Tag: COVID-19

Cowboys field emergency ball carriers Thursday as COVID, injury take out 3 RBs

Rico Dowdle and Aaron Shampklin will miss at least 5 days; Ryan Nall injured a shoulder. Joint practice and a game at Denver come next week. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys are quickly running out of bodies in the backfield.

Third-year rusher Rico Dowdle, likely the No. 3 ball carrier on the depth chart behind Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard, will miss the rest of this week’s practice sessions after testing positive for COVID, as per the Dallas Morning News. He’s the second running back to contract the virus, joining undrafted rookie Aaron Shampklin.

Team protocol dictates that both players be quarantined for at least five days. If, after five days, no symptoms are present, they may rejoin their fellow players.

Ryan Nall is also a temporary scratch. The fullback signed to the team in April will now miss two to four weeks with a shoulder injury suffered this week.

Combined with Tuesday’s minor injuries to tight ends Jeremy Sprinkle and Jake Ferguson, these latest losses have stretched the offensive unit thin enough that the Cowboys were forced to shorten Thursday’s practice session, reports ESPN’s Todd Archer.

The team is scheduled to depart Oxnard on Aug. 10 and head to Denver, where they’ll practice jointly with the Broncos the following day and then play a preseason game on Aug. 13.

If COVID symptoms linger for Dowdle and Shampklin, it could leave Elliott, Pollard, and undrafted rookie Malik Davis as the only listed running backs available for those dates. (And Elliott has already said he will not see any action in preseason games.)

Wide receivers Dontario Drummond and KaVontae Turpin reportedly took some snaps at running back on Thursday.

They weren’t the only players moonlighting in new spots. Offensive lineman Connor McGovern played some fullback, as did backup center Matt Farniok. And even Elliott, the two-time rushing champ, acted as the lead blocker for Pollard on multiple plays during the day’s practice session.

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Pete Carroll tests positive for COVID-19, working from home

Today, the team announced that head coach Pete Carroll has tested positive and is currently working from home.

Much as we all might like to pretend that the pandemic is over, the numbers say otherwise. While the Seattle Seahawks have been diligent and relatively fortunate in this department, no NFL team has escaped being affected by COVID-19 over the last couple of years.

Today, the team announced that head coach Pete Carroll has tested positive and is currently working from home. He will remain in contact with assistant coaches and participate virtually in team meetings. The team’s statement says that Carroll is fully vaccinated and experiencing mild symptoms.

It will be interesting to see who takes the lead at practice in Carroll’s absense. Associate head coach Sean Desai and defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt are next up in the line of succession, so to speak. The team is set to begin its fourth training camp practice of 2022 in a little over half an hour. We should learn more afterwards.

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LPGA event in Shanghai canceled for third year due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions

Danielle Kang won the last Buick LPGA Shanghai event held in 2019.

The LPGA’s fall Asian swing will be one tournament short as the LPGA has confirmed that the 2022 Buick LPGA Shanghai has been canceled due to ongoing COVID-19-related restrictions.

Danielle Kang won the last Buick LPGA Shanghai event held in 2019.

“We thank SAIC-GM Buick, the China Golf Association, the CLPGA and IMG for all their efforts,” the tour released in a statement, “and hope to compete in front of our fans at Qizhong Garden Golf Club in the future.”

The tour’s fall Asian swing will begin in late October with the BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea at a course that has yet to be announced. It will continue on to Taiwan and Japan before returning to Florida for the last two events.

The LPGA is currently in the midst of a two-week break following the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, won by In Gee Chun. The next event, the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, will be held July 13-16 in Midland, Michigan.

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Former Chiefs RG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif to begin medical residency

Former #Chiefs G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif will put his NFL career on hold to start his medical residency in Canada. | from @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning team from 2019-20 will forever be known for its unique characters during the memorable run. One of those characters was Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, who earned his medical degree while playing in the NFL.

The first championship in 50 years, followed by a global pandemic, saw many players around the league opt out of the 2020 season, including Duvernay-Tardif. He spent the year helping in the fight against the COVID-19 and earning accolades around the sports world for his efforts.

After returning to football last year, spending the first half of the year in Kansas City before later being traded to the New York Jets, Duvernay-Tardif has decided to put his football career on hold again. The Canadian native is set to begin his medical residency in July 2022 back home at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. The former 2015 draft pick announced via his Facebook page his intentions to return to the medical field.

“I am proud to announce that I am starting my medical residency at McGill University in July 2022. Four years have passed since I graduated with a medical degree, and it is now time to start the last stage of my training. I have been working on my residency applications since November 2021, and it is very rewarding to see these efforts rewarded.”

The French-to-English-translated post from Duvernay-Tardif opened up about turning down NFL offers during free agency. He didn’t rule out a future return to the game when he’s ready.

“It was not easy to refuse the contract offers of NFL teams in recent months, and I do not close the door to a return to the NFL. However, it was important for me to start my residency this summer with my cohort so as not to fall behind in my medical training. I will then be able to reassess my football options from September.”

Duvernay-Tardif won the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian of the Year Award for his service as a first responder during the COVID-19 pandemic. As he begins his residency, Duvernay-Tardif left the door open for a return to football, but for now his focus lies on his medical career.

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Oscar De La Hoya contento de no haber peleado contra el ‘monstruo’ que es Vitor Belfort: ‘Me salvé’

En retrospectiva, Oscar De La Hoya piensa que haber aceptado pelear contra el antiguo campeón de la UFC Vitor Belfort fue un error. De La Hoya, medallista de oro olímpico y varias veces campeón de boxeo, supuestamente iba a salir de su retiro el …

En retrospectiva, Oscar De La Hoya piensa que haber aceptado pelear contra el antiguo campeón de la UFC Vitor Belfort fue un error.

De La Hoya, medallista de oro olímpico y varias veces campeón de boxeo, supuestamente iba a salir de su retiro el otoño pasado para participar en una pelea de box de exhibición contra Belfort y bajo el estandarte de Triller. Hubiera sido su primer encuentro contra un luchador profesional desde su retiro en 2008.

Sin embargo, tras salir positivo para COVID-19 y ser hospitalizado, De La Hoya se vio forzado a retirarse del encuentro. Evander Holyfiel, que en ese momento tenía 58 años, fue su remplazo y Belfort lo paró con un KO técnico en menos de dos minutos.

En retrospectiva, el “Niño de oro” está muy contento de no haberse subido al ring.

“Me da gusto no haber peleado contra el monstruo que es este luchador porque es un tipo enorme y sabe lo que está haciendo”, dijo De La Hoya el miércoles en el programa “The MMA Hour.”  “Es talentoso. Por muy viejos que estemos, aún podemos lanzar golpes. Lo vimos con Evander Holyfield, cuando lo noqueó. Creo que me salvé.”.

De la Hoya dijo que su ego de luchador lo motivó a pelear, pero que ahora, analizando las cosas con la cabeza fría, no estaba en forma para pelear contra Belfort; incluso con la enorme ventaja en cuanto a experiencia pugilística.

“Estaba en súper buena forma, pero debo admitir que me estaba engañando”, dijo De La Hoya. “Cuando estaba entrenando me golpearon bastantes veces, así que estaba siendo muy necio. Estaba en muy buena forma. Mis reflejos… los videos que publiqué eran reales. Eran rápidos, mis reflejos eran increíbles, pero cuando estuve entrenando estaba recibiendo demasiados golpes”.

“Las cosas pasan por algo. Estoy contento de no haber peleado porque obviamente es un tipo grande y noqueó a Evander Holyfield, así que todo pasa por algo. Estoy contento de haberme recuperado (del COVID-19) y de no haber peleado, así que ahora puedo sentarme, relajarme y dejar que me salgan canas mientras promociono a otros luchadores”.

Estos días, De La Hoya se mantiene ocupado dirigiendo Golden Boy Promotions, su empresa de promoción del boxeo con sede en Los Angeles. Tiene muchos luchadores en su empresa, incluyendo a la superestrella invicta Ryan Garcia.

De La Hoya, de 49 años, dice que ya acabó con las peleas y que ahora solo se enfocará en la promoción.

De La Hoya dijo, “No, no, yo ya acabé. Por algo pasan las cosas y estoy contento de no haber regresado”.

 

Artículo traducido por Ana Lucía Toledo

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The Phoenix Suns reported COVID-19 outbreak is a bigger deal than you think. Here’s why

It might not feel like it, but this is a pretty big deal

The Phoenix Suns Game 7 loss was one of the most awful ways we’ve seen a championship favorite bow out of the playoffs in recent memory.

It was so bad the team even released a statement on it the day after. It drove fans to beating up on the Dallas Mavericks on NBA 2k. The very next day they were being absolutely roasted by Patrick Beverley on ESPN for still relying on a 37-year-old point guard in Chris Paul to lead them.

Safe to say this has not been a good month or so for Suns fans or the organization. At all.

But, apparently, things were a little worse than everyone originally thought with the Suns during that Mavericks series. It felt like there was something going on behind the scenes leading to a bunch of frustration on their part.

Turns out there was. The team was battling a COVID-19 outbreak behind closed doors, The Athletic’s Sam Amick reports. This was an outbreak that had 6 people on the team — including a player — testing positive.

That’s some pretty shocking news that we really didn’t know about publicly. And it’s kind of important when it comes to what the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols might look like moving forward.

Let’s talk about it:

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Jeff Van Gundy to miss Game 1 of NBA Finals with COVID: Report

Broadcaster Mike Breen reportedly feels better after a similar diagnosis caused him to miss Game 7 of the East finals, but he is not cleared yet to return.

The NBA Finals are already slated to have some conspicuous absences due to COVID-19, but at least for now, none of them are players. Broadcasters Jeff Van Gundy and Adrian Wojnarowski — both of ESPN — will not be on the call for Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors after testing positive for the viral malady according to new reporting from the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand.

This is on the heels of fellow ESPN broadcaster Mike Breen missing Game 7 of the Celtics-Miami Heat East finals series for the same reason. Per Marchand, the plan at present is to deploy a pair of announcers consisting of Breen if he is able to return paired with broadcaster Mark Jackson or Mark Jones, Breen’s replacement in the final game of the East finals.

Currently, ESPN has broadcaster Doris Burke scheduled to be calling the game on the radio, where she is an analyst alongside P.J. Carlesimo and play-by-player Marc Kestecher.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Steve Stricker a WD from second major of PGA Tour Champions season after contracting COVID-19

The KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship is at Harbor Shores Resort in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

Steve Stricker is sidelined again.

The victorious 2021 U.S. Ryder Cup captain tested positive for COVID-19 and withdrew Tuesday night from the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores Resort in Benton Harbor, Michigan, the second major on the PGA Tour Champions.

“Super bummed that I tested positive for Covid on Friday and have to withdraw from (the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship) this week!” Stricker posted on Twitter. “Just a small setback and will look forward to getting back after it when I feel strong again!”

Last fall, Stricker, 55, became ill and eventually was admitted to a hospital on two separate occasions. Stricker, who lost between 25-35 pounds, said doctors could not identify the cause of his illness that threatened his life. Stricker missed six months of action as he slowly built up his strength and golf game.

Two weeks ago, Stricker won the Regions Tradition, the first of five majors on the PGA Tour Champions. It was his eighth title on the PGA Tour Champions; he won 12 titles on the PGA Tour. He also finished in a tie for second in the Insperity Invitational and tied for 10th in the Mitsubishi Electric Classic in his three starts since returning to the course.

Stricker would have been playing in his fourth tournament in five weeks.

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Al Horford opens up on how he ended up in protocols ahead of Game 1 vs. the Miami Heat

‘I … felt like I needed to get tested,’ he explained postgame, potentially preventing infecting his teammates.

The Boston Celtics needed Al Horford in a big way for Game 2 of their East finals series against the Miami Heat, and the Florida product delivered, helping buttress Boston on both ends on the way to a 127-102 blowout that evened the series at 1-1. But it nearly didn’t happen, with Horford clearing the league’s health and safety protocols just hours before tipoff on Thursday.

Considerable confusion surrounded what exactly had happened to put the Boston big man in the protocols to begin with, given the Celtics’ policy of keeping such matters close to the vest and news of several members of the team’s traveling party testing positive breaking about the same time.

After Boston’s victory over Miami, Horford opened up about the cause of his entry into the protocols, sharing how he decided to do the responsible thing and get tested upon feeling out of sorts.

Al Horford upgraded to available for Celtics against Miami Heat in Game 2

Horford has been a key part of the team’s success this season.

The Boston Celtics relayed they will have veteran big man Al Horford available to play against the Miami Heat in Game 2 of their 2022 NBA Eastern Conference finals series Thursday night. Presumably, the University of Florida product has cleared the league’s health and safety protocols with the requisite two negative tests in a 24-hour period, with multiple sources reporting that the Boston big man was waiting on test results to clear him to exit the protocol.

This development considerably expands Boston’s frontcourt rotation and augments the team considerably on both ends of the court, Horford quietly being a major cog in what was the No. 1 defense in the league’s 2021-22 regular season and an efficient source of shooting for the Celtics in the 2022 NBA Playoffs’ earlier rounds.

With reserve guard Derrick White Boston-bound for the birth of his first child, the Celtics will remain a little thin in the backcourt until they know whether veteran point guard Marcus Smart will be available to return from a sprained foot sustained in Game 7 of the last round.

The Flower Mound native is trending in the right direction with his status being upgraded to probable for Game 2, but remains a game-time decision per head coach Ime Udoka.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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