Proposal to eliminate interference reviews gets preliminary OK
After further review, video reassessment of pass-interference calls is likely to be eliminated by the NFL after a one-year test run.
The league’s competition committee made the recommendation Friday. A final decision will be made at the owners meeting scheduled for May 19-20 in Marina del Rey.
The option to have a second look at potential pass-interference calls was sparked by a blown ruling that likely cost the New Orleans Saints a trip to the Super Bowl at the end of the 2018-19 season.
The competition committee also decided not to put forward the proposal of a “sky judge,” an eighth official who sits in the press box and can correct any obvious missed calls.
WHEN BREES RETIRES, NBC WILL BE LANDING SPOT >> New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has chosen to sign with NBC Sports per his future broadcasting career, the New York Post reported.
The 41-year-old Brees selected NBC over ESPN. He is slated to eventually replace Cris Collinsworth as the “Sunday Night Football” analyst.
Brees recently signed a two-year, $50 million contract with the Saints after pondering retirement. It is possible Brees could retire after the 2020 season and begin working for NBC in 2021.
CBS SACKS FOUTS FROM BROADCASTING BOOTH >> Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts has been sacked by CBS. Fouts is out as the color analyst on the network’s No. 2 NFL broadcast team, according to numerous reports Friday.
Fouts led the NFL in passing yardage in four straight seasons (1979-82) during the “Air Coryell” era. The six-time Pro Bowl selection passed for 43,040 yards with 254 touchdowns and 242 interceptions in 181 games (171 starts) and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. XFL SHUTS DOWN >> The rebooted XFL told staff it was suspending operations and laying off most employees after failing to finish its first season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to published reports.
Olympics
NO GUARANTEE TOKYO 2021 WILL HAPPEN >> Tokyo Olympics organizers are focusing on their new Games start date in 2021, they stressed — even if the coronavirus outbreak complicates preparations for the remade extravaganza.
At his first remote news conference, Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto emphasized that Games organizers were aiming towards the new start date of July 23, 2021, regardless of how long it takes to contain the coronavirus outbreak.
“I don’t think anybody would be able to say it is possible to get it (coronavirus) under control by next July or not,” said Muto. “We certainly aren’t in a position to give you a clear answer on that question.
“However, we have made the decision to postpone the Games by one year so all we can do is work hard to prepare for the Games in one year’s time.”
Basketball
TEAMS SEEKING TO DELAY NBA DRAFT >> Many NBA teams are urging the league to delay the 2020 draft scheduled for June 25, ESPN reported. With the COVID-19 pandemic and shelter-in-place guidelines limiting their ability to gather information on draft-eligible prospects, teams want the draft pushed back to Aug. 1 at the earliest.
“Multiple top team executives” told ESPN that a delay would give the organizations more time to complete the pre-draft process, including interviews, medical exams and in-person workouts.
BULLS TAB NUGGETS’ KARNISOVAS TO LEAD OPERATIONS >> The Chocago Bulls hired Denver Nuggets general manager Arturas Karnisovas to run their basketball operation, a person familiar with the situation said Thursday night.
The person, who confirmed reports by several outlets, spoke on the condition of anonymity because the move has not been announced.
Longtime executive John Paxson was expected to move into an advisory role. The futures of general manager Gar Forman and coach Jim Boylen were unclear.
DUKE C CAREY TO DECLARE FOR DRAFT >> Duke freshman star Vernon Carey Jr. will enter the 2020 NBA draft, multiple outlets reported. The 6-foot-10, 270-pound center is projected to be a mid-to-late first-round pick.
The Atlantic Coast Conference’s Freshman of the Year averaged 17.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 31 games during his lone season with the Blue Devils in 2019-20.
• All-American Luka Garza is entering the NBA draft but keeping his options open to return to Iowa next season. The 6-foot-11 big man was the Big Ten Player of the Year and a unanimous first-team All-American as a junior in 2019-20. He will enter the 2020 draft without signing with an agent.
Garza, 21, averaged 26.2 points in 20 Big Ten games last season.
• Josh Green is the latest Arizona freshman to declare for the NBA draft. Green joins Nico Mannion and Zeke Nnaji in leaving early.
Baseball
NATS SAY 1 PERSON TESTS POSITIVE, NO PLAYERS >> Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo says one team employee — not a player — tested positive for the coronavirus and is “on the road to getting better.” Rizzo says no players for the reigning World Series champions have shown any symptoms of COVID-19.
Swimming
U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMING TRIALS RESET FOR JUNE 2021 >> The U.S. Olympic swimming trials have been rescheduled for June 1320, 2021 in Omaha, Nebraska
USA Swimming announced the new dates less than three weeks after the Tokyo Olympics were postponed until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
As of Friday, 1,213 athletes had qualified to compete at the trials. USA Swimming expects all will be accepted to the rescheduled event.
NHL
INJURED HAMILTON READY WHEN SEASON RESUMES >> Carolina Hurricanes president and general manager Don Waddell said All-Star defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who broke his left leg in January, would be ready to play if the season resumes.
Hamilton needed surgery and had been listed as out indefinitely before the season was suspended amid the coronavirus pandemic.