Baseball players counter … Taiwan baseball trailblazing … Olympic committee on protests

NEW YORK (AP) — A pair of people familiar with the negotiations tell The Associated Press that baseball players moved toward teams but remained far apart on the economics of starting the pandemic-delayed season, adamant they receive full prorated salaries while offering to cut the regular season to 89 games. MLB did not appear to view the proposal as productive but made no comment. Players made their move one day after management cut its proposed schedule from 82 games to 76.

NEW TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan (AP) — The Taiwan baseball league is continuing as a trailblazer for sports resuming after the lockdown in the coronavirus pandemic. An easing of restrictions by the government last weekend allows more fans at the ballparks and allows them to sit closer together while they’re supporting their teams in the Taiwan-based CPBL. Spectators are only required to wear face masks when they’re not in their seats and ball parks can operate up to 50% capacity.

DENVER (AP) — The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee is creating an athlete group that will look into loosening restrictions on protests at the games. CEO Sarah Hirshland tweeted the plans for a new group, which is being formed in response to George Floyd’s death last month. The USOPC put out a statement last week signaling its solidarity with black athletes. But the federation received blowback from several athletes, most notably hammer thrower Gwen Berry. Berry is serving a 12-month probation for raising her fist on the medals stand at the Pan-Am Games last summer.

UNDATED (AP) — The Toronto Raptors have an NBA championship to defend, a very long stay at the Disney complex awaiting them and plenty of unanswered questions on how the restart of the season will work. As the NBA’s lone Canadian team, there’s an added complexity: The U.S. border. The Raptors are still deciding whether to have workouts before going to Disney, and where those workouts would take place.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration has ordered closed a small stock-car track that’s allowed large crowds to gather repeatedly for weekend races well above COVID-19 limits for mass gatherings. Cooper’s health secretary says Ace Speedway in Alamance County is an “imminent hazard” for the virus’ spread and can’t reopen unless it creates a safety plan to keep fans away. Media outlets have reported crowds at the speedway exceeding 2,000 people.

UNDATED (AP) — The familiar scene of Confederate flags waved by fans at NASCAR tracks could soon be a relic of racing’s good ol’ boy roots. Bubba Wallace — the lone black driver in the sport — this week declared it is time for the stock car series with deep ties to the South to ban the flag at its properties and formally distance itself from what for millions is a unwelcome symbol of slavery and racism. The signs are everywhere that NASCAR could do so. The series in 2015 asked fans to “refrain from displaying” the flag at its facilities and events.

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State will face defending Pac-12 champion Oregon in the first round of the Emerald Coast Classic on Friday, Nov. 27 at 8:30 p.m. (CT).

The Cyclones will then play either Illinois or Florida on Sunday, Nov. 29 at either 3 p.m. or 5:30 p.m.

The games, which will be played on the campus of Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Florida, will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

The Cyclones won the 2015 Emerald Coast Classic, defeating Virginia Tech and Illinois. Monte Morris was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

The NAIA released details this week on a return to play format for Fall sports. The practice start date for all sports has been pushed back to August 15th and the first competition dates will be September 5th for all sports except football which can start games on September 12th. The number of contests allowed for each sport is also being reduced. Check out the full details in the NAIA release below.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The NAIA national office, in partnership with leaders of the association, continues to plan for the fall season. Our work is guided first and foremost by the health and safety of your students. Our second priority is to serve our member institutions as you plan for a return to campus and a successful fall term.
We originally set July 1 as the date we would announce our plans for the fall. After discussions with many of you, we know that institutions and conferences are anxiously awaiting direction from the NAIA. As we have considered options related to fall sports, we have been helped tremendously by input from presidents, athletics directors, conference commissioners and athletic trainers. Your insights and suggestions have been instrumental to the process of establishing policies and guidelines for return to play.
To provide this needed guidance, the Council of Presidents (COP) Executive Committee met yesterday and the following national office recommendations were approved:

1. Return to Play Threshold
The COP Executive Committee approved the use of a threshold system as a guideline for determining return to play. The threshold goal is for about half the participating institutions in each sport to receive clearance from local authorities to return to competition before the season can begin. For example, NAIA football has 95 participating institutions. When half (47) of these programs gain clearance from authorities to play, the NAIA football season will be authorized to begin.
The rationale for this decision is that a significant number of institutions need to participate to offer student-athletes a significant competitive and championship-caliber experience. Additionally, the fewer the number of participating programs, the higher the likelihood for scheduling challenges leading to increased travel costs and missed class time.

2. Start Dates
Based on input from NAIA presidents, AD’s, commissioners, athletics trainers and health care professionals, the COP Executive Committee approved the recommendation of practice and competition start dates for each sport. The practice start date for all sports, will be Saturday, August 15. As a result, from today through August 14, any activities deemed practice by the NAIA are strictly prohibited. (Click here for NAIA definition of practice.)
We know many NAIA campuses may be engaging in conditioning activities now or plan to as we get closer to August 15. These conditioning activities, as long as they are not “practices”, are not restricted and can take place at any time, in keeping with any institutional guidelines.
Beginning on August 15, student-athletes may practice consistent with any health and safety protocols your institution deems necessary. While practices can begin August 15, only individuals identified with your institution can participate in these practices. No scrimmages, exhibitions, or competitions of any kind that involve individuals not identified with your institution may take place prior to the competition start date listed below.
Competition start dates are as follows:
All sports except football: September 5 (providing 3 weeks of practice prior to competition)
Football: September 12 (providing 4 weeks of practice prior to competition)
Please note: these start dates apply to all sports that schedule practices or competitions in the fall, regardless of when the regular season is played.
The rationale behind the selection of these dates is to provide an adequate acclimatization, conditioning and practice period prior to competition for each sport, while minimizing the need for student-athletes to return to campus early. Establishing start dates also creates a more level playing field for all institutions that are able to compete this fall.

3. Maximum Contests Allowed
With the delayed start dates, there are fewer weeks to complete the season. As a result, the COP Executive Committee approved a reduction in the maximum number of contests as follows:
Cross Country: 7 meets, down from 8
Football: 9 games, down from 11
Men’s and Women’s Soccer: 14 games, down from 18
Women’s Volleyball: 22 dates, down from 28

The reductions are proportional to the shortened seasons and are consistent with recent feedback from presidents, athletics directors, and commissioners expressing a desire to reduce regular season costs.

Currently, the NAIA intends to host all fall national championship events as currently scheduled. Obviously we cannot predict what will happen in the next six months, but we are optimistic that the championships will be hosted as planned.

Finally, we know the health and safety of our student-athletes is imperative if we are to host fall sports. The national office and the COP Executive Committee are currently examining various options for health and safety protocols, including testing and screening, and will share decisions related to these areas as soon as they are made.

While our focus is currently on fall sports, we know there are already concerns related to the winter sport season. At this time, there are no planned changes for winter sports. We will begin to evaluate the possible impact of COVID-19 on the winter season and prioritize any decisions that will help our institutions prepare for possible adjustments, if necessary.

We hope this information provides guidance to help you plan accordingly for fall athletics. There is no precedent regarding athletics during a pandemic, so we must all be guided by what is best for the greater good of our members and our student-athletes. The COP Executive Committee is meeting weekly in June and we will continue to share decisions as they are made.

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

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(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission failed to take action on legalizing the betting on E-sports last week after a legal opinion that the state’s gambling law did not allow it. The president of the Iowa Gaming Association, Wes Ehrecke, says the 19-state licensed casinos will work to get state lawmakers to change the law. “We want to go back and visit with a lot of those key legislative leaders and legislators who help support legalizing sports wagering to see if they will include E-sports as another viable option that could be wagered upon,” Ehrecke says.

The Iowa Legislature is back in Des Moines after suspending the session as the coronavirus outbreak took off. He says they will start talks with lawmakers now. “Take the opportunity while they are in session or back to mention what has occurred and at least heighten their awareness to see what might be available — planting the seed at the very least for future opportunities,” Ehrecke says. Ehrecke is not sure lawmakers would have time to take up the issue with all they have going on this year. If not, they would shoot for getting the law change in the next session. He says the goal is to get it passed and authorized.

The I-R-G-C did approve betting on sports games involving E-sports — which is allowed in the gambling law — while direct betting on E-sports is not.

(Radio Iowa) — The University of Northern Iowa began welcoming athletes back to campus beginning today with veteran football players. It is part of a staggered process that will have all athletes back by the end of the month. UNI athletic director David Harris.

Harris says athletes will be monitored daily.

Harris believes bringing back sports at different times is the safest approach.

Panther football coach Mark Farley says about 60 percent of the tream has returned and with it comes a responsibility.

Farley says they will take extra precautions to make sure players are separated as much as possible.

Farley is more confident there will be a complete season with fans but it is not what the team is focused on.

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

UNDATED (AP) — Iowa football players returned to campus to prepare for voluntary workouts amid an uproar. Former players over the past several days alleged systemic racism and other mistreatment in the program. The team’s strength coach, Chris Doyle, has been placed on administrative leave and coach Kirk Ferentz’s leadership was called into question. About two dozen current players took to social media to voice messages of unity. None complained directly about his treatment.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska says receiver JD Spielman has put his name into the transfer portal. Spielman is the first player to put together three straight 800-yard receiving seasons for the Cornhuskers and leaves No. 3 in career receptions and yards. Nebraska coach Scott Frost announced in March that Spielman had left the team to deal with an unspecified health matter and probably would miss all of spring practice. Spielman would have been a senior in eligibility this fall. It was unclear if he’s on track to graduate this summer, which would make him immediately eligible at his next school. He is the son of Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman.

NEW YORK (AP) — Over the years, baseball’s amateur draft has featured big hits, bad calls and even back-to-back home runs. Now, it’s about to enter the next phase of an ongoing development — same as all those young prospects who get picked every year. This year’s event, which begins Wednesday night, was slashed from 40 rounds to five because of the coronavirus pandemic. And with more permanent changes possibly coming, including a new home on the horizon, the June draft that began in 1965 might never look the same.

The following is a letter posted on social media today (Monday) from Exira-EHK School District Administrators and Coaches, with regard to COVID-19 safety and compliance:

“Dear Exira-EHK Spartans,

Our first games are scheduled for June 15. As we prepare and distribute information to our athletes, coaches, spectators, and other game management personnel, we ask for your patience and understanding. Our goal is to provide a safe environment for our athletes, coaches, umpires, and fans.

I believe Iowa will be the first state in the country to resume competitive high school sports this summer. The entire country will be watching Iowa. Therefore, it is imperative that we successfully navigate competitive team sports during the pandemic. If we are not successful, it could mean we miss out on fall and/or winter sports later this year.

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ATLANTA (AP) — Former Atlanta Falcons and St. Louis Cardinals defensive end John Zook has died in his native Kansas after a long battle with cancer. Zook teamed with Hall of Famer Claude Humphrey to give the Falcons a dynamic combination at defensive end from 1969-75. Zook never missed a game during his tenure with the Falcons, starting 97 of 98 contests. He made his only Pro Bowl appearance in 1973, joining Humphrey in the all-star game.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Former Cincinnati Bengals defensive back and five-time All-Pro Ken Riley has died at 72. Drafted by the Bengals in 1969, Riley had 65 career interceptions for 596 yards and five touchdowns in a 15-year career with the Bengals. He also recovered 18 fumbles, and his interception total ranks fifth in NFL history. He later became head coach and athletic director at Florida A&M.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Former University of Florida and NFL wide receiver Reche Caldwell was fatally shot Saturday night in his hometown. Caldwell’s mother confirmed her son’s death to the Tampa Bay Times, saying police told her they believe her son was ambushed outside his home in a possible robbery attempt. Caldwell was drafted by San Diego in the second round in 2002. He had 152 catches for 1,851 yards and 11 touchdowns in six NFL seasons.

HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) — Kevin Harvick picked up his second victory since NASCAR resumed its schedule, outpacing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. inside Atlanta Motor Speedway. Harvick moved into sole possession of 12th place on the career victories list with 51, passing Ned Jarrett and Junior Johnson. Three of those triumphs have come at Atlanta Motor Speedway, including in 2001 and 2018. Seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson finished seventh in what was likely his final Cup race in Atlanta.

GREEN BAY, Wisc. (AP) — Will Ryan is the new men’s basketball coach at Green Bay, replacing Linc Darner. The son of former Wisconsin hoops coach Bo Ryan comes to Green Bay after posting a 14-13 record in his lone season as the head coach at Division II program Wheeling in West Virginia. Darner went 92-80 and posted a winning record in all but one of his five seasons with the Phoenix.