July 29, 2020 Issue, Page 8 of 16

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Sports Page 8, Section A The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Wednesday, July 29, 2020 Hallelujah: Sports are back - a little more each day By Dave Hyde, Sun Sen- television announcer Paul can see it from your couch the same game we played really something we hope will be played, where they'll tinel Severino said Friday night at on TV. And don’t touch that (two exhibitions) in Atlanta. we can get done,” be played, how they’ll be FORT LAUDERDALE, the start of the broadcast, sit- dial, unless it’s been sani- It didn’t feel like an open- He then went out to coach Fla. - Don Mattingly chuck- ting in Marlins Park, socially tized, because after months ing game with no one here _ the Heat against the Utah. governed, who will be al- led Saturday afternoon over distanced from partner Todd of going without games other than it counts.” The Heat start playing for lowed into arenas and stadi- Zoom and said what ev- Hollandsworth, hundreds they’re piling up now. The real next Saturday. Then ums and, quite simply, why There’s news all across eryone in sports is thinking of miles from the Marlins” Marlins played in Philadel- sports: The Panthers leave come the playoffs, just as these days. opening win in Philadelphia. phia on Saturday afternoon, for Toronto on Sunday to they will for the Panthers. they’re even playing amidst “This is not what you Nothing’s normal. Every- the same time as the Heat’s start their world in a hockey Meanwhile, in a 60-game a pandemic. dream of, playing with no thing’s changed. There were scrimmage against Utah bubble; New York Jets coach baseball season every game Now it’s about whether one in the stands,” the Mi- no fans at games, umpires tipped off. Adam Gase still hasn’t counts about three times the the Marlins can win enough, ami Marlins manager said wore masks behind their Next Saturday the Mar- learned to talk with play- normal meaning, as Matting- from Philadelphia. masks and players did the lins, Heat and Panthers all ers, as his ongoing spat with ly said, “There will be a lot the Heat have enough or the There’s nothing quite like high-five with caps so as not play games and the Dol- safety Jamal Adams being of big moments that may not Panthers can do enough to a pandemic to make you to touch each other. phins practice. We’ve gone what Dolphins insiders saw look like that in the stands, get people interested. We're appreciate everyday things The only thing missing from nothing to everything. at the end of Gase’s time in or sound like that, because taken for granted. from this newly regimented Drought to flood. Hallelu- Miami; and Heat coach Erik no one’s there.” back to looking at scores Like eating in a restaurant. world is players getting off jah. There’s sports to discuss Spoelstra said the organiza- “Tt takes away a lot of in sports right now, not just Like working at the office. the bus in uniforms, like for again. tion wants to use America- people screaming at you, es- looking at whether sports Like watching a game in high-school games, rather “Once you get into the nAirlines Arena as a voting pecially here in Philly,” said can come back. person. than changing as they do in game, and thinking, making site for the Presidential elec- Marlins reliever Brad Box- Or simply like watching socially-distanced locker decisions, that part is pretty tion. berger. It’s not the same, games. a game at all, even on TV, rooms. normal,” Mattingly said of For the past four months, But watching games at all “Tt would be fantastic for which we’re now starting to But who cares? the Marlins opener. “That the city _ we’re pushing the first question about is something to appreciate do with some regularity. Sports are back a little part is pretty normal. It’s for it and the ball’s in their sports hasn’t been about “It’s an honor to say it - more, day by day, team by just the fact no one’s here. court,” Spoelstra said on sports. It's been about the after the past four months. baseball is back,” Marlins team. Enough is normal. You After the game, it felt like Zoom from Orlando. “That’s pandemic. It’s been if games Finally, they’re back. OU football: Oklahoma’s opener vs. Missouri State rescheduled to Aug. 29 By Joe Buettner | Tran- uled, the benefit of extra time times. We're thankful to and will allow both teams The NCAA’s approval of Oklahoma Memorial Sta- script, Muskogee Phoenix between games will help our Missouri State for their co- two weeks to recover before the waiver request provides dium, Oklahoma’s 2020 football teams manage any variety of operation during this process their next games and adjust OU with a bye week be- OU’s game with Missouri season will start sooner than possible circumstances that and to the NCAA for allow- as necessary to the ever- tween each of its nonconfer- State, a Football Champion- expected. may occur,” Castiglione ing both teams to start the changing landscape of the ence games, Oklahoma is ship Subdivision program, is OU athletics director Joe said in a news release. season a week earlier.” pandemic,” Moats said in a scheduled to face Tennessee hardly its most high-profile Castiglione announced OU’s “Our original schedule Missouri State athletics release. on Sept. 12 in Norman and contest on its schedule. OU week 1 game against Mis- had an open date between director Kyle Moats also “We very much appreciate Amy on Sept. 26 in West is the only Power-5 program souri State will move from the second and third games, expressed his gratitude for OU, specifically AD Joe Cas- Point, New York. Sept. 5 to Saturday, Aug. so now we will have a span OU’s collaborative efforts tiglione, and their efforts and OU will announce broad- scheduled to play Aug. 29 29. Both OU and Missouri of five weeks to play three and the NCAA’s approval of communication throughout cast information for the with Marshall at East Caroli- State petitioned the NCAA games,” he said. “It provides the waiver request. this process. I look forward game in the coming weeks. na, Idaho State at New Mex- to move the season opener. us a more gradual approach “The request was made to Aug 29 and the kickoff of And it will release potential ico and California-Davis at “If the season is indeed to safely manage the condi- purely for the safety and the college football season safety protocols if fans are Nevada as the only other permitted to start as sched- tions of these unprecedented health of the student-athletes for us in Norman. allowed at Gaylord Family- week zero matchups. Cowboys missed the boat on Adams By Tim Cowlishaw, The Now, one of the three turned serious in the last 48 $73 million for three play- math left the scene. That’s volved in the trade, so call it Dallas Morning News or four best safeties in the hours. ers and barely $100 million their problem. The Cow- atie if you like. I realize Ad- With NFL training camps NFL is headed to one of the Both Jerry and Stephen or so for the rest of the team. boys’ problem is they are ams is no longer on a rookie just around the corner, we Cowboys’ rivals for NFC su- Jones have been known to If you want to give the hoping a coaching change contract, and that changes have our first unofficial exaggerate the club’s salary Cowboys a pass here, go and a potentially great draft this examination, but he also premacy, a team that’s actu- score of the preseason, even ally been heavily involved in cap problems, but they stand ahead. Just keep in mind have elevated them to the is a proven talent while we though there won’t be any that pursuit under Pete Car- a chance to be real in 2021 that, as Andrew Brandt, a level of Philadelphia, Green have no idea what will be games. roll while the Cowboys have when the cap drops in order former Packers vice presi- Bay, New Orleans, San available to the Jets with Saturday night’s results: mostly hoped for an invita- to pay for the massive game dent and agent, pointed out Francisco and Seattle. And those picks. The Seahawks get an A, the tion to the party. revenues that will be lost regarding the business of the now the Seahawks - remem- All we know is that the Jets earn a solid B and the Meanwhile, the Bravo Eu- without fans this season. NEL, most teams (including ber they were one yard away Seahawks, who have played Cowboys missed the boat genia did 20 knots just south Management’s inability to Dallas) have surplus cap dol- from locking up home-field in three of the last 15 Super even while they were on one. of the Bering Sea. sign Dak Prescott to a long- lars saved that can minimize advantage and sending the Bowls, are willing to bet that Jamal Adams, the All-Pro I’m not completely sure on term deal that would have these worries next season. 49ers on the wild-card route Russell Wilson can get them safety who has been working Jerry Jones’ longitude at this lowered his early cap num- There’s no question the last December - are con- to another one in the next hard to talk his way out of point - it was reported last bers (this isn’t totally on the Jets got a superior haul for a structing Legion of Boom II. New York for the better part week his yacht was docked Cowboys, it’s agent Todd safety. It’s unheard of to land Ifyou take the trade values year or two. The Cowboys of a year - constantly refer- near Juneau, Alaska - but France’s modus operandi) two first-round picks, even listed in the famous Jimmy can’t even assure fans their encing his Dallas home after I do know he has failed to could be particularly trou- for one of the game’s best. Johnson Draft Chart, Adams Russell Wilson wannabe is playing high school ball for provide his team the latitude bling next season. Philadelphia got one of the had 1,700 points as the sixth going to be here in 2022, so Hebron - finally got his wish to pursue a great talent like If Prescott has to be fran- best cornerbacks, Detroit’s player taken by New York. If they sat this one out. after discrediting head coach Adams. And you're tired of chised again, the cost of the Darius Slay, last spring for a Seattle hands the Jets maybe The Cowboys don’t need Adam Gase. hearing this, but there are triplets (Prescott, Ezekiel three and a five! the 22nd pick in each of the a bigger boat. But their sec- The Seahawks paid a sig- 314 million reasons the Elliott and Amari Cooper) It just means the Jets coming drafts (and the Se- ondary would be viewed as a nificant price that includes Cowboys failed to come will rise from approximately aren’t serious about win- ahawks might be better than much greater weapon if they their next two first-round ashore and stake their claim ning games, which has been $54 million to $73 million in had landed a shark attack of that), that’s 1,560 points. draft picks. when the Adams trade talks 2021. So that’s potentially largely true since Joe Na- There are smaller pieces in- a safety like Adams. Have a photo or story to tell? Reach out tus at [email protected]