MLB

Labor fights, new competition, invisible players: Why MLB may be sports' biggest loser during COVID-19 pandemic
MLB

As professional sports peeks its collective head out from the cover of a pandemic, and methodically finds a path to re-starting its leagues, the uncertainty runs far beyond how many games they may play, whether championships will be awarded and when fans might be allowed to view it all in person. No, the greater unknown lies in what changes brought about by mitigating COVID-19 may become permanent, and how they

Former middle linebacker Luke Kuechly joins Carolina Panthers' front office as pro scout
MLB

Luke Kuechly will return to help the Carolina Panthers try to win football games this season … just not from his customary middle linebacker position. Kuechly, 29, who retired in January after eight star-studded seasons, is moving up to the team's front office to serve as a pro scout. "During the season, it'll be player evaluation and then advance scouting stuff," the seven-time Pro Bowler told the team's website Thursday, when

MLB players stand firm, 'resoundingly' reject plan
MLB

Baseball players reaffirmed their stance for full prorated pay, leaving a huge gap with teams that could scuttle plans to start the coronavirus-delayed season around the Fourth of July and may leave owners focusing on a schedule as short as 50 games. More than 100 players, including the union’s executive board, held a two-hour digital meeting with officials of the Major League Baseball Players Association on Thursday, a day after

Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara and other Saints forgive Drew Brees: 'Let's focus back on the real issue'
MLB

Drew Brees may have talked himself into a bad spot, but it seems like at least a few of his teammates are willing to forgive him. In an interview with Yahoo Finance, the Saints quarterback reiterated his stance against kneeling during the national anthem, saying he’ll “never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America.” Meanwhile, Brees completely ignored the issue — police brutality and racial injustice

NFL coaching staffs can return to facilities Friday
MLB

The NFL informed teams on Thursday that coaching staffs will be permitted to return to team facilities and the maximum number of personnel allowed in those facilities will be increased to 100, beginning Friday. “As has been emphasized in previous advice on reopening facilities, this may occur only if your club has otherwise received necessary permission from state and local governments to reopen its facility,” said a memo sent to

Ranking every No. 1 overall pick in MLB draft history
MLB

Sports reporter, Kansas City Star, 2002-09 Writer, Baseball, Baseball Prospectus Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus Member, Baseball Writers Association of America Member, Professional Basketball Writers Association On June 10, the evening of the 56th MLB first-year player draft, some happy amateur baseball star — probably Arizona State first baseman Spencer Torkelson — will become the 55th player to be picked first overall. Yes, there have been more drafts than players picked

New Orleans Saints' Malcolm Jenkins to teammate Drew Brees: 'You're part of the problem'
MLB

Amid a chorus of criticism Wednesday for New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, perhaps the most stinging came from teammate Malcolm Jenkins.  Responding to Brees' comments in a Yahoo Finance interview in which the NFL's all-time leading passer made it clear he wouldn't be in favor of players taking a knee during the national anthem this season – as they have in the past to protest racial injustice and police brutality – Jenkins

Throwing to buddies and living at home, Joe Burrow's NFL journey starts with an audible
MLB

ESPN Staff Writer Previously a college football writer for The Dallas Morning News University of North Texas graduate Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is reliving his childhood before he officially joins the real world. The top overall pick in April’s NFL draft is back home in Athens County, Ohio, living with his parents and looking for empty fields so he can throw passes to his friends. The Heisman Trophy he

Clemson Tigers assistant football coach Danny Pearman apologizes in statement for using racial slur at practice
MLB

Clemson special teams coordinator Danny Pearman released a statement Tuesday night after former Tigers football player Kanyon Tuttle took head coach Dabo Swinney to task earlier in the day on Twitter contending that an assistant coach called a player "the N-word during practice with no repercussions." Tuttle didn't identify the coach or player in the incident, but former Clemson tight end D.J. Greenlee told The State newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, that

NFL player labels league’s George Floyd statement as ‘complete trash’
MLB

Jacksonville Jaguars safety Peyton Thompson has labelled the NFL’s statement on the death of George Floyd as “complete trash” while revealing he was told by his coaches not to kneel in protest during the national anthem in 2016. The NFL responded to the death of Floyd at the hands of white police officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on his neck for nine minutes, by insisting the league was “saddened” by