Greg Brown-DB coach-ex Denver
Dallas..Fire Doug Colman-Asst Special Teams
Vikings..Fire Todd Downing-TE coach
Packers..Interview Shawn Jefferson-WR coach-ex Miami
Packers..Interview Kirk Olivadotti-LB coach-Redskins
Packers..Interview Adam Stenavich-OL coach-49ers
Packers..Interview Frank Pollack-OL coach-ex Bengals
Packers..Fire Scott McCurley-assistant coach
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(Roster Moves)
Seattle..Sign FA-QB-Paxton Lynch-ex Bronos 1st round pick
Chargers..Sign FA-OT-Spencer Drango-ex Browns
(Teams)
Tampa Bay…Former QB-Carson Palmer says Bruce Arians will make Bucs QB Jameis Winston a winner
Seattle..LB-Mychal Kendricks court sentencing on ‘Insider Trading’ moved to April 4th.
Steelers..Say they will open contract extension talks with QB-Ben Roethlisberger
Colts…GM-Chris Ballard says priority offseason…’add good players who are good people
Cincinnati…Mourn passing Turk Schonert-spent 8-years as backup QB…was NFL assistant for 13-years.
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(College Football)
Texas..QB-Shane Buechele says he will transfer..2Y left-could go to SMU.
Utah…QB-Cam Rising-transfers in from Texas
Penn State…Lions lose 11-players..either transferring or filing for NFL draft.
UCLA…RB-Josh Kelly bypasses draft-will play senior year
Northern Illinois…Hire Thomas Hommock as head coach-was RB coach Baltimore Ravens.
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…….(Basketball)…………..
Lakers-W-Oklahoma City (138-128) OT……C-Ivika Zubak (12-14) shooting-finishes with 26-points…Lonzo Ball (18P-9A)….Kyle Kozma (31P)….Lakers hit 19-3s ….wiped out 12-point Thunder lead early……OKC had 22-3 point baskets…..Russell Westbrook awful shooting night again (7-30)… ….,LA (5-7) without LeBron James….Thursday Night action.
Clippers-Golden State….Friday night matchup….Clippers (24-20)…Warriors (31-14)…have won 6-in row and 8-of 9…coming off 147-point outburst on Wednesday vs New Orleans.
Lakers-at-Houston…Road trip continues on Saturday.
Houston…sets record with 70–3 point attempts vs Brooklyn
Houston..James Harden sets NBA record…averaging (41PPG) over last 20-games
Golden State…Warriors-New Orleans combine hit 43-3 point shots in Golden State (147-140) win.
Detroit..Blake Griffin fined 15,000-for tirade with refs.
Miami…Fines G-Dion Watiers 10,000-criticism of coaching staff
Aztecs…off weekend…play at Fresno State next Tuesday.
USD-W-Portland..(76-55)…Torerors jump out to 11-1 lead to-start…blowout the Pilots in road game ..Thursday game
USD-at-St Mary’s on Saturday.
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……….(Hockey)……….
Ducks-W-Minnesota Wild (3-0)….Ducks snap 12-game losing streak…G-John Gibson dominant 38-saves outing….
Kings-W-Dallas (2-1)….Jack Campbell 29-save outing in goal for LA..
Ducks-at-New Jersey…Saturday game..
Kings-at-Colorado…Saturday road game..
Ducks…Make 4-trades in 48-hour span to shakeup roster….Acquiring F-Justin Kloose-Minnesota..Devin Shore-Dallas..Derek Grant-Penguins….D-Mike Del Zatto-Vancouver.
Gulls-Bakersfield…Saturday night AHL action…Gulls (12-0-3) stretch..now in 2nd place.
Carolina-Minnesota…Trade…Hurricane deal F-Victor Rask to Wild for F-Nino Niederreiter.
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…………(General)………..
PGA Golf…Desert Open…Phil Mickelson torches field (-12-60)….had an eagle and 9-birides…has 4-stroke lead over Adam Long-Curtis Luck.
Australian Open….Novak Djokovic moves to 3rd round with win…Serena Williams wins 6-2, 6-2 over Eugenie Bouchard…Venus Williams also wins.
Boxing…Carnelo Alvarez signs to fight Daniel Jacobs in middlweight unification bout…..May 4th in Las Vegas….Alvarez (51-1-2)…..Jacobs (35-2).
Soccer…Deposed Manchester United coach Josie Mourinho says he ‘belongs in top level soccer’…..has been outsded from last three jobs….Man U-Chelsea-Real Madrid.
English Premeir Legue…Top games this weekend
..Liverpool (18-1-3)-vs Crystal Palace
..Manchester City (17-3-2)-vs-Huddersfield
..Hotspur (16-6)-vs-Fulham
..Arsenal (12-5-5)-vs-Chelsea (14-3-5)
..Manchester United-vs-Brighton…Man U won 6-of-7…now (12-5-5)
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