OFF THE WALL

We just couldn’t let this stuff go ...

ESPN relents and adds announcers

A day after volleyball coaches criticized ESPN’S coverage plans for the NCAA tournament, the cable television network reversed course and announced Friday there would be commentators for all matches streamed on its digital platforms.

ESPN’S original plan was to stream the first- and secondround matches with no play-byplay announcers or analysts. Several coaches, including Kelly

Sheffield (pictured) of topseeded Wisconsin, complained publicly that having no announcers would diminish the stature of the tournament.

The NCAA said Thursday night that ESPN was not contractually required to provide any coverage for the first and second rounds.

ESPN will be providing coverage for all rounds for the first time this year.

“Despite the variety of challenges related to the pandemic, all 47 matches will be live on an ESPN platform and will include commentators,” the network said in a statement.

The tournament starts Wednesday and will be held at the CHI Health Center, with the first two rounds and regional semifinals played in the facility’s convention center.

The regional final, national semifinals and championship match will be played in the adjoining arena.

Trivia question

With Friday night’s Joe Musgrove no-hitter, every major league team now has a no-hitter. When was the last time that statement was also true?

They said it

• From Dwight Perry of The Seattle Times: “Loyola-chicago men’s basketball coach Porter

Moser bolted for greener pastures at Oklahoma. So what’s next — Sister Jean entering the transfer portal?”

• From Angels manager Joe Maddon, to reporters, after Mike Trout’s 444-foot homer at the Jays’ temporary home park in Dunedin, Fla., struck an elementary school beyond the left-field fence: “Luckily school was out for the evening. That one definitely had some flight attendants working on it.”

• From new Chargers center Cory Linsley, to Chargers.com, on what it would be like to face ex-teammate and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on “Jeopardy!” someday: “I’d be good at categories like Midwestern geography, grit, manual labor, manners. Aaron would win categories like golf, yachting, anything California. Met Gala attire …”

• From Vic Vela of Colorado Public Radio, via Twitter: “NEWS: The Rockies have traded the All-star Game to St. Louis along with 500 million cash.”

• From blogger Patti Dawn Swansson, on squeaky-clean Edmonton Oilers star Connor

Mcdavid getting fined $5,000 for elbowing an opponent in the face: “I couldn’t have been more surprised had I found a copy of ‘Sinatra: The Rapper Years’ at my local vinyl store.”

Trivia answer

Sixty years ago to the day of Musgrove’s no-hitter was the last time the statement was true. April 9, 1961, was the day before the expansion Senators came into existence. The Mets began the next year, and didn’t have a no-hitter until Johan Santana’s controversial 2012 no-no (Carlos

Beltran hit a ball inside third base that was called foul. Replays weren’t a thing yet). And of course the Padres had been without one since 1969.