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Coronavirus-Linked Heart Condition a Factor in Big Ten Suspension: Report
A health complication seen in some people who have contracted coronavirus reportedly played a key role in the pending suspension of the Big Ten football season.
Myocarditis, a condition defined as inflammation of the heart muscles, was observed in at least five Big Ten student-athletes who tested positive for COVID-19, as well as several other athletes from other conferences, ESPN reported.
The condition previously sidelined Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez for the entirety of the shortened 2020 MLB season after he tested positive for the virus during summer camp.
The relatively rare ailment can sometimes occur in cases of the common cold, flu, or mononucleosis, the report said, but has been found with greater frequency in patients diagnosed with coronavirus.
If left untreated, myocarditis can cause heart damage and could lead to potentially fatal cardiac arrest.
Several doctors specializing in sports medicine and affiliated either with top athletic programs or professional leagues registered their concern about the heart condition, the article said.
Dr. Matthew Martinez, the league cardiologist for MLS, the New York Jets' team cardiologist, and a consultant for the NBA players' association, said he has heard from physicians from at least a dozen schools who identified at least 12 cases of myocarditis among student-athletes.
While myocarditis was initially considered to be not serious as long as symptoms weren't severe, Martinez said the thinking on that is changing.
"Initially we thought if you didn't have significant symptoms that you are probably at less risk," Martinez said. "We are now finding that that may not be true."
Several cases of myocarditis were detected among players in college football's Mid-American Conference, which abruptly cancelled its season over the weekend. Those cases were among many factors in the suspension, ESPN reported.
"What we don't know was really haunting us, and that's why we came to our final decision," Northern Illinois athletic director Sean Frazier said on Saturday. "That's part of the data that our presidents used. ... That stuff is extremely scary."
Report: MLB Revisiting Postseason Bubble Amid Recent COVID Outbreaks
MLB’s corona-abbreviated 2020 season has gotten off to a rocky start with two teams—the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals—playing catch-up in the wake of recent coronavirus outbreaks. Both clubs were admittedly lax in following league protocols but even if Miami and St. Louis are more attentive going forward, the possibility of further COVID complications across MLB still exists. Just this past weekend, the Indians were forced to reprimand—and subsequently quarantine—two of their starting pitchers for going off premises during their trip to Chicago.
With those concerns in mind, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports that MLB is considering a playoff format similar to the “bubble” models successfully adopted by both the NBA and NHL. MLB workshopped constructing its own bubble environment as early as April (Phoenix was considered the favorite to host games) but the idea was ultimately back-burnered after the league faced significant resistance from players, many of whom had no interest in being away from their family for the better part of four months. But with over a billion in TV revenue at stake, baseball can’t afford any more setbacks. MLB needs the postseason to go off without a hitch and restricting cross-country travel by playing all of its games in the same general vicinity would seem to accomplish that.
A neutral-site World Series would be unprecedented but with home-field advantage already essentially meaningless in a year without fans, now seems as good a time as any to break with tradition. If MLB does opt for a postseason bubble, the league would likely follow the NHL’s lead in establishing two or more “hub” cities where games would be held. New York and Chicago each have two venues at their disposal, though Los Angeles is probably the more likely host site given the comparatively warmer climate of Southern California.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, one proposal being considered would be for the National League to stage games at Dodger Stadium with the American League playing its October slate at Angel Stadium in nearby Anaheim. With MLB debuting an expanded 16-team postseason in 2020, Dodger and Angel Stadiums may not have the bandwidth to hold all those games, which is why Petco Park in San Diego (roughly two hours south of Los Angeles) could serve as a third site, at least for the best-of-three Wild Card round. Bay Area parks in Oakland and San Francisco could also be called upon if the league requires additional stadium space to accommodate its 16 playoff teams.
Though MLB seems to be leaning toward Southern California for hosting duties, East Coast and Midwest hubs have also been discussed. In that scenario, Citi Field (Mets), Yankee Stadium, Citizen’s Bank Park (Phillies), Nationals Park and Camden Yards (Orioles) would comprise MLB’s proposed East Coast hub with Guaranteed Rate Field (White Sox), Wrigley Field (Cubs) and Miller Park (Brewers) the favorites to host the league’s Midwest slate.
Passan acknowledged logistical challenges in adopting a postseason bubble. Among other issues, the league would have to navigate earlier-than-usual start times (before noon local time in some cases), limited practice availability and enough time between games to thoroughly disinfect clubhouses. But in the absence of a better idea amid the most harrowing year of our collective lives, October baseball in Southern California could be where the 2020 season is headed.
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NFL to Pay Referees $30,000, Guarantee 2021 Job If They Opt Out Due to COVID-19
The NFL's opt-out deadline for players came and went this past week, with 60-some players deciding not to participate in the 2020 NFL season who will instead be rewarded with a $350,000 stipend (if they're deemed high-risk) or a $150,000 stipend (those who opted out voluntarily before the deadline).
Up next is the deadline for referees to opt out, which is set for Thursday, August 13. The NFL and the NFL Referee Association (NFLRA) came to an agreement regarding the protections officials are granted during the 2020 season and the terms of the opt-out program.
According to the NFLRA press release, those who voluntarily choose to opt out of the season will be given a $30,000 stipend (via NFL.com). Along with the stipend, their jobs will be guaranteed for the 2021 NFL season so that they may return to the game without conflict.
NFLRA Executive Director Scott Green said that the plan had been unanimously endorsed and shared his perspective over a video conference call, sharing that health and safety of the association's members was the top priority. He does not, however, discount the possibility of an official catching the virus, as the risk is not completely avoidable.
Extra protections will be granted in order to prepare for any positive tests. In the event of a positive coronavirus test, the affected referee is entitled to injury pay, medical expenses and other benefits in order to help them through the absence. Additionally, expenses related to appropriately dealing with the sick individual (travel, accommodations) will be covered by the league.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk said that he has a feeling a "significant percentage" of referees will opt out due to numerous factors, including the health and safety issues at stake and the lack of a preseason and any preparation for the season. Additionally, Chris Simms mentions the concern of breaking up scrums, checking ball placement under piles, and other high-risk aspects of the game.
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Bills All-Pro Tre'Davious White Elects to Play in 2020
After saying on Wednesday that he was "still undecided" about playing football in 2020, Buffalo Bills All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White has reportedly not opted out of the season and will suit up for the team this season. ESPN's Chris Mortensen was the first to report the news:
Tre’Davious White did not opt out, per source.#BillsMafia— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) August 6, 2020The 25-year-old had his best season yet with the Bills in 2019, registering 58 tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles and a league-high six interceptions in 15 games played. He also gave up zero touchdowns to receivers that had the ball thrown their way. White's performance this season earned him his first Pro Bowl selection, as well as First-Team All-Pro selection.
In 47 career games for the Bills, White has been nothing but reliable with 181 combined tackles, one sack, 12 interceptions, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a touchdown. The only game he missed was this past season when he was given a rest for Buffalo's Week 17 matchup with the New York Jets.
White will be entering the fourth-year of his rookie contract, set to earn $1.8 million in base salary this season. The Bills have also exercised their fifth-year option on White for 2021, meaning he is under contract for two more seasons. He’s set to earn over $10 million in 2021 if he plays on his current contract. However, White is most likely looking at a massive extension some time soon. The team has publicly stated they would like to lock him up long-term.
If he had chosen to opt out, White’s contract would have tolled, meaning it would be frozen and picked up next year at the same spot it is now. He would have been paid $150,000 as a stipend and advancement towards next year’s salary.
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Thursday Opt-Out Deadline, COVID-19 Discipline Schedule Among Changes to 2020 NFL CBA
When the new NFL CBA was approved back in March, putting it into effect until 2030, the planning didn't quite center around a worldwide pandemic. But, because that was exactly what transpired, and is still raging, five months later, some temporary changes needed to be made.
Those changes, according to NFL reporter Tom Pelissero, have all been agreed upon between the NFL and the NFL Players Association and officially reviewed by the union.
Review now complete. Deal is done. https://t.co/qNAYMhboWk— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 4, 2020The highlights are as follows:
- The deadline to opt out of the 2020 NFL season is 4:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, August 6. A player can opt out past this date in two situations: a) he is newly diagnosed with a high-risk condition or, b) a player's family member dies or is hospitalized due to COVID-19 or a related condition.
- The entire salary of a player who opts out, including the unearned cash, bonuses and prorated signing bonus, will be taken off the teams' 2020 salary caps.
For example: #Broncos tackle Ja’Wuan James opted out yesterday. Not only does his $10 million salary come off the books for 2020, so does the $3M prorated portion of his signing bonus for a total of $13M in cap relief. The entire contract tolls, not just the cash.— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 4, 2020- A player determined to be higher-risk will qualify for a $350,000 stipend if they decide to opt out.
- The league has given teams more leeway in the event that a player tests positive for COVID-19 in the middle of the season.
What happens if a player is diagnosed with COVID-19 or quarantined on the night before or morning of a game this season?The NFL will permit clubs to elevate a practice squad player with notice to the league office up until 90 minutes before kickoff, per source.— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 4, 2020- Drug testing will begin on August 7, the day after the opt-out deadline, and the window goes until August 17.
Normally, NFL players are drug tested the first two weeks of training camp. This year, the window is Aug. 7-17, so a bit of a grace period. Remember: Under the updated policy on substances of abuse, players can be fined, but no longer suspended, for positive drug tests.— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 4, 2020- Activities determined as "high risk" have been updated and often come with the caveat of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and social distancing availability. Pelissero notes that certain employees (coaches, medical staff, and other Tier 1 and Tier 2 staff) are "subject to comparable discipline."
The NFL Management Council just sent clubs an updated discipline schedule, including fines and suspensions for “High Risk COVID-19 conduct,” such as going to clubs, bars and house parties without PPE. No longer labeled High Risk in the final deal: Church. pic.twitter.com/0lntiBNZYS— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 4, 2020- Fines will be incurred on players who refuse to submit to testing for COVID-19 ($50,000) and for those who refuse to wear personal protective equipment or maintain social distancing (up to $14,650).
- Expected changes to the practice squad were approved, bumping the 12-man unit -- which is set to become 14 in 2022 -- up to 16 players, six of which can be players with any amount of experience.
Several roster changes we’ve discussed are now official for 2020:- 16-man practice squad (up to 6 with no limit on accrued seasons)- Protect up to 4 P-squad members each Tuesday- Starting 4 p.m. ET Sept. 6, unlimited players can return from injured reserve, after 3 weeks— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 4, 2020Patriots safety Devin McCourty was one player who voiced his concerns and frustrations with the league's decision to change the opt out deadline, calling it an "absolute joke... mainly because they don't want to continue to see guys opt out."
Keep up with our opt out tracker here, which should continue to grow in large quantities until Thursday's deadline.
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Kyrie Irving Establishes $1.5 Million Fund for WNBA Players Who Opt Out
Kyrie Irving, for a number of reasons including season-ending surgery and staunch opposition to an NBA restart amid social justice protests, will not be participating in his league restart. And though he won't be rewarded financially for his decision, he will now be helping members of another league who also opt not to partake in their season with quite a generous gift.According to the official website of the fund, the Nets guard has committed $1.5 million for WNBA players who chose to sit out of the 2020 season. And it's not one-dimensional, either. Irving detailed all of the potential reasons that he will accept under his fund's cause.“Whether a person decided to fight for social justice, play basketball, focus on physical or mental health, or simply connect with their families, this initiative can hopefully support their priorities and decisions,” Irving said (via Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press).Those are all reasons that Irving has seen his fellow NBA players -- many of which are teammates of his on the Brooklyn Nets -- decide to sit out of the Orlando bubble. Kevin Durant can't partake due to injury. Teammate Spencer Dinwiddie opted out after two positive coronavirus tests, while fellow teammate Wilson Chandler chose to keep his family as his top priority (via Malika Andrews of ESPN). Blazers' forward Trevor Ariza decided to opt out due to a custody battle over his son and a one-month visitation window he committed to (via Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN).And the list goes on. The WNBA has started to see a similar pattern of opt outs, including Natasha Cloud and LaToya Sanders of the Washington Mystics. The former opted out for social justice reasons, while the latter decided to focus on her family's well-being. A full list of WNBA opt outs is available via Slam Online.The rules for eligibility of the KAI Empowerment Fund are as follows:1. Must be an active WNBA player who has opted out of the 2020 WNBA season2. Must share insight into circumstances surrounding reason to opt out3. Cannot receive support for salary from any other entity or organization4. Medical opt out considerations must be connected to the COVID-19 pandemicA notable case is that of Maya Moore, who sat out of the 2019 season in order to help overturn the wrongful conviction of Jonathon Irons. Though she completed her goal in an unbelievable story, her mindset toward playing in 2020 still hasn't changed.“My decision to take another year was bigger than this case,” Moore said in an interview with the Associated Press. “But obviously this case was in the forefront of my mind. I’m looking forward when this is done to finally getting some rest and time with my family.”Two WNBA players, Glory Johnson and Kalani Brown of the Atlanta Dream, tested positive for coronavirus earlier in July after being in the bubble (via Mechelle Voepel of ESPN). These results were reported the day before the season started.LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM AppFollow RADIO.COM SportsTwitter | Facebook I Instagram
League Memo Confirms NFL Training Camp Will Proceed As Scheduled
Teams received the following league memo from NFL Executive VP of Football Operations Troy Vincent on Saturday:
NFL memo to teams today reinforcing the start dates for training camp as specified in the CBA. pic.twitter.com/tCmxUHRPUm— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) July 18, 2020With the clock ticking on training camp, players had become wary of the league’s continued silence, though the NFL has managed to rectify that with the release of Saturday’s memo and a detailed mandate outlining safety protocols for teams to follow amid the coronavirus pandemic. Patrick Mahomes and J.J. Watt were among the most vocal players in shaming the NFL for its lack of transparency, pleading for the league to finally take some initiative on the COVID front. That seems to have been accomplished, though there’s much to be ironed out with many questions still unanswered including how and if stadiums will accommodate fans. To that end, some venues including those in Jacksonville, New England and Baltimore have already announced reduced seating capacities for the upcoming 2020 season.
With teams finally getting the green light for training camp, the plan is for rookies to report Tuesday with veterans’ presence required by July 28. Quarterbacks and players nursing injuries arrive Thursday. The Chiefs and Texans have opted to start earlier than the league’s other 30 teams, beginning their camps on Monday.
The NFL is still weighing whether to hold a preseason with most players recommending the league scrap its exhibition schedule. Even if the NFL proceeds with its preseason slate, it would be an abbreviated offering with one or two games per team as opposed to the usual four. At last count, the NFL had reported 72 positive coronavirus tests, representing roughly 2.5 percent of the league’s player body.
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Complete List of Confirmed MLB Coronavirus Cases and Players Opting Out of 2020 Season
Amid a rising number of COVID cases in MLB—All-Stars Freddie Freeman and Salvador Perez were reportedly among the league’s 31 positives tests this week—RADIO.com is keeping a running tab of each player diagnosed. For your convenience, we’ve also included a tracker documenting all players who have voluntarily opted out of the coronavirus-shortened 2020 MLB season. Players positive for COVID-19 aren’t necessarily in danger of missing significant regular-season time, but obviously it will complicate their paths to being ready for Opening Day on July 23.
Players Positive for COVID-19
Willians Astudillo, C, Minnesota Twins
Hunter Bishop, OF, San Francisco Giants
Charlie Blackmon, OF, Colorado Rockies
Silvino Bracho, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Socrates Brito, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
Genesis Cabrera, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals
Ryan Castellani, RHP, Colorado Rockies
Blake Cederlind, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Luis Cessa, RHP, New York Yankees
Aroldis Chapman, LHP, New York Yankees
Edwar Colina, RHP, Minnesota Twins
Bobby Dalbec, 3B, Boston Red Sox
Delino Deshields Jr., OF, Cleveland Indians
Phillip Diehl, LHP, Colorado Rockies
Derek Dietrich, INF, Cincinnati Reds
Nick Dini, C, Kansas City Royals
Cam Gallagher, C, Kansas City Royals
Joey Gallo, OF, Texas Rangers
Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
Nick Gordon, SS, Minnesota Twins
Junior Guerra, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Darwinzon Hernandez, LHP, Boston Red Sox
Tommy Hunter, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
Kenley Jansen, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Brad Keller, RHP, Kansas City Royals
Scott Kingery, INF, Philadelphia Phillies
Pete Kozma, INF, Atlanta Braves
Eric Lauer, LHP, Milwaukee Brewers
DJ LeMahieu, INF, New York Yankees
Jesus Luzardo, LHP, Oakland Athletics
Brett Martin, LHP, Texas Rangers
Jorge Mateo, SS, San Diego Padres
Austin Meadows, OF, Tampa Bay Rays
Yoan Moncada, 3B, Chicago White Sox
Hector Neris, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
Ryan O'Hearn, 1B, Kansas City Royals
Angel Perdomo, LHP, Milwaukee Brewers
Salvador Perez, C, Kansas City Royals
Tommy Pham, OF, San Diego Padres
Gregory Polanco, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
A.J. Pollock, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Yasiel Puig, OF, FA
Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP, Boston Red Sox
Ricardo Sanchez, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals
Miguel Sano, 1B, Minnesota Twins
Anthony Santander, OF, Baltimore Orioles
Will Smith, LHP, Atlanta Braves
Ranger Suarez, LHP, Philadelphia Phillies
Josh Taylor, LHP, Boston Red Sox
Daniel Tillo, LHP, Kansas City Royals
Touki Toussaint, RHP, Atlanta Braves
Luis Urias, INF, Milwaukee Brewers
Players Voluntarily Opting Out
Welington Castillo, C, Washington Nationals
Ian Desmond, OF, Colorado Rockies
Felix Hernandez, RHP, Atlanta Braves
Jordan Hicks, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals
Michael Kopech, RHP, Chicago White Sox
Mike Leake, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Nick Markakis, OF, Atlanta Braves
Hector Noesi, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Buster Posey, C, San Francisco Giants
David Price, LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Joe Ross, RHP, Washington Nationals
Ryan Zimmerman, 1B, Washington Nationals
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NFLPA Recommends League Cancel All Preseason Games
Earlier this week, the NFL announced plans to cut two games off its anticipated preseason slate in response to the continuing coronavirus pandemic. Now the players association is petitioning the NFL to scrap its preseason altogether. Union reps voted on the issue during a Thursday conference call and submitted a formal recommendation the following night.
Abandoning the preseason would be unprecedented and obviously wouldn’t bode well for the league’s plans to resume play as scheduled this fall. ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports the players addressed a myriad of topics during their Thursday conference call, discussing safety measures aimed at combatting the virus. NFLPA medical director Thom Mayer, who urged players to stop conducting group workouts amid the continued prevalence of COVID-19 (advice that has seemingly fallen on deaf ears), was among those present for Thursday night’s call. With training camp on the horizon, the league is hoping to finalize its safety protocols, which could include protective masks and reduced roster sizes, in the relatively near future.
Players didn’t seem too broken up about the NFL’s decision to slash its preseason from four games to two, with Golden Tate and others expressing their disdain for the league’s laughable exhibition slate. Though owners and front-office types would argue the preseason has merit, allowing coaches a longer look at fringe roster types while giving veterans a chance to shed some of their rust, established players with little to gain see it for the farce that it is, a shameless money grab designed to boost ticket revenue and increase brand exposure. It’s also an inherently risky proposition—more than a few stars have been lost to injuries suffered in meaningless preseason games.
With COVID continuing to wreak havoc, the players have as good an excuse as they’ll ever have to backburner its tedious preseason schedule. Doing so would mean we’d have to wait a little longer for football, but the imminent returns of baseball, hockey and NBA hoops should still give fans plenty of sports fodder to occupy their time in the coming months.
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MLB Announces 31 Players Have Tested Positive for COVID-19
MLB has announced the results of its first coronavirus tests, and they’re fairly encouraging. According to a joint press release from MLB and its players association, a combined 38 players and staff tested positive for COVID-19 out of 3,185 collected samples. That computes to a positive test rate of 1.2 percent, well below the current national average (8.7 percent).
The first set of results for COVID-19 testing have been jointly announced by @MLB and the @MLB_PLAYERS. pic.twitter.com/zlqZPuxLxh— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) July 3, 2020Of the 38 positive tests, 31 belonged to players while the other seven came from staff members. No specific coaches or players were named in the league’s press release Friday, though Indians outfielder Delino Deshields and Brett Martin of the Texas Rangers are both known to have the virus. Each are in quarantine and experiencing only mild symptoms. Martin, who compiled a 4.76 ERA across 51 appearances including two starts as a rookie last year, carries a “high risk” designation due to his Type 1 diabetes. It’s unclear if Eduardo Rodriguez, who has been absent from Red Sox training camp after being exposed to someone with COVID-19, was among the 38 positives.
All things considered, the league's first batch of test results went about as well as MLB could have hoped. The NBA announced Thursday that 25 of its 351 players (that excludes players from the eight teams that didn’t qualify for Orlando) received positive test results. Meanwhile, just 10 of the NBA's 884 staff members (1.1 percent) came back positive. Even with COVID cases rising across the country, the dormant NBA, NHL and MLB are each expected to resume their seasons later this month.
Teams returning to the field this week have taken unprecedented measures to combat the virus. Rather than congregate in a germ-ridden clubhouse, Red Sox players have been storing their equipment in Fenway Park’s vacant luxury suites. Teams had previously planned to hold training camps in Florida and Arizona but later balked after both states experienced a steep rise in positive tests.
Barring a setback, MLB will stage its Opening Day on July 23 with the Washington Nationals beginning their title defense at home against the high-powered New York Yankees.
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