WICHITA, Kan. - There will be no sports in Wichita USD 259 this fall.&nbsp;The reopening plan approved Thursday night by the Wichita Public Schools Board of Education includes a remote start for middle-and-high-school students for the first nine weeks. During this time, the plan includes no school activities. This means fall sports seasons are canceled.

The Wichita Public Schools Board of Education voted 5-2 to place the district in the “orange”-level gating criteria, as outlined by the Kansas Department of Education, to start the school year.

All fall activities, including high school football, are canceled.

The Wichita City League announced on Tuesday that its schools’ sports programs would only compete against other City League teams this fall. It canceled two regular-season football games for all nine schools, but with the board's decision Thursday, the other six were canceled, as well.

The league’s two private schools that aren’t part of USD 259, Bishop Carroll and Kapaun Mt. Carmel, could decide to move on without the rest of the league.

WICHITA, Kan. - There will be no sports in Wichita USD 259 this fall.&nbsp;The reopening plan approved Thursday night by the Wichita Public Schools Board of Education includes a remote start for middle-and-high-school students for the first nine weeks. During this time, the plan includes no school activities. This means fall sports seasons are canceled.The Wichita Public Schools Board of Education voted 5-2 to place the district in the “orange”-level gating criteria, as outlined by the Kansas Department of Education, to start the school year.All fall activities, including high school football, are canceled.The Wichita City League announced on Tuesday that its schools’ sports programs would only compete against other City League teams this fall. It canceled two regular-season football games for all nine schools, but with the board's decision Thursday, the other six were canceled, as well.The league’s two private schools that aren’t part of USD 259, Bishop Carroll and Kapaun Mt. Carmel, could decide to move on without the rest of the league.

Wichita Public Schools’ fall sports canceled

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs will prohibit the wearing of Native American headdresses, face paint and clothing at Arrowhead Stadium.

They also are discussing the future of the iconic tomahawk chop as they address what many consider racist imagery associated with their franchise.

The team said in a statement Thursday that the changes came after conversations with national organizations that work closely on issues that affect Native Americans. They also come on the heels of the NFL team in Washington choosing to drop Redskins as its nickname after a long and often contentious dialogue with fans and the public.

“In 2014, we began a dialogue with a group of local leaders form diverse American Indian backgrounds and experiences,” the team said in its statement. “As an organization, our goal was a better understanding of issues facing American Indian communities in our region and explore opportunities to raise awareness of American Indian cultures and celebrate the rich traditions of tribes with a historic connection to the Kansas City area.”

In response to that initial collaboration, the Chiefs began celebrating American Indian Heritage Month by inviting elders to a game each year, and having them do a ceremonial “Blessing of the Drum and the Four Directions of Arrowhead Stadium.”

Those discussions also led to the Chiefs discouraging the wearing of ceremonial headdresses and face paint, though they were still seen throughout Arrowhead Stadium on game days. Now, those fans wearing often elaborate headdresses and face paint will be stopped at the gate and prohibited from entering the facility.

The Chiefs also said they are “engaged in a thorough review process of the Arrowhead Chop,” which is also used by fans of the Florida State Seminoles, Atlanta Braves and other sports teams. The team also hopes to shift the focus of the war drum that is pounded at the start of games to “something that symbolizes the heartbeat of the stadium.”

“We are exploring all options for a modified engagement moment from the Drum Deck that maintains a unifying effect between our fans and our players but better represents the spiritual significance of the drum,” the team said.

The Chiefs, who are named after former Mayor Harold Roe “Chief” Bartle, have made other changes throughout the years to distance themselves from Native American imagery. The pinto horse named Warpaint that rides onto the field was originally ridden by a man in full Native American headdress, but for years has been ridden by a cheerleader instead.

Despite the changes, there have continued to be occasional demonstrations, protests and public outcry at Chiefs games at home and on the road. Native Americans sought to have the Arizona Cardinals bar face paint when the Chiefs visited several years ago, and protests took place in Minnesota in 2015 before a game against the Vikings.

Officials and students at nearby Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas, asked the Chiefs to ban behavior that invokes stereotypes amid their 2016 playoff run. And when the franchise won its first Super Bowl in 50 years in February, it once again put the subject of tradition versus racism at the forefront of the national consciousness.

The team did not address its nickname, its logo of “KC” inside an arrowhead, or the name of Arrowhead Stadium itself in its statement Thursday. But it did say that it was exploring the creation of a formalized education program, and it promised to continue discussions with Native American groups moving forward.

“We are grateful for the meaningful conversations we have had with all of these American Indian leaders,” the team said. “It is important we continue the dialogue on these significant topics and we look forward to continuing to work together.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs will prohibit the wearing of Native American headdresses, face paint and clothing at Arrowhead Stadium.They also are discussing the future of the iconic tomahawk chop as they address what many consider racist imagery associated with their franchise.The team said in a statement Thursday that the changes came after conversations with national organizations that work closely on issues that affect Native Americans. They also come on the heels of the NFL team in Washington choosing to drop Redskins as its nickname after a long and often contentious dialogue with fans and the public.“In 2014, we began a dialogue with a group of local leaders form diverse American Indian backgrounds and experiences,” the team said in its statement. “As an organization, our goal was a better understanding of issues facing American Indian communities in our region and explore opportunities to raise awareness of American Indian cultures and celebrate the rich traditions of tribes with a historic connection to the Kansas City area.”In response to that initial collaboration, the Chiefs began celebrating American Indian Heritage Month by inviting elders to a game each year, and having them do a ceremonial “Blessing of the Drum and the Four Directions of Arrowhead Stadium.”Those discussions also led to the Chiefs discouraging the wearing of ceremonial headdresses and face paint, though they were still seen throughout Arrowhead Stadium on game days. Now, those fans wearing often elaborate headdresses and face paint will be stopped at the gate and prohibited from entering the facility.The Chiefs also said they are “engaged in a thorough review process of the Arrowhead Chop,” which is also used by fans of the Florida State Seminoles, Atlanta Braves and other sports teams. The team also hopes to shift the focus of the war drum that is pounded at the start of games to “something that symbolizes the heartbeat of the stadium.”“We are exploring all options for a modified engagement moment from the Drum Deck that maintains a unifying effect between our fans and our players but better represents the spiritual significance of the drum,” the team said.The Chiefs, who are named after former Mayor Harold Roe “Chief” Bartle, have made other changes throughout the years to distance themselves from Native American imagery. The pinto horse named Warpaint that rides onto the field was originally ridden by a man in full Native American headdress, but for years has been ridden by a cheerleader instead.Despite the changes, there have continued to be occasional demonstrations, protests and public outcry at Chiefs games at home and on the road. Native Americans sought to have the Arizona Cardinals bar face paint when the Chiefs visited several years ago, and protests took place in Minnesota in 2015 before a game against the Vikings.Officials and students at nearby Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas, asked the Chiefs to ban behavior that invokes stereotypes amid their 2016 playoff run. And when the franchise won its first Super Bowl in 50 years in February, it once again put the subject of tradition versus racism at the forefront of the national consciousness.The team did not address its nickname, its logo of “KC” inside an arrowhead, or the name of Arrowhead Stadium itself in its statement Thursday. But it did say that it was exploring the creation of a formalized education program, and it promised to continue discussions with Native American groups moving forward.“We are grateful for the meaningful conversations we have had with all of these American Indian leaders,” the team said. “It is important we continue the dialogue on these significant topics and we look forward to continuing to work together.”

Chiefs to prohibit Native American imagery at Arrowhead

The teams' Salute to the Negro Leagues jerseys.Photo courtesy Kansas City Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Royals today announced the details of the Salute to the Negro Leagues game for the 2020 season which will take place on Sept. 22 against the St. Louis Cardinals.

This season, MLB has celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Negro Leagues, with the league-wide recognition taking place this past Sunday, Aug. 16.

“This is a day for celebration of the Negro Leagues, treasured not only for its role in Kansas City’s heritage, but for all of baseball in America,” said Royals Chairman and CEO John Sherman. “This sport has created positive change that still hasn’t reached its finish line. But today is a day that we celebrate players who were just working to create opportunities. In the process, they changed our game and our country for the better. That story of struggle and triumph continues to resonate today.”

“These 100 years later,” he continued, “we stand in awe of the Negro Leagues, and of the brave examples of people like Rube Foster, J.L. Wilkinson , Jackie Robinson, Larry Doby, our own Buck O’Neil, Satchel Paige and so many others. Their efforts truly transcended the game of baseball.”

“On behalf of the entire Kansas City Royals organization, we are grateful for the opportunity to be so close to their extraordinary history. We feel a deep bond as a team with the great Kansas City Monarchs. We pledge to never forget them, and to forever honor them.”

The Royals will host their in-state rival, St. Louis Cardinals, who will be taking place in the Royals annual celebration for the first time since 2003. The competition between the Missouri cities began many years before the storied MLB rivalry.

“Long before the vaunted 1985 I-70 series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals, the St. Louis Stars and Kansas City Monarchs clashed in an epic seven-game playoff series to determine which team would advance to face the Hilldale Daisies in the 1925 Negro League World Series. The heated series featured four future Hall of Famers, James “Cool Papa” Bell and Willie Wells for the Stars and Wilbur “Bullet” Rogan and Jose Mendez for the Monarchs. The Monarchs 4-3 series win fueled a baseball rivalry between the two stoic franchises,” said Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. “As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Negro Leagues, it’s only fitting that the Stars and Monarchs will take the field again in our annual Salute to the Negro Leagues game.”

“The Cardinals are honored to take part in this year’s Salute to the Negro Leagues game with the Royals,” said Cardinals Team President Bill DeWitt III. “This year’s centennial celebration of the founding of the Negro Leagues is a notable milestone, and it also reminds us that we need to continue to prioritize issues of diversity, equality and inclusion in MLB.”

The Royals will wear the 1945 Kansas City Monarchs home uniform which is a replica of the jersey Jackie Robinson wore when he played that year for the Monarchs. It is a cream color uniform with navy stripes and red and navy piping. The well-known “KC” Monarchs logo is on the jersey in red block lettering with a navy outline, and the jersey also features red buttons. The Royals will also wear inspired batting helmets that are red with the same “KC” Monarchs logo in a cream color.

The Cardinals will wear the 1930 St. Louis Stars away uniform which is the team that won the Negro National League Pennant. It is a gray uniform with navy piping and “St. Louis” block lettering on the chest of the jersey in navy with a red outline. The hat will be navy with “St. L” lettering on the front in white.

Game-worn uniform pieces and bases will be up for auction starting at 9 a.m. on Sept. 22 through Royals Authentics online at royals.com/auction. All proceeds will benefit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597954881054.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The teams' Salute to the Negro Leagues jerseys.Photo courtesy Kansas City RoyalsKANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Royals today announced the details of the Salute to the Negro Leagues game for the 2020 season which will take place on Sept. 22 against the St. Louis Cardinals.This season, MLB has celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Negro Leagues, with the league-wide recognition taking place this past Sunday, Aug. 16.“This is a day for celebration of the Negro Leagues, treasured not only for its role in Kansas City’s heritage, but for all of baseball in America,” said Royals Chairman and CEO John Sherman. “This sport has created positive change that still hasn’t reached its finish line. But today is a day that we celebrate players who were just working to create opportunities. In the process, they changed our game and our country for the better. That story of struggle and triumph continues to resonate today.”“These 100 years later,” he continued, “we stand in awe of the Negro Leagues, and of the brave examples of people like Rube Foster, J.L. Wilkinson , Jackie Robinson, Larry Doby, our own Buck O’Neil, Satchel Paige and so many others. Their efforts truly transcended the game of baseball.”“On behalf of the entire Kansas City Royals organization, we are grateful for the opportunity to be so close to their extraordinary history. We feel a deep bond as a team with the great Kansas City Monarchs. We pledge to never forget them, and to forever honor them.”The Royals will host their in-state rival, St. Louis Cardinals, who will be taking place in the Royals annual celebration for the first time since 2003. The competition between the Missouri cities began many years before the storied MLB rivalry.“Long before the vaunted 1985 I-70 series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals, the St. Louis Stars and Kansas City Monarchs clashed in an epic seven-game playoff series to determine which team would advance to face the Hilldale Daisies in the 1925 Negro League World Series. The heated series featured four future Hall of Famers, James “Cool Papa” Bell and Willie Wells for the Stars and Wilbur “Bullet” Rogan and Jose Mendez for the Monarchs. The Monarchs 4-3 series win fueled a baseball rivalry between the two stoic franchises,” said Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. “As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Negro Leagues, it’s only fitting that the Stars and Monarchs will take the field again in our annual Salute to the Negro Leagues game.”“The Cardinals are honored to take part in this year’s Salute to the Negro Leagues game with the Royals,” said Cardinals Team President Bill DeWitt III. “This year’s centennial celebration of the founding of the Negro Leagues is a notable milestone, and it also reminds us that we need to continue to prioritize issues of diversity, equality and inclusion in MLB.”The Royals will wear the 1945 Kansas City Monarchs home uniform which is a replica of the jersey Jackie Robinson wore when he played that year for the Monarchs. It is a cream color uniform with navy stripes and red and navy piping. The well-known “KC” Monarchs logo is on the jersey in red block lettering with a navy outline, and the jersey also features red buttons. The Royals will also wear inspired batting helmets that are red with the same “KC” Monarchs logo in a cream color.The Cardinals will wear the 1930 St. Louis Stars away uniform which is the team that won the Negro National League Pennant. It is a gray uniform with navy piping and “St. Louis” block lettering on the chest of the jersey in navy with a red outline. The hat will be navy with “St. L” lettering on the front in white.Game-worn uniform pieces and bases will be up for auction starting at 9 a.m. on Sept. 22 through Royals Authentics online at royals.com/auction. All proceeds will benefit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

Royals announce Salute to the Negro Leagues game with St. Louis

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — It’s almost race weekend and the tiny enclave of Speedway looks virtually barren.

The usually colorful campgrounds and parking lots are empty, green grass untouched and white gravel undisturbed. There is no sign of the familiar sweet smells of food staples like turkey legs and deep fried Oreos. The traditional signs welcoming race fans to town are missing, as are the lawn chairs along the berm of Crawfordsville Road in the shadow of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 is Sunday, weather permitting. For the surrounding community of Speedway, which bills itself as the racing capital of the world, many residents will be watching from home and they are filled with sadness.

“It’s been one of the most constant things in my life and I look forward to it every year, just the race itself,” said Tom Beaudry, a longtime racing vendor who can hear the roar of the engines from his backyard. “I haven’t missed one since I was 5. You know, it’s bittersweet hearing them running — knowing they’re running and knowing you can’t go inside.”

Inside the historic speedway are grandstands with 232,00 seats now covered in red stickers reading “Do not use.” With suites and infield crowds, the race is generally considered the largest single-day sporting event in the world each year with more than 300,000 in attendance.

<a href="https://apnews.com/bc31d12a3f2278c8d7435083bcc96d19">New speedway owner Roger Penske&nbsp;</a>couldn’t wait to show the fans what he’d done to the place after buying it and pouring millions of dollars into renovations this spring. Now the grand reopening has been rescheduled until at least October or more likely May, when the Indy 500 is usually run.

Nearby restaurants, hotels and other small businesses have lost tens of thousands of dollars and the patio parties that are all the rage in Speedway were put off.

IndyCar drivers and team owners don’t like the deafening sound of silence, either.

A.J. Foyt, one of three four-time race winners, called the fanless qualifying weekend lonely. Tony Kanaan, the 2013 winner from Brazil who drives for Foyt, described the unfettered strolls through Gasoline Alley eerie. Even two-time world champion Fernando Alonso of Spain, who will make his second 500 start from the No. 26 qualifying spot, finds the empty rows of seats discombobulating.

“When you’re out there running, you almost have the feeling that you’re testing. Most of the guys have done that here,” Alonso said. “But that was a very strange feeling for me because it was the first time I’ve done that here.”

Penske moved the race from its traditional Memorial Day weekend slot to late August, fully believing some fans would be able to attend. On Aug. 4, he backtracked and ever since, IMS President Doug Boles has been inundated with hundreds of requests for exceptions.

He’s heard from ticket-holders hoping to attend their 75th consecutive race, people such as Beaudry who haven’t missed a race since they were toddlers, even those with terminal illnesses who worry they may not see another race.

“It’s been the most difficult pat of this,” Boles said and then he paused. “It’s heartbreaking. For many people, it’s one of the most important things they do all year and I’m one of them.”

Financially, the consequences could be even worse — and not just for small businesses or those who earn extra cash by parking cars and campers in their front yards..

IndyCar CEO Mark Miles said one study he has seen called the impact of the 500 the equivalent of “having a Super Bowl in Indianapolis every year.” Closer to home, Speedway High School’s booster clubs and the town’s public library all use race weekend as their primary fundraisers.

As a result of having no fans, town officials said they estimate about 20 organizations will lose more than $272,000, including The Speedway Exchange Club, which works helps provide housing for victims of child abuse and their mothers.

“With our own club it’s about a $60,000 hit, which is almost our entire yearly budget,” club president Joshua Clay said. “We have talked to other groups about the impact to them, and it’s not pretty right now. An organization like Speedway Trails Association is going to have to make decisions about whether it cuts the grass this year.”

Clay believes it will take two to three years to recover, and the town council&nbsp;<a href="https://exchangeclubofspeedway.org/COVID/" target="_blank">is asking supporters to pitch in</a>&nbsp;with cash donations.

Penske&nbsp;<a href="https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/news-multimedia/news/2020/08/20/special-message-from-roger-penske?startrow=1" target="_blank">penned a letter to fans</a>&nbsp;Thursday, writing he misses the fans and noting how his first trip to the speedway in 1951, at age 14, shaped the rest of his life. The race’s most loyal fans may be getting some good news, too. Boles is expected to give those expecting thier personal streaks of attending consecutive races a dispensation Friday by declaring only the May races count.

And still others, like Beaudry, have another plan.

Beuadry intends to set up his souvenir stand outside the track, between turns 1 and 2 where about 100 people congregated with Boles for&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/IndyCaronNBC/status/1295105855331766272" target="_blank">qualifying</a>&nbsp;last weekend. The crowd is expected to grow this weekend and could expand down the 16th Street, near the track’s front entrance.

No, it won’t be the same Indianapolis 500 — but it will still be memorable.

“I know my streak won’t be broken because I’ll be there,” Beaudry said. “I might not be inside, but I’ll know I was there.”

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — It’s almost race weekend and the tiny enclave of Speedway looks virtually barren.The usually colorful campgrounds and parking lots are empty, green grass untouched and white gravel undisturbed. There is no sign of the familiar sweet smells of food staples like turkey legs and deep fried Oreos. The traditional signs welcoming race fans to town are missing, as are the lawn chairs along the berm of Crawfordsville Road in the shadow of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.The 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 is Sunday, weather permitting. For the surrounding community of Speedway, which bills itself as the racing capital of the world, many residents will be watching from home and they are filled with sadness.“It’s been one of the most constant things in my life and I look forward to it every year, just the race itself,” said Tom Beaudry, a longtime racing vendor who can hear the roar of the engines from his backyard. “I haven’t missed one since I was 5. You know, it’s bittersweet hearing them running — knowing they’re running and knowing you can’t go inside.”Inside the historic speedway are grandstands with 232,00 seats now covered in red stickers reading “Do not use.” With suites and infield crowds, the race is generally considered the largest single-day sporting event in the world each year with more than 300,000 in attendance.This weekend, it will be zero.<a href="https://apnews.com/bc31d12a3f2278c8d7435083bcc96d19">New speedway owner Roger Penske&nbsp;</a>couldn’t wait to show the fans what he’d done to the place after buying it and pouring millions of dollars into renovations this spring. Now the grand reopening has been rescheduled until at least October or more likely May, when the Indy 500 is usually run.Nearby restaurants, hotels and other small businesses have lost tens of thousands of dollars and the patio parties that are all the rage in Speedway were put off.IndyCar drivers and team owners don’t like the deafening sound of silence, either.A.J. Foyt, one of three four-time race winners, called the fanless qualifying weekend lonely. Tony Kanaan, the 2013 winner from Brazil who drives for Foyt, described the unfettered strolls through Gasoline Alley eerie. Even two-time world champion Fernando Alonso of Spain, who will make his second 500 start from the No. 26 qualifying spot, finds the empty rows of seats discombobulating.“When you’re out there running, you almost have the feeling that you’re testing. Most of the guys have done that here,” Alonso said. “But that was a very strange feeling for me because it was the first time I’ve done that here.”Penske moved the race from its traditional Memorial Day weekend slot to late August, fully believing some fans would be able to attend. On Aug. 4, he backtracked and ever since, IMS President Doug Boles has been inundated with hundreds of requests for exceptions.He’s heard from ticket-holders hoping to attend their 75th consecutive race, people such as Beaudry who haven’t missed a race since they were toddlers, even those with terminal illnesses who worry they may not see another race.“It’s been the most difficult pat of this,” Boles said and then he paused. “It’s heartbreaking. For many people, it’s one of the most important things they do all year and I’m one of them.”Financially, the consequences could be even worse — and not just for small businesses or those who earn extra cash by parking cars and campers in their front yards..IndyCar CEO Mark Miles said one study he has seen called the impact of the 500 the equivalent of “having a Super Bowl in Indianapolis every year.” Closer to home, Speedway High School’s booster clubs and the town’s public library all use race weekend as their primary fundraisers.As a result of having no fans, town officials said they estimate about 20 organizations will lose more than $272,000, including The Speedway Exchange Club, which works helps provide housing for victims of child abuse and their mothers.“With our own club it’s about a $60,000 hit, which is almost our entire yearly budget,” club president Joshua Clay said. “We have talked to other groups about the impact to them, and it’s not pretty right now. An organization like Speedway Trails Association is going to have to make decisions about whether it cuts the grass this year.”Clay believes it will take two to three years to recover, and the town council&nbsp;<a href="https://exchangeclubofspeedway.org/COVID/" target="_blank">is asking supporters to pitch in</a>&nbsp;with cash donations.Penske&nbsp;<a href="https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/news-multimedia/news/2020/08/20/special-message-from-roger-penske?startrow=1" target="_blank">penned a letter to fans</a>&nbsp;Thursday, writing he misses the fans and noting how his first trip to the speedway in 1951, at age 14, shaped the rest of his life. The race’s most loyal fans may be getting some good news, too. Boles is expected to give those expecting thier personal streaks of attending consecutive races a dispensation Friday by declaring only the May races count.And still others, like Beaudry, have another plan.Beuadry intends to set up his souvenir stand outside the track, between turns 1 and 2 where about 100 people congregated with Boles for&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/IndyCaronNBC/status/1295105855331766272" target="_blank">qualifying</a>&nbsp;last weekend. The crowd is expected to grow this weekend and could expand down the 16th Street, near the track’s front entrance.No, it won’t be the same Indianapolis 500 — but it will still be memorable.“I know my streak won’t be broken because I’ll be there,” Beaudry said. “I might not be inside, but I’ll know I was there.”

As Indianapolis 500 nears, sound of silence is deafening

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Thom Brennaman will not be calling NFL games on Fox after using an anti-gay slur on air during a Cincinnati Reds broadcast.

Fox Sports issued a statement Thursday that said “we are moving forward with our NFL schedule which will not include him.” Fox also said Brennaman’s remarks were “abhorrent, unacceptable, and not representative of the values of Fox Sports.”

Brennaman had been a part of Fox’s NFL announcer lineup since they started televising the league in 1994. He was part of the No. 3 announcer team last season and was paired with analyst Chris Spielman and reporter Shannon Spake. He had also called Major League Baseball games for the network from 1996 to 2014.

The Reds announced late Wednesday that the 56-year old broadcaster was suspended. The team also issued an apology for the “horrific, homophobic remark.” The Reds closed their statement by saying they would be addressing their broadcasting team for the remainder of the season and possibly beyond in the coming days.

Brennaman, who had been a part of the Reds announcing team since 2007, used the slur moments after Fox Sports Ohio’s feed returned from a commercial break before the top of the seventh inning in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday at Kansas City. Brennaman did not seem to realize he was already on air. The remarks prompted a firestorm on social media.

Brennaman opened the fifth inning of the second game with an apology spoken directly to the camera before handing off play-by-play duties to Jim Day.

He noted the trouble he was in by saying, “I don’t know if I’m going to be putting on this headset again” while apologizing to the Reds, Fox Sports and his coworkers.

Even though most regional networks still carry the Fox Sports name, they are not owned by Fox. Sinclair Broadcast Group bought them in 2019.

The Reds announcers were working from Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. Teams are not sending announcers to road games this season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The son of Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman, Thom has called major league games for 33 years and has been with Fox Sports for the past 27, covering primarily baseball and football.

Marty Brennaman told The Cincinnati Enquirer on Wednesday night, “As a dad, I hurt for him,. What he said is not a reflection of who Thom Brennaman is. I know that’s not him. But I also feel terrible for the people the comment offended.”

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Thom Brennaman will not be calling NFL games on Fox after using an anti-gay slur on air during a Cincinnati Reds broadcast.Fox Sports issued a statement Thursday that said “we are moving forward with our NFL schedule which will not include him.” Fox also said Brennaman’s remarks were “abhorrent, unacceptable, and not representative of the values of Fox Sports.”Brennaman had been a part of Fox’s NFL announcer lineup since they started televising the league in 1994. He was part of the No. 3 announcer team last season and was paired with analyst Chris Spielman and reporter Shannon Spake. He had also called Major League Baseball games for the network from 1996 to 2014.The Reds announced late Wednesday that the 56-year old broadcaster was suspended. The team also issued an apology for the “horrific, homophobic remark.” The Reds closed their statement by saying they would be addressing their broadcasting team for the remainder of the season and possibly beyond in the coming days.Brennaman, who had been a part of the Reds announcing team since 2007, used the slur moments after Fox Sports Ohio’s feed returned from a commercial break before the top of the seventh inning in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday at Kansas City. Brennaman did not seem to realize he was already on air. The remarks prompted a firestorm on social media.Brennaman opened the fifth inning of the second game with an apology spoken directly to the camera before handing off play-by-play duties to Jim Day.He noted the trouble he was in by saying, “I don’t know if I’m going to be putting on this headset again” while apologizing to the Reds, Fox Sports and his coworkers.Even though most regional networks still carry the Fox Sports name, they are not owned by Fox. Sinclair Broadcast Group bought them in 2019.The Reds announcers were working from Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. Teams are not sending announcers to road games this season due to the coronavirus pandemic.The son of Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman, Thom has called major league games for 33 years and has been with Fox Sports for the past 27, covering primarily baseball and football.Marty Brennaman told The Cincinnati Enquirer on Wednesday night, “As a dad, I hurt for him,. What he said is not a reflection of who Thom Brennaman is. I know that’s not him. But I also feel terrible for the people the comment offended.”

Fox says Brennaman won’t announce NFL games after slur

In 2014, we began a dialogue with a group of local leaders from diverse American Indian backgrounds and experiences. As an organization, our goal was to gain a better understanding of the issues facing American Indian communities in our region and explore opportunities to both raise awareness of American Indian cultures and celebrate the rich traditions of tribes with a historic connection to the Kansas City area.

These meaningful conversations with the American Indian Community Working Group helped us educate ourselves and our fans, and our partnership with these leaders has helped guide our American Indian Heritage Month Games, as well as the ceremonial Blessing of the Drum and the Four Directions of Arrowhead Stadium. Our discussions also led us to discourage fans from wearing ceremonial headdresses and American Indian-themed face paint in our stadium. We are grateful to the members of the working group for their counsel and collaboration, and we look forward to continuing our partnership.

In addition to that ongoing collaboration, we recently expanded our efforts through consultation with a national organization that works closely on issues affecting American Indian people and tribes. Based on those conversations, as well as the work we've done alongside the local working group over the past six years, we will be adopting the following measures/policies going forward:

We are grateful for the meaningful conversations we have had with all of these American Indian leaders. It is important that we continue the dialogue on these significant topics, and we look forward to continuing to work together in the future.

In 2014, we began a dialogue with a group of local leaders from diverse American Indian backgrounds and experiences. As an organization, our goal was to gain a better understanding of the issues facing American Indian communities in our region and explore opportunities to both raise awareness of American Indian cultures and celebrate the rich traditions of tribes with a historic connection to the Kansas City area.These meaningful conversations with the American Indian Community Working Group helped us educate ourselves and our fans, and our partnership with these leaders has helped guide our American Indian Heritage Month Games, as well as the ceremonial Blessing of the Drum and the Four Directions of Arrowhead Stadium. Our discussions also led us to discourage fans from wearing ceremonial headdresses and American Indian-themed face paint in our stadium. We are grateful to the members of the working group for their counsel and collaboration, and we look forward to continuing our partnership.In addition to that ongoing collaboration, we recently expanded our efforts through consultation with a national organization that works closely on issues affecting American Indian people and tribes. Based on those conversations, as well as the work we've done alongside the local working group over the past six years, we will be adopting the following measures/policies going forward:<ul>
 <li>While we have discouraged fans from wearing headdresses for several years, effective immediately, fans will be prohibited from wearing headdresses into the stadium.</li><li>Face painting is still allowed for all fans, but any face paint that is styled in a way that references or appropriates American Indian cultures and traditions will be prohibited.</li><li>Fans will be asked to remove any American Indian-themed face paint prior to passing security screening outside the stadium.</li><li>We are engaged in a thorough review process of the Arrowhead Chop and plan to have additional discussions in the future.</li><li>We are exploring all options for a modified engagement moment from the Drum Deck that maintains a unifying effect between our fans and our players but better represents the spiritual significance of the drum in American Indian cultures.</li><li>This includes discussions around how to shift the focus of the drum to something that symbolizes the heartbeat of the stadium.</li><li>As allowed by NFL guidelines and the City of Kansas City Health Department for the coronavirus-impacted 2020 season, we will continue with many of the traditions that we have introduced over the past six years, including the Blessing of the Four Directions, the Blessing of the Drum, as well as inviting members of tribes with a historic connection to our region to participate in our American Indian Heritage Month Game.</li><li>Finally, we are exploring the creation of a more formalized education program with input from both our local and national partners.</li>
 </ul>We are grateful for the meaningful conversations we have had with all of these American Indian leaders. It is important that we continue the dialogue on these significant topics, and we look forward to continuing to work together in the future.

A Statement From The Kansas City Chiefs

Our athletics and activities staff has collaborated with our league and determined guidelines and spectator limits for events. These details will allow activities to go on. As has been the case with guidelines since the pandemic began, these are subject to change. 

Our athletics and activities staff has collaborated with our league and determined guidelines and spectator limits for events. These details will allow activities to go on. As has been the case with guidelines since the pandemic began, these are subject to change. See below for detail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597967922997.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>

Buhler USD313 issues statement on activity spectators allowed

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — This week was once circled on the calendar with big red ink for new Hutchinson Community College head coaches Delice Downing and Drew Dallas.

Thursday, Aug. 20, was supposed to be the night that Dallas called his first play as head coach of the Blue Dragon Football Team in the 2020 season opener at Garden City. The Blue Dragon Volleyball Team would also have been boarding a bus headed for Las Cruces, New Mexico, for Downing's debut as that program's head coach on Friday and Saturday.

"Since all this went down, there's been too much going on. I haven't even thought about what I would call for that first play," said Dallas, referring to the coronavirus pandemic that wiped out the 2020 spring season and forced the moving of the 2020 fall season – with the exception of cross country – to spring of 2021.

Now, the Blue Dragons' two newest head coaches must wait, practice, wait, recruit, maybe scrimmage some this fall, practice some more, recruit some more and wait some more until the new Opening Day/Night this spring. For Downing's volleyball team, that is now tentatively scheduled for Jan. 29. Dallas and the football team must wait all the way until March 22 to call that first play.

"This is the weirdest preseason I've ever had," Downing said. "I told the girls yesterday that we should be loading up the bus right now and head to our first tournament. We are just doing individual things right now. It's absolutely weird and it's the new norm. We are just trying to adjust to it."

Dallas was named Blue Dragon Football's 18th head coach on Dec. 31, 2019. After what started as a seemingly normal transition – hiring of a staff, recruiting and preparation for spring football – that all changed in mid-March when COVID-19 put a stranglehold on the world.

Since then, there has hardly been a normal day for Dallas and his staff, which includes being displaced for around 100 days to the Gowans Stadium press box while the Mull Family Football Complex offices and locker room were going through a major renovation.

"It's a unique situation and a unique feeling," said Dallas, from his newly completed office. "I try not to dwell on the what-ifs because those can eat you up. I look at what kind of opportunity are we presented with today and what does tomorrow look like when I get through today."

"Everything is so fluid within the schedule and a plan because of the situation we are in. You have to make the most of every opportunity you get. We are focused on today because we are in a world right now that you can't look too far ahead."

Downing took the reins of the Blue Dragon volleyball program on July 1, becoming the 13th head coach in Hutchinson history. The NJCAA announced 13 days later that all fall sports, with the exception of cross country, would be moved to spring 2021.

Despite that sudden derailing of the 2020 fall season, Downing sees some hidden advantages for her in delaying this season to the spring.

"It would be really tough if I were here and more prepared for the season, but the fact that we will get to play in the second semester and we get a semester to train and I get to know (the players) personally, it's not that bad," she said. "It's bitter because you want to see them in action and get going, but it's nice to know I have time to train them and get them under the teachings I like to give and get to know them personally."

Both Downing and Dallas come to Hutchinson as new head coaches, but their coaching paths to HutchCC are vastly different.

Downing has 15 years of head coaching experience at Coffeyville Community College. Downing is ranked No. 3 in the Jayhawk Conference in coaching wins with 432 and her teams won back-to-back national championships in 2017 and 2018.

Dallas has actually been at Hutchinson one season as the Blue Dragon Offensive Coordinator under previous head coach Rion Rhoades in 2019. Dallas guided the No. 3-ranked scoring offense in the nation. Before Hutch, Dallas served as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator at Angelo State and Kansas Wesleyan.

With no coaches' playbook during a pandemic in existence, HutchCC's two newest head coaches have leaned on each other to help navigate what has happened and what might come next.

"I'd like to sit down with her more than I have," Dallas said of Downing. "She's bringing in national championship hardware and I'd love to pick her brain on team building and things she was able to do in building a program. It's cool that we are coming in at the same time to a new program and going through unique circumstances together."

"Drew has been really great because he's helped me get to know people outside of HutchCC," Downing said of Dallas. "We've talked about our programs and that expectations are really high here. It's nice to have someone that I can bounce ideas off of and he's really been a big help."

By STEVE CARPENTERBlue Dragons Sports InformationHUTCHINSON, Kan. — This week was once circled on the calendar with big red ink for new Hutchinson Community College head coaches Delice Downing and Drew Dallas.Thursday, Aug. 20, was supposed to be the night that Dallas called his first play as head coach of the Blue Dragon Football Team in the 2020 season opener at Garden City. The Blue Dragon Volleyball Team would also have been boarding a bus headed for Las Cruces, New Mexico, for Downing's debut as that program's head coach on Friday and Saturday."Since all this went down, there's been too much going on. I haven't even thought about what I would call for that first play," said Dallas, referring to the coronavirus pandemic that wiped out the 2020 spring season and forced the moving of the 2020 fall season – with the exception of cross country – to spring of 2021.Now, the Blue Dragons' two newest head coaches must wait, practice, wait, recruit, maybe scrimmage some this fall, practice some more, recruit some more and wait some more until the new Opening Day/Night this spring. For Downing's volleyball team, that is now tentatively scheduled for Jan. 29. Dallas and the football team must wait all the way until March 22 to call that first play."This is the weirdest preseason I've ever had," Downing said. "I told the girls yesterday that we should be loading up the bus right now and head to our first tournament. We are just doing individual things right now. It's absolutely weird and it's the new norm. We are just trying to adjust to it."Dallas was named Blue Dragon Football's 18th head coach on Dec. 31, 2019. After what started as a seemingly normal transition – hiring of a staff, recruiting and preparation for spring football – that all changed in mid-March when COVID-19 put a stranglehold on the world.Since then, there has hardly been a normal day for Dallas and his staff, which includes being displaced for around 100 days to the Gowans Stadium press box while the Mull Family Football Complex offices and locker room were going through a major renovation."It's a unique situation and a unique feeling," said Dallas, from his newly completed office. "I try not to dwell on the what-ifs because those can eat you up. I look at what kind of opportunity are we presented with today and what does tomorrow look like when I get through today.""Everything is so fluid within the schedule and a plan because of the situation we are in. You have to make the most of every opportunity you get. We are focused on today because we are in a world right now that you can't look too far ahead."Downing took the reins of the Blue Dragon volleyball program on July 1, becoming the 13th head coach in Hutchinson history. The NJCAA announced 13 days later that all fall sports, with the exception of cross country, would be moved to spring 2021.Despite that sudden derailing of the 2020 fall season, Downing sees some hidden advantages for her in delaying this season to the spring."It would be really tough if I were here and more prepared for the season, but the fact that we will get to play in the second semester and we get a semester to train and I get to know (the players) personally, it's not that bad," she said. "It's bitter because you want to see them in action and get going, but it's nice to know I have time to train them and get them under the teachings I like to give and get to know them personally."Both Downing and Dallas come to Hutchinson as new head coaches, but their coaching paths to HutchCC are vastly different.Downing has 15 years of head coaching experience at Coffeyville Community College. Downing is ranked No. 3 in the Jayhawk Conference in coaching wins with 432 and her teams won back-to-back national championships in 2017 and 2018.Dallas has actually been at Hutchinson one season as the Blue Dragon Offensive Coordinator under previous head coach Rion Rhoades in 2019. Dallas guided the No. 3-ranked scoring offense in the nation. Before Hutch, Dallas served as an assistant coach and offensive coordinator at Angelo State and Kansas Wesleyan.With no coaches' playbook during a pandemic in existence, HutchCC's two newest head coaches have leaned on each other to help navigate what has happened and what might come next."I'd like to sit down with her more than I have," Dallas said of Downing. "She's bringing in national championship hardware and I'd love to pick her brain on team building and things she was able to do in building a program. It's cool that we are coming in at the same time to a new program and going through unique circumstances together.""Drew has been really great because he's helped me get to know people outside of HutchCC," Downing said of Dallas. "We've talked about our programs and that expectations are really high here. It's nice to have someone that I can bounce ideas off of and he's really been a big help."

Downing, Dallas play waiting game for Blue Dragon debuts

🎙AUDIO: Eagle Radio Sports for Thursday

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Fourth-line grinder Tyler Motte scored two breakaway goals to power the Vancouver Canucks to a come-from-behind 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night. The Canucks lead the best-of-seven opening-round series 3-2 and can send the defending Stanley Cup champions packing from the post-season with a win Friday night.

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 to earn a split of a doubleheader. David Bote hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the seventh and final inning of Wednesday's nightcap, sending the Cubs to their third win in four games. Reliever Jeremy Jeffress earned the win and Craig Kimbrel worked the seventh for his first save of the season. In the opener, Matt Carpenter belted a first-inning grand slam and the Cardinals beat the Cubs 9-3. St. Louis held Chicago to two hits in the seven-inning game even though shaky starter Jack Flaherty recorded only five outs.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Trevor Bauer pitched seven innings of one-hit ball, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Kansas City Royals 5-0 to split a doubleheader marked by strong starting pitching. In the opener of the two seven-inning games, Brad Keller didn't allow a hit until the sixth and extended his shutout streak, leading the Royals past the Reds 4-0. Bauer allowed only a single by Adalberto Mondesi in the fifth inning. He walked three and struck out nine, lowering his ERA to 0.68. After the game's final out, Bauer unbuttoned his jersey to reveal a T-shirt depicting him throwing the ball over the center field wall in his final start before Cleveland traded him away.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Reds broadcaster Thom Brennaman has been suspended from working Cincinnati's games after using an anti-gay slur on air. Brennaman used the slur moments after the Fox Sports Ohio feed returned from a commercial break before the top of the seventh inning in the first game of a doubleheader at Kansas City. Brennaman did not seem to realize he was already on air and later apologized. The 56-year-old Brennaman was pulled from the broadcast in the fifth inning of the second game. The Reds say they will "be addressing our broadcasting team in the coming days."

UNDATED (AP) — After facing a week of backlash from players, their parents, fans and others, Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren attempted to elaborate on the decision to postpone football season until spring. The first-year commissioner has been criticized for a lack of transparency in how the decision to call off football this fall was made. He said the vote by the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors was overwhelmingly in support of postponing fall sports and will not be revisited. Warren wrote that transmission rates continue to rise at an alarming rate, there is too much unknown about the virus, recovery from infection and long-term effects and that there are concerns about contact tracing.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs will be without starting cornerback Bashaud Breeland for the first four games of the season because of off-the-field issues earlier this year, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person confirmed the league intends to suspend Breeland on the condition of anonymity because the announcement had not been made. The news, which was first reported by ESPN.com, has long been assumed after Breeland was arrested in April on multiple charges that included resisting arrest, marijuana possession and driving without a license.

RIDGEDALE, Mo. (AP) — Tom Lehman had four birdies in a late five-hole stretch for a 7-under 64 and a share of the first-round lead with Shane Bertsch on Wednesday in the Charles Schwab Series at Bass Pro Shops Big Cedar Lodge. Coming off a 43rd-place tie at 13 over last week at Firestone in the Senior Players Championship, the 61-year-old Lehman birdied Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 8 and closed with a par at Buffalo Ridge in the first of two 54-hole events at Big Cedar Lodge. The 50-year-old Bertsch is making his second senior start. Darren Clarke, Tim Petrovic and Wes Short Jr. shot 66.

Lightning, Bruins, Avalanche, Flyers look to clinch their series

UNDATED (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and Philadelphia Flyers are one win away from advancing in the NHL playoffs. Those teams are up 3-1 in their respective first-round series and have up to three opportunities to close out best-of-seven matchups against lower-seeded opponents.

Tampa Bay can close out the Columbus Blue Jackets today, Boston can oust the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado can eliminate the Arizona Coyotes and Flyers will try to advance against the Montreal Canadiens. 

UNDATED (AP) — Yankees ace Gerrit Cole can set an AL record by winning his 21st consecutive regular season start when New York hosts the AL East rival Rays. 

Cole's 20-game run matches Roger Clemens for the best in AL history, and Hall of Famer Carl Hubbell holds the major league record at 24. Cole hasn't lost a decision in the regular season since May 22, 2019, against the White Sox while with Houston.

The Rays send Tyler Glasnow to the mound.

— The Red Sox have lost nine in a row, their worst skid since dropping 10 straight in 2014. Michael Chavis struck out five times in a 13-6 loss to Philadelphia last night. Lefty Kyle Hart will try to end the slump and earn his first big league win when he starts against Jake Arrieta and the Phillies today at Fenway Park.

— The Dodgers have won seven in a row and own the best record in the majors at 18-7. They sent the Mariners to their seventh straight loss Tuesday. Then the teams went straight from Dodger Stadium, where it was 102 degrees for the first pitch, to the airport for the two-hour flight to Seattle, where Los Angeles sends Julio Urías against Taijuan Walker.

— Matt Harvey is set to make his debut for the Kansas City Royals, trying to resurrect a career that's been filled with starts and stops for the former All-Star. The 31-year-old Harvey is scheduled to start the second game of a seven-inning doubleheader against Cincinnati at Kauffman Stadium. The Reds have been out of action since a player returned a positive test Friday night. Once dominant with the Mets, Harvey did well enough for the Reds in 2018, but was 3-5 with a 7.09 ERA for the Angels last year. Harvey pitched in the minors for Oakland late last season and signed with the Royals last month.

— The Tigers will debut another prized pitching prospect when Casey Mize starts against the White Sox. A night after left-hander Tarik Skubal allowed four runs in two innings in his first big league appearance, Mize will try to do better. The right-hander was the first overall pick in the 2018 draft and helped form a dominant rotation at Double-A Erie with Skubal last year. 

— The Astros have won a season-high six straight after beating Colorado 2-1 at Minute Maid Park. The clubs now open a series at Coors Field when Houston's Framber Valdez opposes Ryan Castellani.

Florida appeals court rules secret videos can't be used in Kraft massage case

UNDATED (AP) — A Florida appeals court has ruled that police violated the rights of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and others when they secretly video recorded them paying for massage parlor sex acts. 

The decision Wednesday by the 4th District Court of Appeal bars the tapes' use at trial and could deal a potentially deadly blow to the prosecution. The court decided that Kraft's rights were violated under the 4th Amendment to the Constitution, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. 

Prosecutors could appeal to the state Supreme Court but if this ruling stands, charges against Kraft and others might be dropped.

— Miami Dolphins linebacker Vince Biegel suffered a significant right leg injury in practice. Coach Brian Flores said Wednesday that the team was still awaiting test results after Biegel was carted off the field Tuesday. Last year Biegel started 10 games, led the Dolphins with 13 quarterback hurries and tied for the team lead with seven tackles for a loss. He had 2½ sacks and also played on special teams.

<h2>Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press</h2>EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Fourth-line grinder Tyler Motte scored two breakaway goals to power the Vancouver Canucks to a come-from-behind 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night. The Canucks lead the best-of-seven opening-round series 3-2 and can send the defending Stanley Cup champions packing from the post-season with a win Friday night.CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 to earn a split of a doubleheader. David Bote hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the seventh and final inning of Wednesday's nightcap, sending the Cubs to their third win in four games. Reliever Jeremy Jeffress earned the win and Craig Kimbrel worked the seventh for his first save of the season. In the opener, Matt Carpenter belted a first-inning grand slam and the Cardinals beat the Cubs 9-3. St. Louis held Chicago to two hits in the seven-inning game even though shaky starter Jack Flaherty recorded only five outs.&nbsp;KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Trevor Bauer pitched seven innings of one-hit ball, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Kansas City Royals 5-0 to split a doubleheader marked by strong starting pitching. In the opener of the two seven-inning games, Brad Keller didn't allow a hit until the sixth and extended his shutout streak, leading the Royals past the Reds 4-0. Bauer allowed only a single by Adalberto Mondesi in the fifth inning. He walked three and struck out nine, lowering his ERA to 0.68. After the game's final out, Bauer unbuttoned his jersey to reveal a T-shirt depicting him throwing the ball over the center field wall in his final start before Cleveland traded him away.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Reds broadcaster Thom Brennaman has been suspended from working Cincinnati's games after using an anti-gay slur on air. Brennaman used the slur moments after the Fox Sports Ohio feed returned from a commercial break before the top of the seventh inning in the first game of a doubleheader at Kansas City. Brennaman did not seem to realize he was already on air and later apologized. The 56-year-old Brennaman was pulled from the broadcast in the fifth inning of the second game. The Reds say they will "be addressing our broadcasting team in the coming days."UNDATED (AP) — After facing a week of backlash from players, their parents, fans and others, Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren attempted to elaborate on the decision to postpone football season until spring. The first-year commissioner has been criticized for a lack of transparency in how the decision to call off football this fall was made. He said the vote by the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors was overwhelmingly in support of postponing fall sports and will not be revisited. Warren wrote that transmission rates continue to rise at an alarming rate, there is too much unknown about the virus, recovery from infection and long-term effects and that there are concerns about contact tracing.&nbsp;KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs will be without starting cornerback Bashaud Breeland for the first four games of the season because of off-the-field issues earlier this year, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person confirmed the league intends to suspend Breeland on the condition of anonymity because the announcement had not been made. The news, which was first reported by ESPN.com, has long been assumed after Breeland was arrested in April on multiple charges that included resisting arrest, marijuana possession and driving without a license.RIDGEDALE, Mo. (AP) — Tom Lehman had four birdies in a late five-hole stretch for a 7-under 64 and a share of the first-round lead with Shane Bertsch on Wednesday in the Charles Schwab Series at Bass Pro Shops Big Cedar Lodge. Coming off a 43rd-place tie at 13 over last week at Firestone in the Senior Players Championship, the 61-year-old Lehman birdied Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 8 and closed with a par at Buffalo Ridge in the first of two 54-hole events at Big Cedar Lodge. The 50-year-old Bertsch is making his second senior start. Darren Clarke, Tim Petrovic and Wes Short Jr. shot 66.<h2>Update on the latest sports</h2>NHL PLAYOFFSLightning, Bruins, Avalanche, Flyers look to clinch their seriesUNDATED (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and Philadelphia Flyers are one win away from advancing in the NHL playoffs. Those teams are up 3-1 in their respective first-round series and have up to three opportunities to close out best-of-seven matchups against lower-seeded opponents.Tampa Bay can close out the Columbus Blue Jackets today, Boston can oust the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado can eliminate the Arizona Coyotes and Flyers will try to advance against the Montreal Canadiens. MLB-SCHEDULECole tries to extend 20-game win streakUNDATED (AP) — Yankees ace Gerrit Cole can set an AL record by winning his 21st consecutive regular season start when New York hosts the AL East rival Rays. Cole's 20-game run matches Roger Clemens for the best in AL history, and Hall of Famer Carl Hubbell holds the major league record at 24. Cole hasn't lost a decision in the regular season since May 22, 2019, against the White Sox while with Houston.The Rays send Tyler Glasnow to the mound.Elsewhere in the majors:— The Red Sox have lost nine in a row, their worst skid since dropping 10 straight in 2014. Michael Chavis struck out five times in a 13-6 loss to Philadelphia last night. Lefty Kyle Hart will try to end the slump and earn his first big league win when he starts against Jake Arrieta and the Phillies today at Fenway Park.— The Dodgers have won seven in a row and own the best record in the majors at 18-7. They sent the Mariners to their seventh straight loss Tuesday. Then the teams went straight from Dodger Stadium, where it was 102 degrees for the first pitch, to the airport for the two-hour flight to Seattle, where Los Angeles sends Julio Urías against Taijuan Walker.— Matt Harvey is set to make his debut for the Kansas City Royals, trying to resurrect a career that's been filled with starts and stops for the former All-Star. The 31-year-old Harvey is scheduled to start the second game of a seven-inning doubleheader against Cincinnati at Kauffman Stadium. The Reds have been out of action since a player returned a positive test Friday night. Once dominant with the Mets, Harvey did well enough for the Reds in 2018, but was 3-5 with a 7.09 ERA for the Angels last year. Harvey pitched in the minors for Oakland late last season and signed with the Royals last month.— The Tigers will debut another prized pitching prospect when Casey Mize starts against the White Sox. A night after left-hander Tarik Skubal allowed four runs in two innings in his first big league appearance, Mize will try to do better. The right-hander was the first overall pick in the 2018 draft and helped form a dominant rotation at Double-A Erie with Skubal last year. — The Astros have won a season-high six straight after beating Colorado 2-1 at Minute Maid Park. The clubs now open a series at Coors Field when Houston's Framber Valdez opposes Ryan Castellani.NFL-NEWSFlorida appeals court rules secret videos can't be used in Kraft massage caseUNDATED (AP) — A Florida appeals court has ruled that police violated the rights of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and others when they secretly video recorded them paying for massage parlor sex acts. The decision Wednesday by the 4th District Court of Appeal bars the tapes' use at trial and could deal a potentially deadly blow to the prosecution. The court decided that Kraft's rights were violated under the 4th Amendment to the Constitution, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. Prosecutors could appeal to the state Supreme Court but if this ruling stands, charges against Kraft and others might be dropped.In other NFL news:— Miami Dolphins linebacker Vince Biegel suffered a significant right leg injury in practice. Coach Brian Flores said Wednesday that the team was still awaiting test results after Biegel was carted off the field Tuesday. Last year Biegel started 10 games, led the Dolphins with 13 quarterback hurries and tied for the team lead with seven tackles for a loss. He had 2½ sacks and also played on special teams.

Thursday Sports Headlines

Image courtesy&nbsp;<a href="http://kuathletics.com/">kuathletics.com</a>

LAWRENCE --&nbsp;In a time where access is limited due to COVID-19, Kansas football is providing fans an inside access pass to watch practice through the newly created show –&nbsp;Camping with the Jayhawks.

The show will premiere on Facebook Live and&nbsp;<a href="http://kuathletics.com/">KUAthletics.com</a>&nbsp;with the debut episode airing today. Camping with the Jayhawks&nbsp;will feature interviews with Director of Athletics Jeff Long, head coach Les Miles, former KU football players and other special guests in an effort to provide fans a behind-the-scenes look. Kennetra Pulliams and Smacker Miles will split hosting duties and be accompanied by long-time KU radio analyst, David Lawrence. This mini-series leading up to the season-opener vs. Coastal Carolina will be a must watch as the Jayhawks prepare for the unprecedented 2020 season. Follow KU Football on&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1&amp;id=fc817dd5ba&amp;e=42e2e56024" target="_blank">social media</a>&nbsp;for exclusive content throughout fall camp.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597855362500.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Image courtesy&nbsp;<a href="http://kuathletics.com/">kuathletics.com</a>LAWRENCE --&nbsp;In a time where access is limited due to COVID-19, Kansas football is providing fans an inside access pass to watch practice through the newly created show –&nbsp;Camping with the Jayhawks.The show will premiere on Facebook Live and&nbsp;<a href="http://kuathletics.com/">KUAthletics.com</a>&nbsp;with the debut episode airing today. Camping with the Jayhawks&nbsp;will feature interviews with Director of Athletics Jeff Long, head coach Les Miles, former KU football players and other special guests in an effort to provide fans a behind-the-scenes look. Kennetra Pulliams and Smacker Miles will split hosting duties and be accompanied by long-time KU radio analyst, David Lawrence. This mini-series leading up to the season-opener vs. Coastal Carolina will be a must watch as the Jayhawks prepare for the unprecedented 2020 season. Follow KU Football on&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3846a6408b9536a51afeabac1&amp;id=fc817dd5ba&amp;e=42e2e56024" target="_blank">social media</a>&nbsp;for exclusive content throughout fall camp.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KU football to debut 'Camping with the Jayhawks'

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

		Orlando City	at	Miami	7:30 p.m.	(Canceled)

		FC Dallas	at	Houston	9:30 p.m.	(Canceled)

AP-Scorecard<h2>Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:</h2>___INTERLEAGUEFinal	Boston	6	Philadelphia	3	Final	Kansas City	4	Cincinnati	0	Final	Cleveland	6	Pittsburgh	1	Final	Cincinnati	5	Kansas City	0	Final	Milwaukee	9	Minnesota	3	Final	Houston	13	Colorado	6	Final	San Diego	6	Texas	3	Final	Oakland	4	Arizona	1	Final	San Francisco	7	L.A. Angels	2	Final	Seattle	6	L.A. Dodgers	4	___AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Toronto	5	Baltimore	2	Final	Tampa Bay	4	N.Y. Yankees	2	Final	Chicago White Sox	5	Detroit	3	___NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	St. Louis	9	Chicago Cubs	3	Final	Chicago Cubs	4	St. Louis	2	Final	N.Y. Mets	5	Miami	3	___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFSFinal	Toronto	104	Brooklyn	99	Final	Utah	124	Denver	105	Final	Boston	128	Philadelphia	101	Final	Dallas	127	L.A. Clippers	114	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFSFinal OT	Tampa Bay	5	Columbus	4	Final	Boston	2	Carolina	1	Final	Colorado	7	Arizona	1	Final	Montreal	5	Philadelphia	3	Final	Vancouver	4	St. Louis	3	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Washington	98	Atlanta	91	Final	Minnesota	91	Dallas	84	Final	Los Angeles	83	Phoenix	74	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___INTERLEAGUE		Philadelphia	at	Toronto	1:05 p.m.			Houston	at	Colorado	3:10 p.m.			Philadelphia	at	Toronto	4:35 p.m.			Cleveland	at	Pittsburgh	7:05 p.m.			L-A Dodgers	at	Seattle	7:10 p.m.			Milwaukee	at	Minnesota	7:10 p.m.			Texas	at	San Diego	8:10 p.m.			Arizona	at	Oakland	9:40 p.m.			L-A Angels	at	San Francisco	9:45 p.m.	___AMERICAN LEAGUE		Tampa Bay	at	N-Y Yankees	1:05 p.m.			Detroit	at	Chi White Sox	2:10 p.m.			Boston	at	Baltimore	7:35 p.m.	___NATIONAL LEAGUE		N-Y Mets	at	Miami	6:10 p.m.			Cincinnati	at	St. Louis	8:15 p.m.	___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS		Miami	at	Indiana	1 p.m.			Oklahoma City	at	Houston	3:30 p.m.			Orlando	at	Milwaukee	6 p.m.			Portland	at	L.A. Lakers	9 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS		N-Y Islanders	at	Washington	8 p.m.			Dallas	at	Calgary	10:30 p.m.	___WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION		Chicago	at	New York	7 p.m.			Seattle	at	Indiana	8 p.m.			Connecticut	at	Las Vegas	10 p.m.	___MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER		New York City FC	at	New York	7 p.m.			Orlando City	at	Miami	7:30 p.m.	(Canceled)		Chicago	at	Columbus	7:30 p.m.			Philadelphia	at	New England	7:30 p.m.			FC Dallas	at	Houston	9:30 p.m.	(Canceled)___

Sports Scores from Wednesday

KANSAS CITY -- In Game 1 of Wednesday’s doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium, Royals right-hander Brad Keller dominated the Reds, holding them to three singles in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/brad-keller-royals-shut-out-reds-game-1-twin-bill" target="_blank">a shutout victory</a>.

In Game 2, right-hander Trevor Bauer and the Reds&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/trevor-bauer-shutout-royals-in-7-innings" target="_blank">returned serve</a>&nbsp;in impressive fashion. Bauer went all seven innings and gave up just one hit and three walks in a 5-0 victory. Bauer struck out nine.

•&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/631422/final/box" target="_blank">Box score</a>

Royals manager Mike Matheny wasn’t in the right mood to tip his cap to the other side.

“We lost,” Matheny said. “I’m not a good cap-tipper.”

The only hit came from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/609275" target="_blank">Adalberto Mondesi</a>, a solid single to right with two outs in the fifth inning. That was it.

All of that overshadowed right-hander&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/518774" target="_blank">Matt Harvey</a>’s debut with the Royals. Harvey was impressive through 2 2/3 innings giving up a hit and a walk while striking out four.

“I was really impressed,” Matheny said. “Better than what I expected from watching the video of him. Seeing it live, the ball was jumping out of his hand. I thought the breaking ball looked good.

“I thought it was a good representation of where this might go.”

Harvey’s fastball topped at 95 mph and his slider bit hard at 87 mph. He made two noticeable mistakes on breaking balls, and both were hit for home runs.

“I don’t know if Matt realizes how good his fastball is right now,” Matheny said. “Hitters need to see how good that fastball is, and then his breaking stuff will be that much better.”

Harvey, 31, suddenly lost his command with two outs and none on in the third. First, Nick Castellanos lined a hard single.

Then Jesse Winker, who struck out looking on a slider in the first inning and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/jesse-winker-matt-harvey-thumbs-up-then-homer" target="_blank">proceeded to give Harvey a thumbs up</a>, jumped on a first-pitch curveball that was down and in -- quite often a left-handed hitter’s nitro zone.

Moments later, Eugenio Suárez launched an 0-1 slider over the center-field wall for a home run, and it was 3-0. Harvey escaped further damage.

“I really thought Jesse would take that first pitch,” Harvey said. “I didn’t really get after it as much as -- looking back on it -- I’d have liked

to. I’m kicking myself for that. That’s exactly where you don’t want to miss to a lefty, that down and in where they can do a lot of damage.”

Harvey threw 54 pitches, 33 for strikes. Thirty of his pitches were four-seam fastballs that appeared to show late life -- he got 10 swings-and-misses or called strikes.

“The fastball has been coming out pretty good at the alternate site,” Harvey said. “I spent a lot of time trying to throw that down in the zone. I was working the corners pretty well. I was pretty happy with that. It’s in there.”

All in all, Harvey was just glad to get that first one under the belt.

“It was kind of a surreal moment,” Harvey said. “A lot of different nerves that I haven’t felt in a while. In my mind it was just two bad pitches that home run hitters are not going to miss. I think fine-tuning the offspeed is the next thing to come.”

Meanwhile, Bauer overmatched the Royals, retiring the first nine hitters he faced, five on strikeouts.

The Royals had a great chance to score in the fourth. Whit Merrifield led off with a walk, and stole second with none out. After Nicky Lopez struck out, Merrifield stole third. But Hunter Dozier struck out, Jorge Soler walked, and Ryan O’Hearn flied out.

KANSAS CITY -- In Game 1 of Wednesday’s doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium, Royals right-hander Brad Keller dominated the Reds, holding them to three singles in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/brad-keller-royals-shut-out-reds-game-1-twin-bill" target="_blank">a shutout victory</a>.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XxspeHFYWHk" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>In Game 2, right-hander Trevor Bauer and the Reds&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/trevor-bauer-shutout-royals-in-7-innings" target="_blank">returned serve</a>&nbsp;in impressive fashion. Bauer went all seven innings and gave up just one hit and three walks in a 5-0 victory. Bauer struck out nine.•&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/631422/final/box" target="_blank">Box score</a>Royals manager Mike Matheny wasn’t in the right mood to tip his cap to the other side.“We lost,” Matheny said. “I’m not a good cap-tipper.”The only hit came from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/609275" target="_blank">Adalberto Mondesi</a>, a solid single to right with two outs in the fifth inning. That was it.All of that overshadowed right-hander&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/518774" target="_blank">Matt Harvey</a>’s debut with the Royals. Harvey was impressive through 2 2/3 innings giving up a hit and a walk while striking out four.“I was really impressed,” Matheny said. “Better than what I expected from watching the video of him. Seeing it live, the ball was jumping out of his hand. I thought the breaking ball looked good.“I thought it was a good representation of where this might go.”Harvey’s fastball topped at 95 mph and his slider bit hard at 87 mph. He made two noticeable mistakes on breaking balls, and both were hit for home runs.“I don’t know if Matt realizes how good his fastball is right now,” Matheny said. “Hitters need to see how good that fastball is, and then his breaking stuff will be that much better.”Harvey, 31, suddenly lost his command with two outs and none on in the third. First, Nick Castellanos lined a hard single.Then Jesse Winker, who struck out looking on a slider in the first inning and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/jesse-winker-matt-harvey-thumbs-up-then-homer" target="_blank">proceeded to give Harvey a thumbs up</a>, jumped on a first-pitch curveball that was down and in -- quite often a left-handed hitter’s nitro zone.Moments later, Eugenio Suárez launched an 0-1 slider over the center-field wall for a home run, and it was 3-0. Harvey escaped further damage.“I really thought Jesse would take that first pitch,” Harvey said. “I didn’t really get after it as much as -- looking back on it -- I’d have likedto. I’m kicking myself for that. That’s exactly where you don’t want to miss to a lefty, that down and in where they can do a lot of damage.”Harvey threw 54 pitches, 33 for strikes. Thirty of his pitches were four-seam fastballs that appeared to show late life -- he got 10 swings-and-misses or called strikes.“The fastball has been coming out pretty good at the alternate site,” Harvey said. “I spent a lot of time trying to throw that down in the zone. I was working the corners pretty well. I was pretty happy with that. It’s in there.”All in all, Harvey was just glad to get that first one under the belt.“It was kind of a surreal moment,” Harvey said. “A lot of different nerves that I haven’t felt in a while. In my mind it was just two bad pitches that home run hitters are not going to miss. I think fine-tuning the offspeed is the next thing to come.”Meanwhile, Bauer overmatched the Royals, retiring the first nine hitters he faced, five on strikeouts.The Royals had a great chance to score in the fourth. Whit Merrifield led off with a walk, and stole second with none out. After Nicky Lopez struck out, Merrifield stole third. But Hunter Dozier struck out, Jorge Soler walked, and Ryan O’Hearn flied out.

🎥 Harvey's fastball impresses in Royals debut; Royals split with Reds

KANSAS CITY -- After contracting COVID-19 and missing much of the early 2020 season, Royals right-hander&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/641745" target="_blank">Brad Keller</a>&nbsp;didn’t get a chance to start the season opener, the home opener or even reclaim his title as staff ace.

Keller is making his case now as that ace.

Keller dominated the Reds on Wednesday in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium, throwing 6 2/3 innings of three-hit ball in a 4-0 victory.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/572096" target="_blank">Trevor Rosenthal</a>&nbsp;got the final out for his sixth save.

•&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/631418/final/box" target="_blank">Box score</a>

Keller, 25, now has thrown 17 2/3 straight scoreless innings to open the season. The club record for scoreless innings to start a season is held by Zack Greinke, who opened 2009 [his Cy Young year with the Royals] with 24.

Danny Jackson has the second-longest streak as a Royals starter to open the season -- Jackson opened 1985 with 18 straight. Wade Davis, as a reliever, opened 2015 with 22 straight scoreless innings.

While much of the talk about the Royals’ future has focused on rookie hurlers such as Brady Singer and Kris Bubic, Keller sometimes gets overlooked, though he is young, too.

“We do forget how young he is,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “He was the one who took the ball for that first game [in 2019] as a badge of honor. And he leads by example. It’s fun to watch a guy thrive in these situations.

“He wants to be the guy on the mound. He wants to be the one to set the tone. Hopefully it just keeps creating that healthy competition. ... That was some kind of display of quality pitching.”

Keller didn’t allow a hit until the sixth, when Tucker Barnhart led off with a soft liner [83 mph per Statcast] that fell safely in front of center fielder Whit Merrifield. Keller said he was unaware he hadn’t allowed a hit until then.

“I honestly didn’t,” he said. “I was so locked into the game, hoping we’d get more runs. It was nice to have those runs. I didn’t really know about not giving up a hit.”

“Honestly, my slider was pretty good today,” Keller said. “I was able to locate it to the back door of all those lefties. The whole lineup was lefties. To have that pitch to get some swings, and steal some strikes, was huge.”

The Royals provided all the support Keller needed in the first inning off right-hander Luis Castillo. With runners on first and second and one out, slumping Jorge Soler connected for an RBI double into the left-field corner.

Ryan O’Hearn snapped an 0-for-10 streak with a two-run single to center, and the Royals led, 3-0.

KANSAS CITY -- After contracting COVID-19 and missing much of the early 2020 season, Royals right-hander&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/641745" target="_blank">Brad Keller</a>&nbsp;didn’t get a chance to start the season opener, the home opener or even reclaim his title as staff ace.Keller is making his case now as that ace.Keller dominated the Reds on Wednesday in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium, throwing 6 2/3 innings of three-hit ball in a 4-0 victory.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/572096" target="_blank">Trevor Rosenthal</a>&nbsp;got the final out for his sixth save.•&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/631418/final/box" target="_blank">Box score</a>Keller, 25, now has thrown 17 2/3 straight scoreless innings to open the season. The club record for scoreless innings to start a season is held by Zack Greinke, who opened 2009 [his Cy Young year with the Royals] with 24.Danny Jackson has the second-longest streak as a Royals starter to open the season -- Jackson opened 1985 with 18 straight. Wade Davis, as a reliever, opened 2015 with 22 straight scoreless innings.While much of the talk about the Royals’ future has focused on rookie hurlers such as Brady Singer and Kris Bubic, Keller sometimes gets overlooked, though he is young, too.“We do forget how young he is,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “He was the one who took the ball for that first game [in 2019] as a badge of honor. And he leads by example. It’s fun to watch a guy thrive in these situations.“He wants to be the guy on the mound. He wants to be the one to set the tone. Hopefully it just keeps creating that healthy competition. ... That was some kind of display of quality pitching.”Keller didn’t allow a hit until the sixth, when Tucker Barnhart led off with a soft liner [83 mph per Statcast] that fell safely in front of center fielder Whit Merrifield. Keller said he was unaware he hadn’t allowed a hit until then.“I honestly didn’t,” he said. “I was so locked into the game, hoping we’d get more runs. It was nice to have those runs. I didn’t really know about not giving up a hit.”“We do forget how young he is,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “He was the one who took the ball for that first game [in 2019] as a badge of honor. And he leads by example. It’s fun to watch a guy thrive in these situations.“He wants to be the guy on the mound. He wants to be the one to set the tone. Hopefully it just keeps creating that healthy competition. ... That was some kind of display of quality pitching.”Keller didn’t allow a hit until the sixth, when Tucker Barnhart led off with a soft liner [83 mph per Statcast] that fell safely in front of center fielder Whit Merrifield. Keller said he was unaware he hadn’t allowed a hit until then.“I honestly didn’t,” he said. “I was so locked into the game, hoping we’d get more runs. It was nice to have those runs. I didn’t really know about not giving up a hit.”“Honestly, my slider was pretty good today,” Keller said. “I was able to locate it to the back door of all those lefties. The whole lineup was lefties. To have that pitch to get some swings, and steal some strikes, was huge.”The Royals provided all the support Keller needed in the first inning off right-hander Luis Castillo. With runners on first and second and one out, slumping Jorge Soler connected for an RBI double into the left-field corner.Ryan O’Hearn snapped an 0-for-10 streak with a two-run single to center, and the Royals led, 3-0.

Keller's ERA still 0.00 after Royals blank Reds

College athletes who play fall sports, including football, will be given a free year of eligibility no matter how much they compete over the next 10 months if an NCAA recommendation is approved later this week.

The NCAA Division I Council voted Wednesday to recommend all athletes whose fall seasons are being altered by the pandemic should get the year of eligibility back. The council also recommended the NCAA should pursue staging fall sports championships during the spring. No recommendation was made for the size of the fields and how they should be picked, which will ultimately determine whether conferences choose to participate.

“We continue to be committed to providing opportunities wherever possible,” said Council chairwoman M. Grace Calhoun, the athletic director at Penn.

Other fall sports include men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, field hockey and cross country.

And the council approved the Football Oversight Committee’s plan to allow teams not playing in the fall to have 12 hours per week of mandatory activities that include strength and conditioning, meetings and noncontact, unpadded practices.

The proposals need approval by the Division I Board of Directors, which meets Friday. If the board signs off — which is likely — all athletes, whether they play or opt out because of concerns about COVID-19 at any point during the 2020-21 academic year, will not be docked one of their four years of eligibility.

The NCAA made a similar decision earlier in the year when spring sports had their seasons cut short by the pandemic. All of those athletes were permitted to get an extra year of eligibility, with seniors who wanted to return not counting against roster or scholarship limits for the 2021 seasons.

The same thing will happen for fall sport athletes in 2021-22.

Underclassmen will be guaranteed a waiver to get back the year of eligibility if they want during their careers, but they will count against roster and scholarship limits.

COVID-19 concerns have led all but six Division I leagues to postpone fall sports, with the hope of making them up in the spring semester.

But even those conferences that are moving toward a fall sports season — including the Southeastern Conference, Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference — have decreased the number of games scheduled to be played and built in extra time in anticipation of disruptions caused by COVID-19.

The Big Ten and Pac-12 are among the conferences looking into an alternative football season, starting maybe as soon as January.

“It’s hard to penalize a guy a season of eligibility for things that aren’t in his control,” California coach Justin Wilcox said before the council’s recommendation was handed down.

“You put him in a difficult spot if you say, ‘OK, are you going to choose to play spring for this many games and that’ll cost you a year.’ Because then guys are going to say, if it’s four games or three or six or whatever they’re going to do, then they’re going to say, ’Well, maybe I want to save it and play an entire season in ’21.”

The Mid-American Conference and Mountain West have also postponed fall sports among those in the NCAA’s highest-tier of football. In the second tier of Division I known as FCS, which has an NCAA playoff, all the conferences have postponed fall sports season. A few schools are scheduled to play nonconference football games.

The 12-hour schedule for football teams not slated to play over the next few months will kick in Monday and run through Oct. 4.

“I don’t agree at all with the 12 hours,” Penn State Franklin said before it was approved. “That makes no sense that other teams are going to be having a season, and we’re only going to get to work with our guys for 12 hours. You’ve got voting from basically all the different conferences, and right now, the only people voting in the best interests of the Big Ten are the people from the Big Ten.”

After several days of public outcry from players and their parents, B&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d3235b57406469a7d67bcdd9fa10341a">ig Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said in a open letter</a>&nbsp;that a fall season will not be revisited and the conference is evaluating winter/spring models for football.

“We are actively planning for the winter and spring seasons for all sports, including the return of football,” Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said.

College athletes who play fall sports, including football, will be given a free year of eligibility no matter how much they compete over the next 10 months if an NCAA recommendation is approved later this week.The NCAA Division I Council voted Wednesday to recommend all athletes whose fall seasons are being altered by the pandemic should get the year of eligibility back. The council also recommended the NCAA should pursue staging fall sports championships during the spring. No recommendation was made for the size of the fields and how they should be picked, which will ultimately determine whether conferences choose to participate.“We continue to be committed to providing opportunities wherever possible,” said Council chairwoman M. Grace Calhoun, the athletic director at Penn.Other fall sports include men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, field hockey and cross country.And the council approved the Football Oversight Committee’s plan to allow teams not playing in the fall to have 12 hours per week of mandatory activities that include strength and conditioning, meetings and noncontact, unpadded practices.The proposals need approval by the Division I Board of Directors, which meets Friday. If the board signs off — which is likely — all athletes, whether they play or opt out because of concerns about COVID-19 at any point during the 2020-21 academic year, will not be docked one of their four years of eligibility.The NCAA made a similar decision earlier in the year when spring sports had their seasons cut short by the pandemic. All of those athletes were permitted to get an extra year of eligibility, with seniors who wanted to return not counting against roster or scholarship limits for the 2021 seasons.The same thing will happen for fall sport athletes in 2021-22.Underclassmen will be guaranteed a waiver to get back the year of eligibility if they want during their careers, but they will count against roster and scholarship limits.COVID-19 concerns have led all but six Division I leagues to postpone fall sports, with the hope of making them up in the spring semester.But even those conferences that are moving toward a fall sports season — including the Southeastern Conference, Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference — have decreased the number of games scheduled to be played and built in extra time in anticipation of disruptions caused by COVID-19.The Big Ten and Pac-12 are among the conferences looking into an alternative football season, starting maybe as soon as January.“It’s hard to penalize a guy a season of eligibility for things that aren’t in his control,” California coach Justin Wilcox said before the council’s recommendation was handed down.“You put him in a difficult spot if you say, ‘OK, are you going to choose to play spring for this many games and that’ll cost you a year.’ Because then guys are going to say, if it’s four games or three or six or whatever they’re going to do, then they’re going to say, ’Well, maybe I want to save it and play an entire season in ’21.”The Mid-American Conference and Mountain West have also postponed fall sports among those in the NCAA’s highest-tier of football. In the second tier of Division I known as FCS, which has an NCAA playoff, all the conferences have postponed fall sports season. A few schools are scheduled to play nonconference football games.The 12-hour schedule for football teams not slated to play over the next few months will kick in Monday and run through Oct. 4.“I don’t agree at all with the 12 hours,” Penn State Franklin said before it was approved. “That makes no sense that other teams are going to be having a season, and we’re only going to get to work with our guys for 12 hours. You’ve got voting from basically all the different conferences, and right now, the only people voting in the best interests of the Big Ten are the people from the Big Ten.”After several days of public outcry from players and their parents, B&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d3235b57406469a7d67bcdd9fa10341a">ig Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said in a open letter</a>&nbsp;that a fall season will not be revisited and the conference is evaluating winter/spring models for football.“We are actively planning for the winter and spring seasons for all sports, including the return of football,” Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said.