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“SPORTS DARK DAY”
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You cover this long enough, you think you see virtually everything you can see, feel every emotion you can, and cope with all on the sports horizon.

Not the case on Monday, from start to finish, an awful day of stories.

COLORADO..The emotional outpouring press conference from Coach Prime, as Deion Sanders details his 14-surgery fight against Bladder Cancer, the chemo treatment, making out his last will and testament, and then learning at this point he is cancer free.  Admitting his life is forever changed.  And of course now we watch to see if he will be able to handle the hours and rigors and pressures of being CU’s head coach going forward.

TEXAS..A judge sentences a 55-year old man to 2 and a half years in prison for sending threatening and sexually explicit texts to WNBA star Caitlin Clark.  The stalker travelled to Indianapolis and was in the hotel lobby where Clark was staying when apprehended.  Beyond scary.

CLEVELAND..A stunning story of the FBI gambling probe of Guardians relief ace Emmanuel Clase and his removal from the Cleveland roster for at least 60-days if not longer, for large bets placed on certain innings of games he pitched in.  Devastating to the Guardians and his career.

CHICAGO..The heartbreak across baseball as Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, the so popular Cubs-Phillies star, lost his battle to Cancer at age 65, just 6-months after it was announced he was cancer free-only to have it return.

PHILADELPHIA..An ugly clubhouse argument, face to face, Bryce Harper vs Commissioner  Rob Manfred over baseball economics, and MLB’s public statements about wanting a salary cap in the next CBA talks.  Cooler heads prevailed but Harper ordered Manfred out of the clubhouse, and the Commissioner stood there refusing to budge.

DALLAS..Your worst fears realized in one day on an NFL practice field, losing your LT-LG and then a CB with serious knee or neck injuries on the Cowboys practice field.

NEW YORK..NFL headquarters under siege, with a mentally ill Las Vegas casino employee trying to storm the NFL league office at 945-Park Avenue.  A shooting spree where he killed 4-people, including a police officer, rode an elevator to the wrong floor, got off and started shooting again, then shot himself in the chest.  The suicide victim left a 3-page letter in his wallet, blaming the NFL for head injuries, his own mental health problems, and not taking care of the players over the years.  The man never played in the NFL.  But think about the horrors, after he wounded an NFL employee-shooting him in the back, what could have happened-would have happened it the man had gotten off at the 5th floor and walked into the NFL League office with that AR-15 long rifle, rather than getting off at the wrong floor on level 33.

It all started at 10am-covering the Colorado Coach Prime Story.  By 6pm we were tracking information about the near tragedy in the NFL.

You never expect days like this. So different from expecting to cover the trade deadline, ballgames and NFL training camp notes.  Sadly, what our society has become.
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“AZTECS–IN NEED OF WINS”
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San Diego State football..in a place we never expected them to be.
Without wins, without fans, about to be without the Mountain West Conference

Coach Sean Lewis enters his second season surrounded by chaos.  Roster turnover.  Roster defections.  49-and-55 new players the past two years.  Virtually no continuity.

A team with a (7-19) record over the last two plus year, after having seen Brady Hoke-Rocky Long guide the program to a combined (106-48) record over a decade plus, complemented by bowl games

Even worse, attendance has plunged at Snapdragon Stadium.  From 15,973-season tickets in year one, to just over 5,900 currently.  More bothersome, the final two home games of last year’s (3-9) collapse, just over 10,000-fans showed up in person to see SDSU lose again.

The ticket prices remain high.  The exit of the MWC to be part of the new look at Pac 12-has been met with virtually no emotional charge, considering the Pac 12 is no longer USC-UCLA-Oregon-Washington, but more and more this looks like MWC-2.0.

Coach Sean Lewis preseason workout press conference comments:
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Excited to do some football this year

Different feel this year..better comfort in building with what we are doing
Still reviewing scholarship limits from 85 grants to 20-walkons

Need continuity-retention of our roster is taking place
Had only 1-staff member exit
Not doom-gloom in college football
We will build momentum

Autopsy-we learned alot..painful learning was necessary
Lack of development-lack of depth-we have addressed that
We must learn how to win..3-losses by 9-total points
We have 24-days now to get better and polish in the bubble
We want players consistently good who can be great
Retaining our leaders was critical..they wanted to stay
Motivated-inspired whole lockeroom

Time for us to win…we did not win enough..3 wins is painful
We talk alot about money with NIL..having a GM helps us alot
Excitement is players have money in their pocket..better environment
In the past-we spent time helping players with their family problems

Coach’s Book Club…handed out Jay Bilas book on ‘Toughness’
Keeps referring to Mt Everest..higher you go-air gets thinner-it gets tougher
That is what we want to do-climb Mt Everest

We have 26-players recruited already..our players are our calling card
Highest ranked class in MWC already
Our leaders met with those recruits-sold them on believing

3-9 never acceptable..I was poor…need to understand detail of the plan
Developing this team is not like making (:90) rice..this takes time
We are in base camp-ready to scale mountain-done work-let’s go do this

QB-Jaden Denegal..growth-learning offense without use of GPS
He has learned language-gained confidence

Bert Emanuel..Super power to run-explosive playmaker-find his role
Want to use all of our players to add to what we can do
Emanuel..high character player-we will develop his role

Tre White-gets lots attention-pressure is a privilege-became a star
His results came as he bought into the process
Identify the talent-build it thru our environment
1-of best players in college football..make everyone dangerous
Has added more techniques to improve his game

Ross Maseuli moves to OC-played guard out of critical need
Tall trees in offensive line..big people beat up little people
We think protecting QB is utmost to offense

Luxury Marquez Cooper-to have 5,000-yard player-looking for next one
Lucky Sutton..Byron Cardwell..Christian Washington knocking at door
Lucky Sutton’s time
Caldwell started at Oregon-pads come figure out what we have

Jordan Napier-learned and became a star
We have explosive guys in that WR room
We have speed with genetic traits
Let them compete-see who steps up

Big question..how physical are we..how tough are we.
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Practices open to season ticket holders the next two weeks
Fan Fest-Thursday night-August 14th-scrimmage Snapdragon Stadium
Pulled curtain back-take the helmet off-introduce our players to fans
August 21st…Team dinner on the USS Midway
Entire team has 3.0-GPA from last year
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“A CAREER IN A WEEKEND”
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What a great day it was in Cooperstown at the Baseball Hall of Fame, as the 5-enshrinees spoke about their careers.

Cheers-Tears..stories..smiles.

ICHIURO SUZUKI…Amazing he spoke English all the time and no one in Seattle even knew that, and here he was giving a 20-minute speech about his values, his career and his thanks.  His statement about ‘responsibility to himself, his team, the game and the fans, drove home the dedication that drove him.  Amazing player and a more amazing person.

CC SABATHIA…A dominant pitcher, who pitched for good teams, bad teams and a championship team.  A story of growth, maturity, respect for the game, and more importantly a family.  All from somebody who started in the majors at age 20, and survived a stay in alcohol rehab at such a young age.  And now in his post career, has grown into a leader of man, after being a leader on the mound.  You see his influence, now he is involved with the Commissioner’s office

BILLY WAGNER…He brought it, just like he pitched it, high and hard.  His speech was flowered with praise for all the great Astros-Mets players he crossed paths with.

DAVE PARKER..In death the stories of his impact everywhere across baseball, players he touched, influenced, played with and against.  So many saying so many good things about the Cobras and legendary Pirates star from the We Are Family days.

DICK ALLEN…A career and a lifetime of doing it his way and doing it well.  All powerful bat, all powerful personality.  Not everyone’s cup of tea, but he lived a life of courage, change, history.  Pride and power.
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“NAMES IN THE NEWS”
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Thoughts-comments on names in the sports world at this hour

DYLAN CEASE…Send out a search mission for the guy what pitched like an ace for chunks of the Padres seasons for a couple of years.  There are still strikeouts, but the pitch counts are so high, the home runs allowed are coming back, and they cannot get his release point and mechanics back to where they were a year ago when he was dominant mid season.  Would have never imagined he’d be (3-10) with a (4.59-ERA) but here we are with just 6-decent starts this season.

 

ROBERT SUAREZ…They found him after tours in Mexico-Japan, guided him to become an All Star, and now seem bent on trading him because he can opt out at the end of the season.  This is a tough loss if this deal goes thru, of course you have to give something to get something.

MOOKIE BETTS..It is a mystery, his inability to hit anywhere near what he has hit since coming from the Red Sox.  The stomach virus that cost him 20-pounds in spring training, then a toe injury.  And now a summer long slump that has his average down to (.239).  The fear is that he has lost his bat speed.

DUSTIN MAY…Rumor is that LA would deal him, after his dedication to come back from two elbow surgeries and the emergency throat surgery last winter, but they are so deep in pitching in the system, maybe they feel to get a really good closer they have to give up an established starter, thus a possible deal.

MIKE TROUT..He has not asked to be traded.  The Angels owner does not like the idea of a complete teardown-rebuild, but it seems like the Halos are wasting the career of Trout.  The home run hitter could bring a big package of talent, notably pitching to compliment all the young guys in their batting order.  What better way to push this Angels rebuild by letting Trout go to a pennant contender and get enough young arms for a possible Hall of Famer?

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“TRADE RUMOR TIME”
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PADRES..Sitting and waiting for AJ Preller to do something to trigger his team’s comeback in the Wildcard playoff race.  The National beat writers are reporting Preller is shopping a possible 3-for-1 deal to get OF-Jarran Druan from Boston-but the cost might be relief ace Robert Suarez.  Also a report he is shopping P-Dylan Cease in a rental deal to get possibly a catcher.  And the thrid trade talk involves Braves C-Sean Murphy.Just asking, if you trade established guys to fill one hole on your roster, but don’t you created other holes?  And also-if you trade a contract before you take on a contract, is addition by subtraction really good?

DODGERS..What a nitemare.  Now 19-pitchers have gone on the disabled list, the latest being this year’s closer Tanner Scott with a damaged elbow.  They desperately need a closer and Emmanuel Clase seems to be the one they want-need.  Sources say the price tag might involve young starter Landon Knack, top young OF-prospect Josua DePaula and another prospect.  Makes sense to me.  They are very deep in the minors and you don’t get unless you give.

ANGELS..What an uphill run.  Some good spurts get them close to (.500) then they lose a series and skid down the ladder again.  A decent bounce back season, they won’t lose 99-games this year, but they are not a playoff team, and are still very-very young on that 26-man roster.  Spinning their wheels?  No.  But very slow progress in terms of stockpiling.  Outside of Mike Trout, in a comeback season, is there anybody that excites Angels Fans?

METS..In need of pitching, looking to rent an arm.  Can you say Dylan Cease.
YANKEES.. A black hole at 3B-can you say Nolan Arenado
PHILLIES..A real need in the bullpen-might you think Robert Suarez
CUBS..Want another starting pitcher-maybe Mitch Keller
ARIZONA..Fire sale coming-how do you face fans if you deal your 3B-1B-P
SEATTLE..Want another bat-take a look at Eugenio Suarez
PIRATES..Will it ever end-trading younger talent-the latest Mitch Keller
TIGERS..Need another starter-look at Seth Lugo

The Trade Deadline is next week.  Here come the deals.
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