NFL plans largely on track
The NFL informed owners in a meeting Thursday that it expects training camps to open as scheduled — July 28 for most teams.
The league and the Pro Football Hall of Fame canceled the opening preseason game between the Cowboys and Steelers on Aug. 6. The hall’s induction ceremonies, set for Aug. 8, have been moved to August 2021. As of now, preseason games are on. “The preseason number of games, we’re in active discussions with the players association on those issues, and will continue at that and expect to have some resolution relatively soon and will advise the clubs at that time,’’ NFL general counsel Jeff Pash said.
Not everyone is on board. Speaking to CNN on Thursday, Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins, who serves on the players association’s executive committee, called football “nonessential business” and said he’s not comfortable playing while the coronavirus remains a threat, particularly because the NFL has too many players and staff to effectively quarantine the way the NBA can.
“We’ll end up being kind of on this trust system, the honor system, where we just have to hope that guys are social distancing,” Jenkins said. “And that puts all of us at risk, not only us as players and who’s in the building, but when you go home to your families.”
After 22 years, Carter hangs it up
Vince Carter made his retirement official Thursday, announcing on his podcast that his 22-year NBA career, the longest in league history, has come to an end.
Carter, the first NBA player to appear in four decades, played in 1,541 NBA games, behind only Robert Parish (1,611) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1,560). He started his career with the Raptors, then played for the Nets, Magic, Suns, Mavericks, Grizzlies and Kings before his final two seasons with the Hawks.
♦ Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr. has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Virus shows up among Dodgers, Twins
The Dodgers and Twins said people in their organizations have tested positive for the coronavirus. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said in a video call that it’s “a delicate subject” and declined to identify those with positive tests, though he said none have problematic symptoms. Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said the Twins had “a few” players recently test positive; they are “doing well” in self-isolation at home.
♦ Churchill Downs received approval to run the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 with spectators but with guidelines to limit crowd density. The race normally draws 150,000 fans.
♦ Australia and New Zealand beat Colombia 22-13 in a vote by FIFA’s ruling council to earn the right to co-host the Women’s World Cup in 2023. It will be the first with 32 teams.
♦ Liverpool clinched the Premier League title, its first since 1990, thanks to Chelsea’s 2-1 victory against Manchester City.