Notre Dame and Kentucky will play this fall to begin a three-year series between two of college basketball’s winningest programs.
Kentucky hosts Notre Dame on Dec. 12 in the first regular-season meeting between the schools since Notre Dame’s 64-50 victory at home on Nov. 29, 2012. The Wildcats visit the Fighting Irish on Dec. 10, 2022, and the teams play at a neutral site to be determined on Dec. 11, 2021.
“It is great to renew a series between two of the ‘blue bloods’ of college basketball,” Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said on the school’s website.
Kentucky is 43-19 against Notre Dame all-time, including 8-0 at home, and won the previous meeting 68-66 in a tense NCAA Tournament region final in Cleveland. The Wildcats are 10-6 in South Bend, though the Irish have won the past two at home.
“If our previous games are any indication, this is going to be a great series,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said in a release.
NFL owners have tabled a proposal that would have offered a fourth-and-15 play as an alternative to the onside kick and approved testing expanded use of video replay in the preseason to aid in officiating. Atlanta Falcons President Rich McKay says there were more clubs receptive to the onside kick alternative than in the past and it will be further explored and likely brought up again. Also tabled was a proposal to have a booth judge serve as an eighth official on each crew. On a conference call, the 32 owners also increased the number of players who may be designated for return from the injured list during a season from two to three.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is hopeful that coaches will be able to return to their team facilities by next week. Goodell also said during yesterday’s owners conference call that the virtual offseason is being extended for two more weeks. NFL executive vice president of communications, public affairs and policy Jeff Miller said the league’s first consideration is of course the health and safety of the public and the players and the employees and the people who will be participating.
The NHL is handing out its regular-season trophies after saying it would go straight to playoffs if it can return. With the regular season over, Alex Ovechkin and David Pastrnak share the Rocket Richard Trophy for the most goals, Leon Draisaitl wins the Art Ross Trophy for points and the Boston Bruins are the Presidents’ Trophy winners as the top team in the league. Ovechkin’s ninth goal-scoring title extends his NHL record. The Bruins would get no home-ice advantage in the playoffs contested in two host cities. They must also still earn the top seed in the Eastern Conference in a round-robin tournament.
In baseball, sources tell ESPN that hundreds of minor league players were cut yesterday and lost their jobs. Hundreds more will be released over the next week. In the end, upward of 1,000 players could see their baseball careers end.
Sports agent Scott Boras is recommending that his clients refuse Major League Baseball’s attempt to cut salaries during negotiations with the players’ association. He is claiming that team financial issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic have their origin in management debt financing. Boras wrote in an email obtained by The Associated Press that players should not alter terms of the March 26 agreement between MLB and the union that called for players to reduce their salaries to a prorated rate based on a shortened season. MLB on Tuesday proposed a series of tiered reductions that would cause top stars to receive the biggest cuts.
Chase Elliott was able to celebrate a victory that capped a very busy stretch for NASCAR.
Elliott reeled in Kevin Harvick with 27 laps remaining and closed out the win at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Elliott was charging hard on Harvick with about 35 laps remaining when he asked if he had enough fuel to make it to the finish. He stayed on the track and came away with his first Cup win of the season.
You can add the Boston Marathon and the PGA’s John Deere Classic to the list of major sporting events that have been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Both events had been rescheduled to later dates but have now been outright cancelled.
