Friday’s Sports

 

NFL

Pittsburg Steelers’ defensive end, Cam Heyward, isn’t concerned about the Steelers making the 2017 mistake again as they prepare for a season unlike any other. The wave of high-profile nationwide protests in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer has professional athletes trying to piece together how to use their platform to bring about change. While Heyward, a nine-year veteran, and longtime defensive captain, stressed that everyone has a voice in the locker room, he expects any public display on the field to be one of togetherness.

MLB

Baseball players proposed a 70-game regular-season schedule Thursday. A plan immediately rejected by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred with the sides ten games and about $275 million apart on methods to start the coronavirus-delayed season. As part of the union proposal, players would wear advertisement patches on their uniforms for the first time in Major League history.

The Cowboys, Mavericks, and Stars have all made Juneteenth a paid holiday, but the Rangers aren’t following suit.

NBA

Maverick’s owner Mark Cuban said he hopes to join his players in kneeling during the national anthem before games this summer if that’s how they choose to protest police brutality and racial injustices.

NCAA

Texas Athletics reports that 13 Longhorn football players have tested positive for COVID-19. That is according to the Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director for Sports Medicine & Performance Allen Hardin. The total includes the two Longhorn players who tested positive last week. All 13 are self-isolating, according to UT. Due to federal privacy laws, the school is not releasing the names of the infected individuals.

The Southeastern Conference is considering barring league championship events in Mississippi unless the state changes its Confederate-based flag. The NCAA has already said it would not schedule postseason games in Mississippi because of the state flag.

LITTLE LEAGUE

Lorena Little League announced Thursday that a Little League coach is among the 245 McLennan County residents who’ve tested positive for COVID-19. The coach contracted the virus from a relative outside of Lorena, is self-isolating, and his team members are taking the week off. Team members are also seeking medical attention if they develop symptoms.