New women’s soccer, field hockey and softball fields among the next phase of UMaine’s upgrade

Betty D. Cooper 0 comments

September 17 – When it comes to upgrading the University of Maine’s athletic facilities, Ken Ralph wants to get to work.

Morse Field, home of the football team, was the first beneficiary with a new artificial turf surface replacing the old obsolete and deteriorating surface.

Today, Ralph, UMaine’s sports director, said the school has reduced the number of architectural firms that will design the project to eight, and that it hopes to have “the one” selected as soon as possible.

The improvements were made possible by a $ 90 million donation from the Harold Alfond Foundation which will ultimately improve the grounds and facilities for 17 varsity sports. The university is in the process of raising an additional $ 20 million.

The chosen company will provide the university with a master plan for the entire project and hire contractors to start the project, Ralph said.

“We don’t want a plan for one field and wait until that is done before we design the plan for the next field,” Ralph said. “We don’t want a project to take 16 months when it could have been done in four. The Alfond donation will be spread over 10 years but we do not want it to take 10 years to do everything.

A field for the women’s soccer team remains at the top of the list.

The women have been playing on the Mahaney Diamond baseball field since 2015 in order to use a synthetic turf surface comparable to the surfaces of their opponents in America East. Previously, they had played on Alumni Field, a grass field with poor drainage.

“It’s not fair to them. They deserve their own domain,” Ralph said, noting that the arrangement had always irritated him.

New softball and field hockey fields will be among the next projects. Ralph said the school intended to embark on smaller projects as well.

Ralph said they intend to be progressive in their “adaptive reuse of space” by finding new ways to use old spaces that become available as a result of upgrades.

“The University of West Virginia built a beautiful new pool and turned the old pool into a strength and conditioning center,” he said.

The original master plan has been changed, Ralph said, based on feedback the school received when it was first posted.

“We want our facilities to be as good if not better than those in Eastern America. That’s our goal,” he said.

Ralph hopes to have the new master plan in place this winter.

He said the university would announce some developments in its fundraising efforts soon.

Other planned upgrades at UMaine include a 2,500-3,000 seat basketball facility on campus so teams don’t have to play at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, a stand-alone outdoor track and a domed training ground to replace the Mahaney Dome, and the refurbishment of the 45-year-old Alfond arena.


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“The big guys, they got it”: Darius Robinson’s transition to football | Tiger kick off

Betty D. Cooper 0 comments

Andy LaFata could tell right away that Darius Robinson had changed.

Robinson had grown an inch – to around 6 feet 5 inches – since the Canton, Michigan high school football coach met him a year earlier, and Robinson entered his senior season at 240. books. But the difference was more than physical.

After playing as a rotational defensive lineman in his freshman year of high school football a year earlier, Robinson was back with renewed focus.

He demonstrated how he transformed his body, setting an example in the weight room. The young players saw what he did every day and in turn listened to Robinson when he spoke. After a week of practice, the team elected Robinson, who two years earlier had not been on the program, to be captain.

Now a junior at Missouri, Robinson is one of a handful of players who get snaps on the defensive line. As recently as his sophomore year of high school, college football wasn’t even on his mind.

“We’re still looking for someone like Darius,” LaFata said. “And the guys who worked with him remember him. The seniors were now freshmen, but they remember how he was the leader of the program. People listened to him because he worked so hard. Everyone saw it. He wasn’t just talking. He went out and did it. You see him sometimes in high school, but the grown-ups have it, and he had it.

Robinson had long been obsessed with sports, and while LaFata didn’t see him for a year in their relationship, his caring attitude wasn’t new either. In the little leagues of football, 8-year-old Robinson led his team in stretches during every practice.

Baseball was her first love, however. He regularly spent entire Sundays watching three games, back to back, without reducing his attention span. He kept the same razor sharp focus on the diamond, where he played catcher. While other kids struggled with the intricacies of baseball, Robinson never had this problem, always knowing what base to pitch, always charging to save a play.

He was always the biggest player on his team, whether it was baseball, football, basketball or soccer. His brother, Reginald, remembers opposing parents and coaches regularly asking to see his birth certificate.

Reginald Robinson is not a traditional older brother. Twenty-three years older than Robinson, the two had different educations. Education had always been a priority for the brothers’ mother, Valori, but she had relaxed her standards by the time Darius went to school. Reginald often had strict surrogacy requirements for playing sports. Darius’ career was more favored.

“Because of the age difference, it’s always like we’ve both grown up as only children,” Reginald told the Missourian. “Definitely a unique experience on both sides just with the age difference and sometimes feeling like I’m playing the daddy role when I’m just trying to be a knowledgeable big brother.”

Due to their different childhoods, a future in college sport for Robinson was not on Reginald’s mind. He remembers meeting a friend at his brother’s football game.

“Oh, is that your little brother?” His friend asked. “Dude, he’s really good.”

Reginald hadn’t thought about how much better his little brother was than everyone else.

For high school, Valori enrolled Darius in Canton Prep, a private school with no football program. Unlike Reginald, Darius had thought about a future in the sport after high school, and at that point, basketball seemed like the best path given his height and build.

He played his first two years of high school. His biggest contribution to the floor in the hoops, which he continued to play after the transfer, was his physique and intensity, the same attributes that had made him successful on the football field.

“A lot of guys, high school basketball players, they all want to shoot,” LaFata said. “Nobody wants to go into the paint and get a little dirty and get some rebounds. But Darius was taking that body and throwing it all over the place, and he wasn’t afraid to use his hands to play basketball. Drew fouls here and there. You get five, you might as well use them.

But fundamentally, Robinson was passable as a basketball player, not spectacular. And definitely not good enough to get the kind of college look he was hoping for. In his sophomore year, one of Canton Prep’s basketball coaches suggested he transfer and return to football.

Reginald did his due diligence with his older brother, researching Canton High to make sure he was good enough academically. After finding no red flags, he encouraged Valori to allow Robinson to transfer.

“I thought it was a kid who was just a kid, trying to make adult decisions,” Reginald said. “But overall I was like, ‘Hey, if he wants to play football, and this is his opportunity, I was all for it. “”

When Robinson arrived at Canton High, LaFata compared him to a giant sculpture: the frame and the foundation were there, but he needed to be molded and sculpted until he became a fine football player.

Canton High had several returns on the defensive line, so Robinson hasn’t seen the pitch in every drop in his freshman year. He caught the attention of colleges mainly because of his size and athleticism. The fact that he hadn’t really played football at a high level made him even more attractive; college coaches could chisel it out of granite the same way LaFata would attempt.

The Robinson’s first division that I am proposing was from Toledo. Sixteen more came during his junior year.

“In high school, you think you have to play your freshman, sophomore, junior year, and senior year to get offers,” Robinson said in 2020. “I just got most of my offers right after a year, so that was honestly shocking to me and my family.

Offers in hand, Robinson expected more of himself in his senior year. Prior to the season, he harassed LaFata to play him on offense and ultimately got reps at close range.

“Darius can block,” LaFata said. “He’s mean. That’s the way he was. So obviously SEC football, a little different, but he flipped that switch. He was a bad guy there, and he wanted to let you know he was. a bad person.

That year, Canton High rode Robinson as much as he could. Playing on both sides of the ball, he rarely went out of the field. He mostly blocked on offense, and LaFata regretted not giving him the ball more to use his speed and catching ability.

“It was just like one of those players who just wouldn’t be turned down,” LaFata said. “He knew he wanted something, and he just went out and took it.”


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New women’s soccer, field hockey and softball fields among the next phase of UMaine’s upgrade

Betty D. Cooper 0 comments

When it comes to modernizing the University of Maine’s athletic facilities, Ken Ralph wants to go for it.

Morse Field, home of the football team, was the first beneficiary with a new artificial turf surface replacing the old obsolete and deteriorating surface.

Today, Ralph, UMaine’s sports director, said the school has reduced the number of architectural firms that will design the project to eight, and that it hopes to have “the one” selected as soon as possible.

The improvements were made possible by a $ 90 million donation from the Harold Alfond Foundation which will ultimately improve the grounds and facilities for 17 varsity sports. The university is in the process of raising an additional $ 20 million.

The chosen company will provide the university with a master plan for the entire project and hire contractors to start the project, Ralph said.

“We don’t want a plan for one field and wait until that is done before we design the plan for the next field,” Ralph said. “We don’t want a project to take 16 months when it could have been done in four. The Alfond donation will be spread over 10 years but we do not want it to take 10 years for everything to be done.

A field for the women’s soccer team remains at the top of the list.

The women have been playing on the Mahaney Diamond baseball field since 2015 in order to use a synthetic turf surface comparable to the surfaces of their opponents in America East. Previously, they had played on Alumni Field, a grass field with poor drainage.

“It’s not fair to them. They deserve their own domain, ”said Ralph, noting that the arrangement had always irritated him.

New softball and field hockey fields will be among the next projects. Ralph said the school intended to embark on smaller projects as well.

Ralph said they intend to be progressive in their “adaptive reuse of space” by finding new ways to use old spaces that become available as a result of upgrades.

“The University of West Virginia built a beautiful new pool and turned the old pool into a strength and conditioning center,” he said.

The original master plan has been changed, Ralph said, based on feedback the school received when it was first posted.

“We want our facilities to be as good if not better than those in Eastern America. This is our goal, ”he said.

Ralph hopes to have the new master plan in place this winter.

He said the university would announce some developments in its fundraising efforts soon.

Other planned upgrades at UMaine include a 2,500-3,000 seat basketball facility on campus so teams don’t have to play at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, a stand-alone outdoor track and a domed training ground to replace the Mahaney Dome, and the refurbishment of the 45-year-old Alfond arena.


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“A Calming Force”: Basketball court honors longtime community leader; dedication Saturday | Local News

Betty D. Cooper 0 comments

A Saturday dedication at the Michael L. Phillips Memorial basketball court in Lost Creek Grove honors a longtime community leader, student advocate and father remembered as one who encouraged others to give their best. ‘themselves.

Scheduled for 11 a.m., the ceremony begins with a tribute to Phillips, himself a former member of the Indiana State University basketball team.



Tribune-Star / Joseph C. GarzaRemembering Michael: Rita Phillips, seated, poses for a photo on the court dedicated to her late husband, Michael L. Phillips, with Stacia, Amaya, Brodric, Marc and Alina Phillips on Wednesday at Lost Creek Grove.




“My dad loved the community and all the people of The Grove,” his son Marc Phillips said of the reason for the basketball tribute. The Grove meeting place is located at the corner of Hunt Road and Haythorne Avenue.

The commemorative project was born a few Christmas seasons ago when Marc got together with his family. The adults explained that they wanted to stop spending money on each other on gifts. Instead, they decided to make a donation in honor of Mike Phillips, who passed away in 2007.

They knew they wanted to make a basketball court, Marc said, so they started saving. They got cost estimates and they set up an online fundraising account. Additional funds were raised, but contributions stagnated after a while.

A large private donation ultimately raised funds, which enabled the recreation project to be completed.

The family – Mike Rita’s wife and four children – knew they wanted to make a sports surface that was safer than concrete and that would reduce injuries on the pitch.

The innovative court slab system measures approximately 50 feet by 31 feet and is sycamore blue. The surface is durable, absorbs shock and reduces fatigue.

“Dad was a loving and generous person who cared about his family and his community,” Marc said as he reflected on his father’s life. “He was a man who spent his time on Earth trying to make it a better place. It was important for my family to do this project because we thought it was a great way to remember my dad while giving back to the community.

After deciding on the project, the Phillips family reached out to Dee Reed, who is on The Grove’s board of directors. The council supported the basketball court project.

“Mike was always happy and smiling. Always involve the children. Always encouraging, ”Reed said of The Grove community’s relationship with Phillips. “He made you feel so comfortable. We hear memories of students at ISU, and it has really helped a lot of students. He wanted them to be good people.

Reed said Phillips was a good mentor and has helped “hundreds, if not thousands” of students in his work at ISU.

The Grove is a rural recreation area founded as part of the Lost Creek settlement of people who migrated from North Carolina in the early 1800s. It became a place for people of color in the area to socialize. , organize baseball games and get together as a family.

The grove has been overseen by a council of guardians since the early 1900s.

“We are here to continue to keep the story of the Lost Creek Settlement alive,” Reed said, “because when you think about what they did – the dangers they faced and the bravery and courage – they pursued a quality of life that was important to them and their families.

The new basketball court was part of this community maintenance mission.

Mike Phillips was active in the Ross-Anderson family reunion.

Usually he was in charge of games and entertainment and organized activities such as a soaking cabin and water balloon throws, his son Marc said.

“I remember the day before the family reunion. My brother and I would stand and fill the tub with water balloons, ”Marc said.

Their dad made games the highlight of family reunions, they included all ages and generated lots of laughs while creating memories.

“Mike has always worked to find games at family gatherings that children and adults can join in,” Rita Phillips said of her husband. “He would love the addition of the basketball court for everyone to enjoy.”

Phillips was a member of the 1967-68 ISU men’s basketball team, which was inducted into the Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2005. The ISU had a magical basketball season in 1967-68 as the Sycamores finished the year 23-8. The team was also a national finalist in the NCAA College Division after traveling through the NCAA tournament until the championship game.

Phillips graduated from ISU in 1969, then built a professional career on campus.

After graduation, he started working in the Office of Student Financial Aid and was eventually promoted to director. In 1995, he became a student ombudsman, helping students resolve issues regarding university policies or procedures.

Phillips was due to retire at the end of the semester after 37 years serving the institution he loved upon his death in January 2007. He has been remembered as a “gentle giant” in the many tributes to his death.

“I’m often stopped by strangers who somehow figured out that Mike Phillips was my dad,” Marc said. “They often share with me how he was a mentor, a calming force, a trusted advisor and how he had a major impact on their lives.”

The public is invited to attend Saturday’s dedication and share memories of Phillips and his impact in the community.

Lisa Trigg can be reached at 812-231-4254 or [email protected] Follow her on Twitter at TribStarLisa.


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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Sheehan’s game and mindset in Permian sets him up for the next level

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Permian captains Jaxon Dorethy (35), Johnny Martinez, Cooper Sheehan (50) and Kayden Baze (10) enter the pitch to participate in the draw ahead of their game against Amarillo Tascosa on September 10 at Ratliff Stadium. (Eli Hartman | American Odessa)

Permian’s Cooper Sheehan has attracted the attention of several Division I programs because of his play on the offensive line.

The Good Tackle has offerings from both the Air Force and the Army, and he’s been in talks with several programs within the state.

He was also proposed by the UTPB in the ranks of Division II in February.

Throughout his senior season, Sheehan wants to show colleges why they should take a chance on ending their offensive attacks.

Before turning his attention to the college game, Sheehan wants to help the Permian football team achieve the highest level of success possible in their final round with the program.

The competition the Panthers have faced in the off-district game helps motivate the good tackle to continue to use their size and speed to their advantage.

Measuring 6 feet 4 inches and 250 pounds, Sheehan executes a dash from 4.89 to 40 yards.

He used those factors in last week’s 40-21 loss to Amarillo Tascosa, resisting pass protection and blocking the run against players like Avion Carter, a four-star rookie in the Class of 2023.

Permian head coach Jeff Ellison said Sheehan became much more confident early in his senior campaign after spending part of the offseason playing for the Permian baseball team.

When he returned to football, he quickly regained his sense of the game.

“He was successful in both, did a great job in baseball and he came back this summer to get the football vibe back,” Ellison said. “The biggest thing I’ve seen of him is his overall confidence as a football player.”

Having played every position on the offensive line since third year, Sheehan takes a cerebral approach when he’s in the right spot for the tackle.

He doesn’t let play against tough opponents, teaming up with right guard Harris Sewell to protect their teammates in the backfield.

“I just go out there and do what I do best and rely on my strength and speed to do what I should be able to do,” Sheehan said. “It goes against the best defensemen.

“I can handle them.”

Sheehan’s mentality and work ethic marked his teammates so much that they elected him team captain ahead of the 2021 season.

Ellison said it shows how much Sheehan has grown and the respect his teammates have for him.

The head coach believes his player is well prepared for the challenges he will face throughout the season and when he takes it to the next level.

“He understands what he needs to improve and his work ethic will help him,” Ellison said.

Sheehan said Ellison, a former offensive line coach, taught him important lessons about his job.

“He mostly taught me everything I know, just to get me ready for the season,” said Sheehan. “He taught me the technique, the withdrawal of the ball and everything I need to know.

Although Sheehan is not sure where he will pursue his playing career, he does know he wants to prove his scouts right.

Along with his offerings, he was also put on a watchlist over the summer for the Blue-Gray All-American Bowl to showcase his skills.

Sheehan and the Panthers will close the out-of-district game against Mesquite Poteet at 7 p.m. Friday at Ratliff Stadium.

“It makes me feel like I have all my eyes on me to be a leader and show people why I have these offers,” Sheehan said.

>> Follow Chris Amaya on Twitter at @OA_CAmaya


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Last calls for Nicky Lopez, Eric Lauer, paying for Garrett Hampson and more – The Athletic

Betty D. Cooper 0 comments

In one of the final waivers of the season, be as aggressive as you want. Go well above the recommended benchmark auctions you see here if you like. As always, we cover your possible cuts in the comments section. Feel free to get rid of some big name players right now if you need to. For those looking for specific programming tips for the week ahead, be sure to bookmark Al Mechior.

Hitters

Garrett Hampson, 2B / OF, COL (39% registered in CBS leagues)

Adding all the Colorado players available at this point in September may be a good idea. Hampson can fill in for you in the middle of the infield or outfield and has been hitting well over the past month, so get on board for the end-of-season run. Over the past 30 days, Hampson has hit 0.304 with five home runs, 12 RBIs and 14 runs scored. Keep in mind that after this weekend, the Rockies will host nine straight games at Coors Field. ‘

Recommended FOB Bid: 35% of your available budget in 12-team mixed leagues, 40% in 15-team mixed leagues.

Lorenzo Cain, OF, MIL (21%)

Cain still makes fantastic quality contributions at 35. It can be a valuable part of your last push this season and is a very attractive addition to quitting. In the past two-plus weeks, he’s hit 0.333 with two home runs, nine RBIs and two interceptions. Cain can give you a bit of everything at the end of the fantasy baseball season. Cain is also a longtime fantasy football player and will appreciate you adding him to your Championship roster as the final piece of the puzzle. He knows what it’s like to touch the thread of waiver.


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MLB DFS: Top DraftKings, FanDuel Fantasy Baseball Daily Picks, Strategy, Tips for September 16, 2021

Betty D. Cooper 0 comments

Maybe all of baseball had a little chuckle on Wednesday when the Baltimore Fields team was kicked off the field by the umpires in the Yankees-Orioles game. It’s a lot less fun for MLB DFS owners if one of their players gets kicked out. The highest number of ejections of individual players is shared by three this season; Joey Votto, Brad Miller and Manny Machado, who each have two.

After three straight games with one hit on Sept. 9-11 and a three-hit game on Sept. 6, Miller has been silent in his last three games. However, with a light Thursday schedule, should you consider incorporating it into your MLB DFS rosters at $ 2,400 on FanDuel or $ 3,400 on DraftKings? Before making MLB DFS picks, be sure to check out MLB DFS tips, strategy, and projections from SportsLine Fantasy Daily Expert Mike McClure.

McClure is an everyday fantasy pro who has earned nearly $ 2 million during his career. And when it comes to everyday fantasy baseball, McClure is at his best. Recognized in the book “Fantasy Football (and Baseball) for Smart People: How to Turn Your Hobby into a Fortune” as one of the best players in MLB DFS, McClure’s exclusive projection model simulates every game 10,000 times, taking into account factors such as confrontations and recent results. Account. This allows him to find the best values ​​on each site.

On Wednesday, McClure awarded White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada one of his best MLB DFS players. The Result: Moncada rebounded from a quiet performance Tuesday with a 2v4 performance at home plate and a home run. Everyone who included him in their rosters was on track for a profitable day.

Now, as the 2021 MLB season continues, McClure has locked down his daily MLB Fantasy picks for Thursday. Head over to SportsLine now to see them.

McClure’s Top MLB DFS Picks For September 16, 2021

McClure’s top picks on Thursday are Philadelphia outfielder Bryce Harper, who is $ 4,500 on FanDuel and $ 5,700 on DraftKings. Although Harper’s numbers are expected to be some of the best in the league, he has been particularly brilliant in his last six games.

In fact, in his last 24 games, he’s only come out without a hitting in six. In the Phillies’ latest series against Colorado and the one ending tonight against the Cubs, Harper has three homers, two doubles and nine hits in 20 batting. Harper has yet to hit a home run against likely Chicago starter Kyle Hendricks, but has a .308 batting average against him in 13 batting careers.

Another key player in McClure’s Optimal MLB DFS strategy is to stack Harper with outfielder Odubel Herrera. The 29-year-old is just a few games away from a six-game streak, but likely won’t be one of the most sought-after names in Thursday’s MLB DFS player pool.

Although to date he has yet to have the upper hand over Hendricks, the Cubs starter has struggled with his consistency since late August. Principal hitters have caused problems for Hendricks this season, and Herrera is just having the best hitting month he has had in 2021. If Hendricks continues to be sidelined, Herrera should come away with productive hitters.

How To Set Your MLB DFS Rosters For September 16, 2021

McClure is also targeting an undervalued player who is expected to explode in droves on Thursday. The stars align for it to restore the winning value of the tournament and it comes up with a prize that won’t break the bank. You can’t see who it is here.

So what are the top MLB DFS picks for Thursday? Visit SportsLine now to see DFS millionaire Mike McClure’s full player pool and picks for FanDuel and DraftKings, and cash in big on MLB DFS.


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For Basketball Umpires, Accepting Vaccine Mandate Was ‘Not That Difficult’ | Basketball

Betty D. Cooper 0 comments

Late last month, the NBA sent out a short press release announcing an agreement with the union representing the league’s referees to mandate the COVID-19 vaccines. It stipulated that all referees should be fully vaccinated for working matches, including “recommended boosters”.

Otherwise, according to the statement, the referees could not work.

The announcement came after a tumultuous NBA season in which several referees had to miss games because they had been in contact with someone who had tested positive, sometimes forcing the league to call G officials. League to fill the void.

The deal was notable at a time when unions in various industries were divided over whether to accept vaccination mandates for their members. Some unions, like the American Nurses Association, supported the mandates out of concern for the health of their members, while others, including police unions, opposed the mandates, saying they violate members’ rights. make their own health decisions.

The issue has become highly politicized, as have many restrictions around the coronavirus. Vaccination warrants have long been common in schools and colleges and are commonplace for travel between countries.

The National Association of Basketball Umpires represents 145 members who officiate at NBA, WNBA and G League games, in addition to 50 retirees. Their deal stands out in the world of sport and even in their own sport: such a mandate does not exist with NBA players, creating a potentially embarrassing situation in which some league employees are mandated to take the vaccine and ‘others don’t. (The league, however, has issued guidelines that Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, and Golden State Warriors players must be fully vaccinated to play at home, as local rules state that only those who have been vaccinated can enter the games. arenas.)

Of the union’s 73 NBA referees, including five women, 36% are at least 45 years old.

The NBA Players Union did not respond to a request for comment on its position on vaccine warrants. In June, the WNBA announced that 99% of its players had been fully vaccinated. An NBA spokesperson said that number was around 85% for NBA players and the league was “in discussions with the union on a variety of topics for the season, including vaccinations.”

The NFL and MLB do not have similar agreements with their referees or players that the NBA has with its referees. The NHL does not require its players or referees to be vaccinated, but a league spokesperson said on Monday that all of its referees have been vaccinated before the coming season. An MLB spokesperson said the league strongly recommends the vaccines for all umpires and is now considering “adjustments” in light of the recent Food and Drug Administration approval of the Pfizer vaccine, but did not elaborate. whether that would mean a warrant. In March, MLB players’ union leader Tony Clark said the group he leads was against a warrant.

Marc Davis, president of the basketball referees union and referee himself for more than two decades, said in an interview that the deal was born out of a strong relationship with the NBA and that the referees were largely supportive of the mandate.

Can you tell me how the mandate of vaccination arrived?When you have a collaborative environment between management and workers, I think you are constantly working on issues, and there is constant dialogue both ways.

I think if I had to say who introduced the idea, I think it was more the relationship and the constant conversation that arose. I mean, clearly, this was something that is really consistent with our two mission statements, which is to ensure the care and safety of our members and their families.

It is a shared view on vaccines that they are probably one of the three major inventions in human history. And to have that access to this innovative vaccine and allow us to keep working, doing our business, and continuing to work collaboratively, it’s not that hard to start a conversation and get it done.

What is the value of the mandate to the referees union if the players have not accepted one?

Well, first of all, we’re our own independent group, and I think the players will agree. They are also working on their problems. They may have different issues than ours or just a different pace. I cannot talk to them, but I am sure they will solve their problems as well.

The advantage of the warrant is that our officials do commercial flights. They have families they come back to. We are engaged in the basketball business. We are in intimate environments with our players. We recognize the importance of the vaccine. I think this will all work at all levels in all leagues.

Was there significant resistance from union members that this would affect?

From a numbers perspective, I would say no. But their voices were heard. We have expressed their concerns. We have worked on these issues. One of the main issues of concern was FDA approval. And we worked on this until one of the things we negotiated was that no one would be required until FDA approval. It is therefore a common sense approach. You know, of course, the FDA approval came around around the same time we entered into the deal.

Since the players are your colleagues, was there resistance like “Why should we take a warrant if the players didn’t take it?” “

No, because we know that when we started our conversations, they also started conversations. We just struck a deal before them. We did it at our own pace. We were not affected by the decision of another group.

How well did you follow what other unions were doing while you were negotiating? Have you been in contact with other arbitrator unions?

We were in constant communication with the players’ association. We were in constant communication with the hockey, baseball and NFL officials. Other unions, like the mechanics of Southwest Airlines, the employees of United Airlines. They had some very difficult things, and they weren’t able to overcome them. It turned out to be something other than what we agreed to. We just haven’t had that experience with the NBA. It never became a contentious whim.

Do you think the players union should accept one the same way you did?

It is not my role as an executive in our union or a member of another union to discuss or even articulate what I think someone else should or should not be doing. I think they will do what is in the best interest of their riding. We know our best interests.


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Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford thought he would pursue baseball rather than football

Betty D. Cooper 0 comments

Like so many other professional athletes, Matthew Stafford was a star of two sports growing up. He was obviously very good at football, but he was also quite a baseball player as a child. So much so that he thought he would pursue a career in baseball rather than football before becoming an outstanding quarterback in high school.

That’s exactly what he told reporters, saying he got a little better at football in high school and obviously got a scholarship to the University of Georgia.

“Growing up, I probably would have told you that’s what I was going to do until high school hit,” Stafford said of playing baseball. “Baseball at this point in our lives – travel baseball, you were recruited a lot more. Now every eighth grade student in America has a D-1 football scholarship, but that wasn’t the case when we were kids, so you weren’t sure if you were that good at football or not until what you were playing in college and someone offered you a scholarship. Growing up, I liked baseball, I liked football. But I probably would have thought that I was going to play baseball and that football was kind of something I was a little better at, then. “

Stafford was a five-star rookie from Highland Park in Dallas, Texas in the Class of 2006. He was the sixth best rookie, according to 247Sports and received offers from Florida State, Michigan, Oklahoma, of Texas and the state of Oklahoma.

He finally chose Georgia where he threw for 7,731 yards and 51 touchdowns in three seasons before being drafted No. 1 by the Lions in 2009.

Considering the career he’s had, it looks like Stafford picked the right career path on the grill.


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LSU Baseball Leadership in Right Hands with Coach Jay Johnson

Betty D. Cooper 0 comments

Spending just 20 minutes with LSU baseball coach Jay Johnson, it’s easy to see why athletic director Scott Woodward handed the program over to the California prodigy. He achieved levels of success in Arizona that the program had never seen before and in a very short time instilled these practices in Baton Rouge.

LSU’s fan base is passionate and even though Johnson has only been in Baton Rouge for a few months, he’s already feeling the excitement around the Tigers’ schedule and the direction it’s heading.

“I love the support, I love how passionate everyone is about our program and it’s exciting to be a part of rebuilding it,” Johnson said. LSU Country. “I really like the process of putting the pieces in, be it the staff, the players, building our team development process and I got into that and we’re going.”

LSU is currently in the developmental stage of its fall session and for hitters that means getting into the cages, setting up drills, and working on their swing. For throwers, it’s about conditioning their arms. So when the fall practice comes, they can throw seven or eight times.

The 45-day fall training window opens on October 8 and runs until the weekend before Thanksgiving, which has always been Johnson’s favorite time of year. Until then, it’s all about getting the system in place so the team can just go all the way into fall training.

“It’s threefold, putting our system in place versus improving is developing a base to win in baseball and it’s learning our staff,” Johnson said. “I love the fall practice, it’s my favorite time of year, that and the weeks leading up to the season because that’s where we put our teeth to prepare our team and there are a lot of checkboxes. “

Because he’s a freshman coach with LSU, Johnson wants to be methodical in the approach to ground his beliefs on a winning culture so that everything isn’t forced on players in the fall. It’ll be a slow build to get the team where they’re ready for next spring’s opening day, and that’s exactly what they want.

One of the quotes that really stood out during Johnson’s initial press conference in July was that the goal was for Louisiana, Baton Rouge and fans of the baseball program to be proud of the product on the field. Johnson spoke in detail about the steps to get there.

“I think it’s a daily improvement. It’s not about what we do but how we do it and that it’s done with a high level of attention to detail, a very strong ethic. of work and a commitment to be really locked into what’s in front of us, “Johnson said.” We can’t win the opener right now, we can’t win an SEC road game right now. But what we can do is put the pieces in place to be ready on game day.

“I’m really not looking too far, I just want everyone to have a good idea that the right things are going on in this building to get this far.”


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