The first date rookies can report to NFL training camp is Tuesday. Players still have questions about various league safety protocols when practices start again.
<p class=”canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm” type=”text” content=”UPDATE: The biggest news to come out of the meeting was that the NFL and NFLPA agreed to daily testing for COVID-19 at the start of training camp. After the first two weeks of camp players will be tested every other day if the number of positive tests for a team is under 5 percent.” data-reactid=”16″>UPDATE: The biggest news to come out of the meeting was that the NFL and NFLPA agreed to daily testing for COVID-19 at the start of training camp. After the first two weeks of camp players will be tested every other day if the number of positive tests for a team is under 5 percent.
Preseason on league meeting agenda
<p class=”canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm” type=”text” content=”One of the key sticking points is the preseason. Players don’t want any games. Team owners have reduced it to two games.” data-reactid=”21″>One of the key sticking points is the preseason. Players don’t want any games. Team owners have reduced it to two games.
Franchise owners have proposed one preseason game. Keeping even one preseason game seems like an odd battle to pick, considering they are meaningless games without fans.
If there’s no preseason then rookies and journeymen trying to make the roster — or try to impress other teams with good game film — will be put in a tough spot, and the league won’t be able to test out various new protocols before the regular season. Players don’t see a reason to risk their health on games that don’t count.
The preseason is one issue to be discussed Monday, but far from the only one.
<figcaption class=”C($c-fuji-grey-h) Fz(13px) Py(5px) Lh(1.5)” title=”Franchise owners including Stan Kroenke of the Los Angeles Rams, left, and Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys will discuss issues like preseason and player safety Monday. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)” data-reactid=”32″>
Franchise owners including Stan Kroenke of the Los Angeles Rams, left, and Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys will discuss issues like preseason and player safety Monday. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
What are team owners meeting about?
Franchise leaders also need to finalize safety protocols and “financial arrangements,” per Schefter. There are also player concerns about an acclimation period, to ramp up slowly to avoid injuries after an offseason without official practices and workouts.
<p class=”canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm” type=”text” content=”The team owners had a lot of time to lay out the best plan for the start of training camps. In Peter King’s NBC Sports column, he outlined testing and social distancing protocols and the common theme was what happens when a player or coach tests positive and the results take 24 hours to process.” data-reactid=”38″>The team owners had a lot of time to lay out the best plan for the start of training camps. In Peter King’s NBC Sports column, he outlined testing and social distancing protocols and the common theme was what happens when a player or coach tests positive and the results take 24 hours to process.
<p class=”canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm” type=”text” content=”“If the center tests positive on a Friday, and there’s a quarantine period for all of his close contacts … well, if I just came from practice where I’ve been in a huddle with all my offensive teammates, been doing individual drills with all my linemen, then blocking the defensive linemen and linebackers all afternoon, aren’t we talking about 35 guys being close contacts with me?” Cleveland Browns center and NFLPA president J.C. Tretter said, according to King. “And if they’re all in quarantine for the next couple days, what does Sunday’s game look like? You don’t have enough bodies to put on the field to play.”” data-reactid=”41″>“If the center tests positive on a Friday, and there’s a quarantine period for all of his close contacts … well, if I just came from practice where I’ve been in a huddle with all my offensive teammates, been doing individual drills with all my linemen, then blocking the defensive linemen and linebackers all afternoon, aren’t we talking about 35 guys being close contacts with me?” Cleveland Browns center and NFLPA president J.C. Tretter said, according to King. “And if they’re all in quarantine for the next couple days, what does Sunday’s game look like? You don’t have enough bodies to put on the field to play.”
The club owners haven’t communicated well with their players, and they have put off a lot of important issues that the union is worried about. Perhaps Monday clears up some of those issues, but it seems like there’s a lot to sort out with camp about to start.
<p class=”canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm” type=”text” content=”More from Yahoo Sports:” data-reactid=”43″>More from Yahoo Sports:
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
