HUTCHINSON, Kan. - Tonight's Reno County Coaches Show and More will feature the Hutchinson Community College Head Golf Coach Chris Young and Athletic Director Josh Gooch.

The weekly Coaches show will air at 6:05 on KWBW Radio 1450 am/98.5 fm and stream on kwbw radio.com as well.&nbsp;

HUTCHINSON, Kan. - Tonight's Reno County Coaches Show and More will feature the Hutchinson Community College Head Golf Coach Chris Young and Athletic Director Josh Gooch.The weekly Coaches show will air at 6:05 on KWBW Radio 1450 am/98.5 fm and stream on kwbw radio.com as well.&nbsp;

Coaches Show to highlight HutchCC; Coach Chris Young and AD Josh Gooch

LONDON (AP) — Stirling Moss, a daring, speed-loving Englishman regarded as the greatest Formula One driver never to win the world championship, has died. He was 90.

Moss died peacefully at his London home following a long illness, his wife Susan said Sunday.

“It was one lap too many,” she said. “He just closed his eyes.”

A national treasure affectionately known as “Mr. Motor Racing,” the balding Moss had a taste for adventure that saw him push cars to their limits across many racing categories and competitions. He was fearless, fiercely competitive and often reckless.

That attitude took a toll on his slight body. His career ended early, at age 31, after a horrific crash left him in a coma for a month in April 1962.

“If you’re not trying to win at all costs,” he said, “what on earth are you doing there?”

By the time he retired, Moss had won 16 of the 66 F1 races he entered and established a reputation as a technically excellent and versatile driver.

“The sporting world lost not only a true icon and a legend, but a gentleman,” Mercedes, one of the many teams Moss represented, said on Twitter. “The team and the Mercedes Motorsport family have lost a dear friend. Sir Stirling, we’ll miss you.”

Arguably his greatest achievement was victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia — a 1,000-mile (1,600-kilometer) road race through Italy — by nearly half an hour over Juan Manuel Fangio, the Argentine great who was Moss’ idol, teammate and rival.

An F1 title didn’t follow, though — a travesty to many in motorsport. Moss finished second in the drivers’ championship four times (1955-58) and third on three occasions.

In 1958, Moss lost out to Ferrari’s Mike Hawthorn by one point despite winning four races to his rival’s one. His sportsmanship cost him the title, with Moss defending the actions of Hawthorn following a spin at the Portuguese Grand Prix, sparing his rival a six-point penalty.

In 1959, Moss’ car failed during the final race, in Florida, when leading and again in with a chance of the title.

“I hope I’ll continue to be described as the greatest driver who never won the world championship, but it doesn’t really matter,” Moss once said. “The most important thing for me was gaining the respect of the other drivers and I think I achieved that.”

When his resolve to drive solely for English teams waned, Moss raced for Maserati, Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz — partnering Fangio in an all-star line-up. In total, Moss raced in 107 different types of car and boasted a record of 212 wins in the 375 competitive races he finished.

“A prodigious competitor, supremely talented racer, and consummate gentleman, he leaves an indelible mark of greatness on the history of international motorsport,” F1 team McLaren said.

Moss was born in 1929 into a racing family. His father, Alfred, competed in the Indianapolis 500; his mother, Aileen, was English women’s champion in 1936. The young Moss learned his trade during a racing boom in England after World War II.

His knowledge of racing cars was second to none and he took his profession to the extreme, experimenting and risking his own safety in the process.

Moss broke both legs and damaged his spine in a crash in 1960. Even worse was the accident in Goodwood, England, two years later, when he smashed into a bank of earth at 100 mph (160 kph) without a seat belt while competing in the Formula One Glover Trophy.

It took 45 minutes to cut him from the wreckage. He suffered brain injuries and his body’s left side was partially paralyzed for six months. With his eyesight and reflexes also permanently damaged, Moss quit racing.

“I knew that if I didn’t get out, I’d kill myself and maybe somebody else,” Moss said.

Moss then became a successful businessman, selling property and designing gadgets out of his state-of-the-art home in central London and working as a consultant to car manufacturers. He received a knighthood in 1999.

In 2010, he broke both ankles and hurt his back in a fall three floors down an elevator shaft at home.

Six years later, Moss was taken ill with a chest infection while on a cruise in Singapore and was hospitalized for 134 days before he could return home. The family described it as a “subsequent slow and arduous recovery” that led to Moss retiring from public life in 2018 at the age of 88.

Six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton paid tribute to Moss.

“I certainly will miss our conversations. To be honest, it was such a unusual pairing, our friendship,” Hamilton wrote on Instagram. “Two people from massively different times and backgrounds but we clicked and ultimately found that the love for racing we both shared made us comrades. I am truly grateful to have had these special moments with him.”

LONDON (AP) — Stirling Moss, a daring, speed-loving Englishman regarded as the greatest Formula One driver never to win the world championship, has died. He was 90.Moss died peacefully at his London home following a long illness, his wife Susan said Sunday.“It was one lap too many,” she said. “He just closed his eyes.”A national treasure affectionately known as “Mr. Motor Racing,” the balding Moss had a taste for adventure that saw him push cars to their limits across many racing categories and competitions. He was fearless, fiercely competitive and often reckless.That attitude took a toll on his slight body. His career ended early, at age 31, after a horrific crash left him in a coma for a month in April 1962.“If you’re not trying to win at all costs,” he said, “what on earth are you doing there?”By the time he retired, Moss had won 16 of the 66 F1 races he entered and established a reputation as a technically excellent and versatile driver.“The sporting world lost not only a true icon and a legend, but a gentleman,” Mercedes, one of the many teams Moss represented, said on Twitter. “The team and the Mercedes Motorsport family have lost a dear friend. Sir Stirling, we’ll miss you.”Arguably his greatest achievement was victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia — a 1,000-mile (1,600-kilometer) road race through Italy — by nearly half an hour over Juan Manuel Fangio, the Argentine great who was Moss’ idol, teammate and rival.An F1 title didn’t follow, though — a travesty to many in motorsport. Moss finished second in the drivers’ championship four times (1955-58) and third on three occasions.In 1958, Moss lost out to Ferrari’s Mike Hawthorn by one point despite winning four races to his rival’s one. His sportsmanship cost him the title, with Moss defending the actions of Hawthorn following a spin at the Portuguese Grand Prix, sparing his rival a six-point penalty.In 1959, Moss’ car failed during the final race, in Florida, when leading and again in with a chance of the title.“I hope I’ll continue to be described as the greatest driver who never won the world championship, but it doesn’t really matter,” Moss once said. “The most important thing for me was gaining the respect of the other drivers and I think I achieved that.”When his resolve to drive solely for English teams waned, Moss raced for Maserati, Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz — partnering Fangio in an all-star line-up. In total, Moss raced in 107 different types of car and boasted a record of 212 wins in the 375 competitive races he finished.“A prodigious competitor, supremely talented racer, and consummate gentleman, he leaves an indelible mark of greatness on the history of international motorsport,” F1 team McLaren said.Moss was born in 1929 into a racing family. His father, Alfred, competed in the Indianapolis 500; his mother, Aileen, was English women’s champion in 1936. The young Moss learned his trade during a racing boom in England after World War II.His knowledge of racing cars was second to none and he took his profession to the extreme, experimenting and risking his own safety in the process.Moss broke both legs and damaged his spine in a crash in 1960. Even worse was the accident in Goodwood, England, two years later, when he smashed into a bank of earth at 100 mph (160 kph) without a seat belt while competing in the Formula One Glover Trophy.It took 45 minutes to cut him from the wreckage. He suffered brain injuries and his body’s left side was partially paralyzed for six months. With his eyesight and reflexes also permanently damaged, Moss quit racing.“I knew that if I didn’t get out, I’d kill myself and maybe somebody else,” Moss said.Moss then became a successful businessman, selling property and designing gadgets out of his state-of-the-art home in central London and working as a consultant to car manufacturers. He received a knighthood in 1999.In 2010, he broke both ankles and hurt his back in a fall three floors down an elevator shaft at home.Six years later, Moss was taken ill with a chest infection while on a cruise in Singapore and was hospitalized for 134 days before he could return home. The family described it as a “subsequent slow and arduous recovery” that led to Moss retiring from public life in 2018 at the age of 88.Six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton paid tribute to Moss.“I certainly will miss our conversations. To be honest, it was such a unusual pairing, our friendship,” Hamilton wrote on Instagram. “Two people from massively different times and backgrounds but we clicked and ultimately found that the love for racing we both shared made us comrades. I am truly grateful to have had these special moments with him.”

Motor racing great Stirling Moss dies aged 90

The Masters over, Tiger Woods slipped on the green jacket again on the second Sunday in April.

He just wasn’t at Augusta National this year.

Woods got emotional Sunday after CBS re-aired his victory last year. In a video production from earlier in the week, Woods joined network host Jim Nantz to provide commentary during the final round, the first time in his 15 major victories that he came from behind to win.

CBS re-aired last year’s final round Sunday because the Masters has been postponed until November due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After the 16th hole, Woods rejoined Nantz on the video screen after his final putt, changing into his green jacket.

His best commentary was talking about the celebration with his two children, his mother, girlfriend and most loyal supporters. Woods had a lump in his throat at one point said, “Now you’re getting me choked up.”

CBS last year quickly put together back-to-back images of Woods hugging his late father, Earl, after his record-setting victory in 1997 when he was 21, and then the embrace with his son, Charlie.

Woods said the embrace with his mother, Tida, was just as special.

“To have mom still there ... people remember the hug with my dad, but my mom is here 22 years later with the same hug,” Woods said. “Special for all of us.”

Woods said he didn’t remember some parts of the celebration, just as thrusting both arms in the air and constantly screaming as the gallery chanted his name.

That wouldn’t be the first time. When he won at Bay Hill in 2008, he slammed his cap to the ground and later said he didn’t realize he had done that.

Watching the end of the Masters from his Florida home, Woods told Nantz, “I don’t remember screaming. I don’t remember putting my arms up. It was one of those blackout moments. ... I do remember my eyes coming back down and seeing people in front of me. As far as me celebrating? I don’t remember that part.”

He recalls thinking he needed to find Francesco Molinari and Tony Finau and their caddies, and then he was trying to find his own caddie, Joe LaCava.

“I finally found Joey and said, ‘We did it!’” Woods said.

The Masters over, Tiger Woods slipped on the green jacket again on the second Sunday in April.He just wasn’t at Augusta National this year.Woods got emotional Sunday after CBS re-aired his victory last year. In a video production from earlier in the week, Woods joined network host Jim Nantz to provide commentary during the final round, the first time in his 15 major victories that he came from behind to win.CBS re-aired last year’s final round Sunday because the Masters has been postponed until November due to the COVID-19 pandemic.After the 16th hole, Woods rejoined Nantz on the video screen after his final putt, changing into his green jacket.His best commentary was talking about the celebration with his two children, his mother, girlfriend and most loyal supporters. Woods had a lump in his throat at one point said, “Now you’re getting me choked up.”CBS last year quickly put together back-to-back images of Woods hugging his late father, Earl, after his record-setting victory in 1997 when he was 21, and then the embrace with his son, Charlie.Woods said the embrace with his mother, Tida, was just as special.“To have mom still there ... people remember the hug with my dad, but my mom is here 22 years later with the same hug,” Woods said. “Special for all of us.”Woods said he didn’t remember some parts of the celebration, just as thrusting both arms in the air and constantly screaming as the gallery chanted his name.That wouldn’t be the first time. When he won at Bay Hill in 2008, he slammed his cap to the ground and later said he didn’t realize he had done that.Watching the end of the Masters from his Florida home, Woods told Nantz, “I don’t remember screaming. I don’t remember putting my arms up. It was one of those blackout moments. ... I do remember my eyes coming back down and seeing people in front of me. As far as me celebrating? I don’t remember that part.”He recalls thinking he needed to find Francesco Molinari and Tony Finau and their caddies, and then he was trying to find his own caddie, Joe LaCava.“I finally found Joey and said, ‘We did it!’” Woods said.

Woods gets emotional talking about Masters win and kids

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Last spring, Brandon Baker seized a rare chance to break out his rain playlist in front of nearly 10,000 people.

Storms near USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium had knocked out the right field lights during the May 31 evening session of the Women’s College World Series that set an attendance record for the annual event.

Baker, who was running the audio board that night, plugged the system into a battery backup. As fans turned on their cellphone flashlights during the delay, Baker played “Lights Shine Bright” by TobyMac featuring Hollyn. And when the lights came back on, Baker’s fitting song choice was “The Power,” a 1990 hit by Snap!

Baker won’t get to energize the crowd this year. The pandemic has virtually shut down sports,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2020-03-12/ncaa-cancels-remaining-2020-winter-and-spring-championships?utm_campaign=links-bundle-asset" target="_blank">including NCAA championships</a>&nbsp;like the WCWS and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/970864e2440570c7337fccb552d9431c">College World Series</a>.

Economies have been hard hit and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/DesertedIcons">The Associated Press is examining the ripple effects</a>&nbsp;of losing a showcase event in smaller cities and communities like Oklahoma City, which boasts a pro team in the NBA’s Thunder.

Volunteers and vendors aren’t needed. Family traditions will be paused. The annual boost the economy receives in late May and early June won’t come.

The timing was especially unfortunate. Everything was in place for a grand softball celebration. Oklahoma City was set to host for the 30th time.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball/USA-Softball-Hall-of-Fame-Complex/OGE-Energy-Field-Renovations" target="_blank">A stadium expansion added 4,000 permanent seats</a>&nbsp;to bring capacity at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium to about 13,000, and city officials said all the new seats were sold out.

No need for volunteers or vendors. Family traditions on pause. The annual boost to the economy won't come. Losing the Women's College World Series is a blow to Oklahoma City.Story, video by <a href="https://twitter.com/CliffBruntAP">@cliffbruntap</a> &gt;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/elXMS9NB4p" target="_blank">http://apne.ws/GWINpPU&nbsp;</a>More in AP series: <a href="https://t.co/fxQTkyzTUA" target="_blank">https://apnews.com/DesertedIcons&nbsp;</a>

JJ Kuhn, operating partner of Yucatan Taco Stand in the Bricktown section of downtown Oklahoma City, said sporting events such as the WCWS and the NBA playoffs have been a way the city shows itself to the world.

“Sports is one of those ways that we have been able to progress,” Kuhn said. “We like to think of ourselves as a big-league city now, and that’s the mechanism that we’ve used to do that. Obviously, college sports in Oklahoma — we love that. It’s our bread and butter. Having those national events where we can present ourselves — to have those missing, it’s going to hurt.”

With softball set to return to the Olympics for the first time since 2008, Oklahoma City was primed to take advantage of the extra attention on the sport. Now the Tokyo Olympics are pushed back a year, to 2021, and Craig Cress, executive director of USA Softball, is dealing with “a moving target.”

“We were ready to open with all the bells and whistles,” Cress said. “The large things are definitely there. The seats are there. We were on schedule to be full blown and have a great series.”

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said in the end, it’s about public safety.

“We greatly prize this event for its economic impact and we love the brand, and we’re very proud to be the home of the women’s softball College World Series,” Holt said. “But there’s no question this was ultimately the right thing to do.”

The Women’s College World Series has been hosted in Oklahoma City every year except one since 1990. Gina Janzen, who has attended over the years with her daughter, Kylie, won’t get that chance this year. Kylie signed to play Division II softball for Oklahoma Christian in February, in part because the players she watched while growing up motivated her.

“It’s such a huge loss,” Gina Janzen said. “You mourn it a little, but you also understand the gravity of what’s going on in the world and why you can’t have these things.”

No need for volunteers or vendors. Family traditions on pause. The annual boost to the economy won't come. Losing the Women's College World Series is a blow to Oklahoma City.Story by&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/CliffBruntAP">@CliffBruntAP</a> &gt;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/elXMS9NB4p" target="_blank">http://apne.ws/GWINpPU&nbsp;</a>More in AP series:&nbsp;<a href="https://t.co/fxQTkyzTUA" target="_blank">https://apnews.com/DesertedIcons&nbsp;</a>

19<a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Top25/status/1249474125468512256">6:07 PM - Apr 12, 2020</a><a href="https://support.twitter.com/articles/20175256">Twitter Ads info and privacy</a>See AP Top 25's other Tweets

The Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau estimated the city pulled in $14.4 million from the WCWS last year. This year’s projection ranged between $23.6 million and $27 million.

Sue Hollenbeck, director of sports business for the bureau, said the Bricktown neightborhood will take the biggest hit without fans coming for the championship over the better part of a week.

“They’d eat at all the restaurants, go to the bars, get on the water taxi, do the shopping,” she said. “Anything and everything they could do, they would do when they weren’t at the stadium.”

David Southard, owner of Jazmo’z Bourbon Street Cafe, said his Bricktown restaurant with 70 employees is closed. He said the WCWS has been good for business for the past 20 years but it won’t be part of his plans to reopen this spring.

“It brings a lot of people in from all over the country,” he said. “The hotels are full. Often, we get reservations for large groups, two hours before they come, and it’s 20 people.”

Oklahoma City has come through challenges before, including the deadly bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in 1995. Holt said the city went all out in 1996 to make sure events were special.

“People who were around back then will tell you that the return events were some of the favorites of the whole history,” Holt said. “There’s just a higher level of joy than ever when they come back. So we have that to look forward to next year.”

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Last spring, Brandon Baker seized a rare chance to break out his rain playlist in front of nearly 10,000 people.Storms near USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium had knocked out the right field lights during the May 31 evening session of the Women’s College World Series that set an attendance record for the annual event.Baker, who was running the audio board that night, plugged the system into a battery backup. As fans turned on their cellphone flashlights during the delay, Baker played “Lights Shine Bright” by TobyMac featuring Hollyn. And when the lights came back on, Baker’s fitting song choice was “The Power,” a 1990 hit by Snap!Baker won’t get to energize the crowd this year. The pandemic has virtually shut down sports,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2020-03-12/ncaa-cancels-remaining-2020-winter-and-spring-championships?utm_campaign=links-bundle-asset" target="_blank">including NCAA championships</a>&nbsp;like the WCWS and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/970864e2440570c7337fccb552d9431c">College World Series</a>.Economies have been hard hit and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/DesertedIcons">The Associated Press is examining the ripple effects</a>&nbsp;of losing a showcase event in smaller cities and communities like Oklahoma City, which boasts a pro team in the NBA’s Thunder.Volunteers and vendors aren’t needed. Family traditions will be paused. The annual boost the economy receives in late May and early June won’t come.The timing was especially unfortunate. Everything was in place for a grand softball celebration. Oklahoma City was set to host for the 30th time.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball/USA-Softball-Hall-of-Fame-Complex/OGE-Energy-Field-Renovations" target="_blank">A stadium expansion added 4,000 permanent seats</a>&nbsp;to bring capacity at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium to about 13,000, and city officials said all the new seats were sold out.No need for volunteers or vendors. Family traditions on pause. The annual boost to the economy won't come. Losing the Women's College World Series is a blow to Oklahoma City.Story, video by <a href="https://twitter.com/CliffBruntAP">@cliffbruntap</a> &gt;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/elXMS9NB4p" target="_blank">http://apne.ws/GWINpPU&nbsp;</a>More in AP series: <a href="https://t.co/fxQTkyzTUA" target="_blank">https://apnews.com/DesertedIcons&nbsp;</a><figure>
 <img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/amplify_video_thumb/1249361872098332674/img/4b5HLRfOSkvGN1a8?format=jpg&amp;name=small" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>JJ Kuhn, operating partner of Yucatan Taco Stand in the Bricktown section of downtown Oklahoma City, said sporting events such as the WCWS and the NBA playoffs have been a way the city shows itself to the world.“Sports is one of those ways that we have been able to progress,” Kuhn said. “We like to think of ourselves as a big-league city now, and that’s the mechanism that we’ve used to do that. Obviously, college sports in Oklahoma — we love that. It’s our bread and butter. Having those national events where we can present ourselves — to have those missing, it’s going to hurt.”With softball set to return to the Olympics for the first time since 2008, Oklahoma City was primed to take advantage of the extra attention on the sport. Now the Tokyo Olympics are pushed back a year, to 2021, and Craig Cress, executive director of USA Softball, is dealing with “a moving target.”“We were ready to open with all the bells and whistles,” Cress said. “The large things are definitely there. The seats are there. We were on schedule to be full blown and have a great series.”Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said in the end, it’s about public safety.“We greatly prize this event for its economic impact and we love the brand, and we’re very proud to be the home of the women’s softball College World Series,” Holt said. “But there’s no question this was ultimately the right thing to do.”The Women’s College World Series has been hosted in Oklahoma City every year except one since 1990. Gina Janzen, who has attended over the years with her daughter, Kylie, won’t get that chance this year. Kylie signed to play Division II softball for Oklahoma Christian in February, in part because the players she watched while growing up motivated her.“It’s such a huge loss,” Gina Janzen said. “You mourn it a little, but you also understand the gravity of what’s going on in the world and why you can’t have these things.”<figure>
 <img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1169715224183791616/0DCEthYH_normal.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>AP Top 25✔@AP_Top25No need for volunteers or vendors. Family traditions on pause. The annual boost to the economy won't come. Losing the Women's College World Series is a blow to Oklahoma City.Story by&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/CliffBruntAP">@CliffBruntAP</a> &gt;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/elXMS9NB4p" target="_blank">http://apne.ws/GWINpPU&nbsp;</a>More in AP series:&nbsp;<a href="https://t.co/fxQTkyzTUA" target="_blank">https://apnews.com/DesertedIcons&nbsp;</a><figure>
 <img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/amplify_video_thumb/1249410832062177311/img/BSUEnTfQvFdpj30q?format=jpg&amp;name=small" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>19<a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Top25/status/1249474125468512256">6:07 PM - Apr 12, 2020</a><a href="https://support.twitter.com/articles/20175256">Twitter Ads info and privacy</a>See AP Top 25's other TweetsThe Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau estimated the city pulled in $14.4 million from the WCWS last year. This year’s projection ranged between $23.6 million and $27 million.Sue Hollenbeck, director of sports business for the bureau, said the Bricktown neightborhood will take the biggest hit without fans coming for the championship over the better part of a week.“They’d eat at all the restaurants, go to the bars, get on the water taxi, do the shopping,” she said. “Anything and everything they could do, they would do when they weren’t at the stadium.”David Southard, owner of Jazmo’z Bourbon Street Cafe, said his Bricktown restaurant with 70 employees is closed. He said the WCWS has been good for business for the past 20 years but it won’t be part of his plans to reopen this spring.“It brings a lot of people in from all over the country,” he said. “The hotels are full. Often, we get reservations for large groups, two hours before they come, and it’s 20 people.”Oklahoma City has come through challenges before, including the deadly bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in 1995. Holt said the city went all out in 1996 to make sure events were special.“People who were around back then will tell you that the return events were some of the favorites of the whole history,” Holt said. “There’s just a higher level of joy than ever when they come back. So we have that to look forward to next year.”

Deserted icons: Oklahoma City loses NCAA softball WCWS

TORONTO (AP) — Edmonton Oilers forward Colby Cave has died less than a week after being diagnosed with a brain bleed. He was 25.

Cave was placed in a medically induced coma Tuesday at a Toronto hospital, where he was taken after being admitted to a medical facility in Barrie, Ontario, the previous day. Cave underwent emergency surgery Tuesday to remove a colloid cyst that was causing pressure on his brain.

The NHL club confirmed Cave's death with a statement from his family.

Cave was acquired by the Oilers from the Bruins in January 2019. He played 44 games for Edmonton and scored once in 11 contests for the Oilers this season, spending most of his time with the team's AHL affiliate at Bakersfield.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said of Cave: "Undrafted but undaunted, Colby was relentless in the pursuit of his hockey dream."

UNDATED (AP) — Minnesota Duluth defenseman Scott Perunovich has won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey's top player, edging North Dakota forward Jordan Kawaguchi and Maine goalie Jeremy Swayman.

The junior from Hibbing, Minnesota, became the first defenseman to lead the National Collegiate Hockey Association in scoring, finishing with 40 points on six goals and 34 assists in 34 games.

Perunovich recently signed with the St. Louis Blues, who selected him in the second round of the 2018 NHL draft.

Simon Pagenaud wins IndyCar's 1st virtual race on an oval

UNDATED (AP) — Simon Pagenaud (PA'-zheh-noh) has won IndyCar's first virtual race on an oval, conquering a simulated Michigan International Speedway.

Sage Karam dominated the race, but a spectacular crash at the start jumbled strategies and Karam pitted from the lead with 14 laps remaining. It allowed Pagenaud and Team Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin to cycle into a 1-2 finish.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was third in his IndyCar iRacing debut. He said he'd race again the next time IndyCar goes to a virtual oval.&nbsp;

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Portland State basketball transfer Holland "Boo Boo" Woods is headed home, announcing on Twitter that he's going to play for Arizona State.

The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 17.7 points 5.2 assists and 2.5 as a junior last season. He earned first-team all-Big Sky honors and finished second in the conference in assists.

Woods played at Glendale Apollo High School before spending the past three seasons at Portland State.

He will have to sit out a season under NCAA transfer rules unless he is granted a waiver.

WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL-MISSISSIPPI STATE-MCCRAY-PENSON

Mississippi State hires Nikki McCray-Penson as women's coach

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi State has hired Women's Basketball Hall of Famer Nikki McCray-Penson to replace Vic Schafer as the Bulldogs' head coach.

McCray-Penson was 53-40 the past three years at Old Dominion. The Lady Monarchs posted consecutive 20-win campaigns under McCray, including a 24-6 mark this season. She was named the Conference USA coach of the year this year after going 14-4 versus league opponents.

Schaefer left MSU for Texas after going 221-62. The ninth-ranked Bulldogs finished 27-6 this past season, which ended abruptly because of the coronavirus pandemic.

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy has apologized for his comments this week about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gundy said during a teleconference call Tuesday that he hoped to have the team return to its facilities May 1. His proposed timetable would have defied federal social-distancing guidelines and was quickly disputed by the university.

Athletic director Mike Holder also declined to back Gundy's timeline, saying in a statement: "May 1 seems a little ambitious."

Gundy said Saturday it was never his intention to offend anyone, adding that his first priority is and will always be the student-athletes and doing what is best for the program and the university.

UNDATED (AP) — The Rogers Cup women's tennis tournament will not be played this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tennis Canada announced Saturday that the event, scheduled for Aug. 7-16 in Montreal, is off the schedule. It says the tournament will return to Montreal in August 2021.

The women's and men's Rogers Cup traditionally rotate between Toronto and Montreal. As of Saturday, the men's event in Toronto in August was still on the schedule.

In other news related to the coronavirus pandemic:

— The Arizona Coyotes will furlough half of the organization's employees with the NHL season on hold due to the coronavirus outbreak. The furloughs began Friday and will last through June 30. The Coyotes say all furloughed employees will continue to receive 100% of health benefits.

— The Orlando Magic's home arena will become a distribution center for medical equipment and supplies as part of the ongoing response to the coronavirus pandemic. The Amway Center will be a hub for equipment and supplies that will go to 50 hospitals in Central Florida as well as facilities in seven other states.

— The American Hockey League's Syracuse Crunch has loaned two sanitation machines to a local hospital to see if they could help clean personal protective equipment worn by hospital staff. The Crunch uses one of the machines in its locker room and the other to clean equipment but doesn't need them right now with sports on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic. Turns out they're a good fit at Upstate University Hospital.

Swiss prosecutors intend to drop 1 FIFA case against Blatter

GENEVA (AP) — Former FIFA (FEE'-fuh) president Sepp Blatter has won a legal victory in his nearly five-year fight against Swiss allegations of criminal mismanagement.

The Swiss attorney general's office has confirmed reports they intend to close an investigation into how Blatter and soccer governing body FIFA awarded World Cup broadcast rights in the Caribbean in 2005.

The decision is the latest example in recent weeks of the Swiss FIFA cases stalling. However, the separate and cooperating American investigation sparked back into life with new indictments and fresh allegations of World Cup bid bribery.

The criminal proceeding against Blatter was opened 4 ½ years ago and helped remove him from the presidential office he held for more than 17 years.

Award-winning sportswriter William Millsaps dies at age 77

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Award-winning sportswriter William H. "Bill" Millsaps Jr. has died at 77.

Millsaps played basketball at the University of Tennessee and started his journalism career as a copy boy at the Chattanooga Times before joining the Richmond Times-Dispatch as a sportswriter in 1966. He spent nearly 40 years with the Times-Dispatch, becoming managing editor in 1992 and being elevated to vice president and executive editor two years later. He retired as a full-time writer in 2005 and was the 2011 recipient of the Red Smith Award, presented by The Associated Press Sports Editors for contributions to sports journalism.

His wife, Nancy, says Millsaps died Friday night at his home after a period of declining health.

Update on the latest sportsNHL-OILERS-CAVE DIESOilers' Colby Cave dies at 25TORONTO (AP) — Edmonton Oilers forward Colby Cave has died less than a week after being diagnosed with a brain bleed. He was 25.Cave was placed in a medically induced coma Tuesday at a Toronto hospital, where he was taken after being admitted to a medical facility in Barrie, Ontario, the previous day. Cave underwent emergency surgery Tuesday to remove a colloid cyst that was causing pressure on his brain.The NHL club confirmed Cave's death with a statement from his family.Cave was acquired by the Oilers from the Bruins in January 2019. He played 44 games for Edmonton and scored once in 11 contests for the Oilers this season, spending most of his time with the team's AHL affiliate at Bakersfield.NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said of Cave: "Undrafted but undaunted, Colby was relentless in the pursuit of his hockey dream."COLLEGE HOCKEY-HOBEY BAKER AWARDPerunovich claims Hobey Baker AwardUNDATED (AP) — Minnesota Duluth defenseman Scott Perunovich has won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey's top player, edging North Dakota forward Jordan Kawaguchi and Maine goalie Jeremy Swayman.The junior from Hibbing, Minnesota, became the first defenseman to lead the National Collegiate Hockey Association in scoring, finishing with 40 points on six goals and 34 assists in 34 games.Perunovich recently signed with the St. Louis Blues, who selected him in the second round of the 2018 NHL draft.INDYCAR-VIRTUAL RACINGSimon Pagenaud wins IndyCar's 1st virtual race on an ovalUNDATED (AP) — Simon Pagenaud (PA'-zheh-noh) has won IndyCar's first virtual race on an oval, conquering a simulated Michigan International Speedway.Sage Karam dominated the race, but a spectacular crash at the start jumbled strategies and Karam pitted from the lead with 14 laps remaining. It allowed Pagenaud and Team Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin to cycle into a 1-2 finish.Dale Earnhardt Jr. was third in his IndyCar iRacing debut. He said he'd race again the next time IndyCar goes to a virtual oval.&nbsp;COLLEGE BASKETBALL-WOODS-ARIZONA STATEWoods joining Sun DevilsTEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Portland State basketball transfer Holland "Boo Boo" Woods is headed home, announcing on Twitter that he's going to play for Arizona State.The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 17.7 points 5.2 assists and 2.5 as a junior last season. He earned first-team all-Big Sky honors and finished second in the conference in assists.Woods played at Glendale Apollo High School before spending the past three seasons at Portland State.He will have to sit out a season under NCAA transfer rules unless he is granted a waiver.WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL-MISSISSIPPI STATE-MCCRAY-PENSONMississippi State hires Nikki McCray-Penson as women's coachSTARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi State has hired Women's Basketball Hall of Famer Nikki McCray-Penson to replace Vic Schafer as the Bulldogs' head coach.McCray-Penson was 53-40 the past three years at Old Dominion. The Lady Monarchs posted consecutive 20-win campaigns under McCray, including a 24-6 mark this season. She was named the Conference USA coach of the year this year after going 14-4 versus league opponents.Schaefer left MSU for Texas after going 221-62. The ninth-ranked Bulldogs finished 27-6 this past season, which ended abruptly because of the coronavirus pandemic.COLLEGE FOOTBALL-OKLAHOMA STATE-GUNDYGundy apologizes for COVID-19 commentsSTILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy has apologized for his comments this week about the COVID-19 pandemic.Gundy said during a teleconference call Tuesday that he hoped to have the team return to its facilities May 1. His proposed timetable would have defied federal social-distancing guidelines and was quickly disputed by the university.Athletic director Mike Holder also declined to back Gundy's timeline, saying in a statement: "May 1 seems a little ambitious."Gundy said Saturday it was never his intention to offend anyone, adding that his first priority is and will always be the student-athletes and doing what is best for the program and the university.VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTSWTA's Rogers Cup scrubbed from scheduleUNDATED (AP) — The Rogers Cup women's tennis tournament will not be played this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Tennis Canada announced Saturday that the event, scheduled for Aug. 7-16 in Montreal, is off the schedule. It says the tournament will return to Montreal in August 2021.The women's and men's Rogers Cup traditionally rotate between Toronto and Montreal. As of Saturday, the men's event in Toronto in August was still on the schedule.In other news related to the coronavirus pandemic:— The Arizona Coyotes will furlough half of the organization's employees with the NHL season on hold due to the coronavirus outbreak. The furloughs began Friday and will last through June 30. The Coyotes say all furloughed employees will continue to receive 100% of health benefits.— The Orlando Magic's home arena will become a distribution center for medical equipment and supplies as part of the ongoing response to the coronavirus pandemic. The Amway Center will be a hub for equipment and supplies that will go to 50 hospitals in Central Florida as well as facilities in seven other states.— The American Hockey League's Syracuse Crunch has loaned two sanitation machines to a local hospital to see if they could help clean personal protective equipment worn by hospital staff. The Crunch uses one of the machines in its locker room and the other to clean equipment but doesn't need them right now with sports on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic. Turns out they're a good fit at Upstate University Hospital.FIFA INVESTIGATION-BLATTERSwiss prosecutors intend to drop 1 FIFA case against BlatterGENEVA (AP) — Former FIFA (FEE'-fuh) president Sepp Blatter has won a legal victory in his nearly five-year fight against Swiss allegations of criminal mismanagement.The Swiss attorney general's office has confirmed reports they intend to close an investigation into how Blatter and soccer governing body FIFA awarded World Cup broadcast rights in the Caribbean in 2005.The decision is the latest example in recent weeks of the Swiss FIFA cases stalling. However, the separate and cooperating American investigation sparked back into life with new indictments and fresh allegations of World Cup bid bribery.The criminal proceeding against Blatter was opened 4 ½ years ago and helped remove him from the presidential office he held for more than 17 years.OBIT-WILLIAM MILLSAPSAward-winning sportswriter William Millsaps dies at age 77RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Award-winning sportswriter William H. "Bill" Millsaps Jr. has died at 77.Millsaps played basketball at the University of Tennessee and started his journalism career as a copy boy at the Chattanooga Times before joining the Richmond Times-Dispatch as a sportswriter in 1966. He spent nearly 40 years with the Times-Dispatch, becoming managing editor in 1992 and being elevated to vice president and executive editor two years later. He retired as a full-time writer in 2005 and was the 2011 recipient of the Red Smith Award, presented by The Associated Press Sports Editors for contributions to sports journalism.His wife, Nancy, says Millsaps died Friday night at his home after a period of declining health.

Sunday Sports Headlines

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Spring football was shelved because of the coronavirus. There is still plenty of work going on in college football.

With the pandemic casting uncertainty on the 2020 season, programs are starting to wrestle with two weighty issues: Getting ready to play some kind of season if it is safe to do so and trying to manage what for many would be a substantial financial blow if the season is shortened or canceled.

The NCAA this week formed a working group to look at issues such as how much preseason practice and conditioning would be required once play is green-lighted again. The NCAA said “it is premature to establish a timeline for when these scenarios may be put into place.”

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said the discussion is just beginning on prepare-to-play issues after most programs had spring football practice shortened or wiped out and had to deal with their spring sports being called to a halt.

“Do we feel we need a longer period of time to help them physically get back into the grind?” Smith said Friday. “Maybe you need two weeks straight without pads. I don’t know that. That’s where the collaborative of the medical people and the strength coaches and everybody across the country has to occur. A hard date will come in relation to what we figure out there, and we haven’t figured it out yet.”

Buckeyes coach Ryan Day, in an interview on ESPN, said six weeks would be a reasonable “starting point” for getting ready to play. Last week, Alabama coach Nick Saban suggested “teaching sessions on the field” over the summer to prepare for camp.

“If you look at statistics historically on concussions, injuries … the most concentrated time that you practice and not play is in fall camp,” Saban said on a conference call with reporters. “You have more practices, you have to spend more time on the field. So I don’t know that increasing that is going to be beneficial in getting people ready to play.”

On the financial side, losing football would be a devastating blow. Ohio State and other top football programs pump millions into their athletic department budgets, funding less lucrative sports. The NCAA is also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1f25b3b77136647036f9ca6ce37c5e2d">slashing $375 million that would normally be distributed</a>&nbsp;to various programs from the NCAA Tournaments that were canceled.

Georgia Tech has made no cuts to staffers salaries, but said an early estimate of losses blamed on the pandemic will exceed $3 million. Wisconsin deputy athletic director Chris McIntosh estimated the Badgers lost some $4 million in revenue due to the loss of the NCAA Tournament and Big Ten Tournament.

“So far the biggest lesson in terms of planning that we’ve experienced as it relates to COVID-19 is it’s incredibly humbling and it’s unpredictable,” McIntosh said. “We’re in the mode of preparing for anything, really, and predicting nothing.”

Louisville this week announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/69e064e3722661ba36ee137be1ba3d0c">10% salary cuts for coaches and athletic staff</a>, including football and men’s basketball. At Stanford, football coach David Shaw, women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer and men’s basketball coach Jerod Haase all volunteered to take less pay.

Smith said Ohio State has not ruled out pay cuts or other measures.

“Our university is going through a process to evaluate whether we need to deal with personnel in that form or fashion,” he said, noting that a hiring freeze was in place and budget cuts made before the coronavirus threat emerged.

“We did talk to some of our coaches about the blessings that they have and that we have and needed to make sure that we help as many people as we could,” he said.

Having the season possibly wiped off the calendar is something Smith said he hasn’t begun to think about yet.

“The football season is vital to the budget health of the overall department,” he said. “The bottom line is that it would have a major impact, and I haven’t yet begun to look at the cascade effects of that.”

Ohio State’s athletic department will finish with the fiscal year June 30 with about $10.2 million in the bank and money saved on travel when spring sports were eliminated and football coaches not traveling to visit recruits, Smith said. That could get used up quickly if the seven home football games are affected.

Smith said he can’t see the players playing in Ohio Stadium in front of more than 100,000 empty seats even if it would bring in television revenue. If it’s not safe for the fans to be together, it probably wouldn’t be safe for the players, either, he said.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Spring football was shelved because of the coronavirus. There is still plenty of work going on in college football.With the pandemic casting uncertainty on the 2020 season, programs are starting to wrestle with two weighty issues: Getting ready to play some kind of season if it is safe to do so and trying to manage what for many would be a substantial financial blow if the season is shortened or canceled.The NCAA this week formed a working group to look at issues such as how much preseason practice and conditioning would be required once play is green-lighted again. The NCAA said “it is premature to establish a timeline for when these scenarios may be put into place.”Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said the discussion is just beginning on prepare-to-play issues after most programs had spring football practice shortened or wiped out and had to deal with their spring sports being called to a halt.“Do we feel we need a longer period of time to help them physically get back into the grind?” Smith said Friday. “Maybe you need two weeks straight without pads. I don’t know that. That’s where the collaborative of the medical people and the strength coaches and everybody across the country has to occur. A hard date will come in relation to what we figure out there, and we haven’t figured it out yet.”Buckeyes coach Ryan Day, in an interview on ESPN, said six weeks would be a reasonable “starting point” for getting ready to play. Last week, Alabama coach Nick Saban suggested “teaching sessions on the field” over the summer to prepare for camp.“If you look at statistics historically on concussions, injuries … the most concentrated time that you practice and not play is in fall camp,” Saban said on a conference call with reporters. “You have more practices, you have to spend more time on the field. So I don’t know that increasing that is going to be beneficial in getting people ready to play.”On the financial side, losing football would be a devastating blow. Ohio State and other top football programs pump millions into their athletic department budgets, funding less lucrative sports. The NCAA is also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1f25b3b77136647036f9ca6ce37c5e2d">slashing $375 million that would normally be distributed</a>&nbsp;to various programs from the NCAA Tournaments that were canceled.Georgia Tech has made no cuts to staffers salaries, but said an early estimate of losses blamed on the pandemic will exceed $3 million. Wisconsin deputy athletic director Chris McIntosh estimated the Badgers lost some $4 million in revenue due to the loss of the NCAA Tournament and Big Ten Tournament.“So far the biggest lesson in terms of planning that we’ve experienced as it relates to COVID-19 is it’s incredibly humbling and it’s unpredictable,” McIntosh said. “We’re in the mode of preparing for anything, really, and predicting nothing.”Louisville this week announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/69e064e3722661ba36ee137be1ba3d0c">10% salary cuts for coaches and athletic staff</a>, including football and men’s basketball. At Stanford, football coach David Shaw, women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer and men’s basketball coach Jerod Haase all volunteered to take less pay.Smith said Ohio State has not ruled out pay cuts or other measures.“Our university is going through a process to evaluate whether we need to deal with personnel in that form or fashion,” he said, noting that a hiring freeze was in place and budget cuts made before the coronavirus threat emerged.“We did talk to some of our coaches about the blessings that they have and that we have and needed to make sure that we help as many people as we could,” he said.Having the season possibly wiped off the calendar is something Smith said he hasn’t begun to think about yet.“The football season is vital to the budget health of the overall department,” he said. “The bottom line is that it would have a major impact, and I haven’t yet begun to look at the cascade effects of that.”Ohio State’s athletic department will finish with the fiscal year June 30 with about $10.2 million in the bank and money saved on travel when spring sports were eliminated and football coaches not traveling to visit recruits, Smith said. That could get used up quickly if the seven home football games are affected.Smith said he can’t see the players playing in Ohio Stadium in front of more than 100,000 empty seats even if it would bring in television revenue. If it’s not safe for the fans to be together, it probably wouldn’t be safe for the players, either, he said.

Amid uncertainty, college football trying to plan for season

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Rich Tokheim’s sports apparel shop is right across the street from TD Ameritrade Park. More than half his annual revenue comes in the 11 or 12 days of the College World Series each June.

“We’re here,” he said, “because of the College World Series. It’s just so many people.”

Those people won’t be in Omaha this year. The Division I baseball championship, decided in this city of just under a half-million for the past 70 years, is a prominent sports casualty of the coronavirus pandemic — a blow not just to the ledgers and coffers of local businesses but to the identity of the city itself.

Omaha has long prided itself on hosting the eight-team tournament and even built $100 million TD Ameritrade Park a decade ago in exchange for an NCAA promise to keep the CWS here through at least 2035.

The 24,000-seat stadium is dark 50 of 52 weeks a year, except for Creighton home games in front of small crowds, but for those two weeks each summer, it’s the place to be. More than 332,000 people attended the 15 games a year ago and thousands more were outside tailgating, patronizing bars and restaurants, or visiting the Omaha Baseball Village shopping and entertainment area.

Average occupancy in the metro area’s 15,000 hotel rooms was 85% during last year’s CWS, with a high of 95% on opening day. Thousands of full- and part-time jobs are tied to the event. The economic impact has been estimated at $74 million per year, with more than $6 million generated in local and state taxes.

“My heart bleeds for those folks,” said Kathryn Morrissey, executive director of the local organizing group College World Series Inc. “It’s their Christmas, our Mardi Gras for our community, when we celebrate.”

Instead, there is a void this summer for people who have grown up with the event and made it a tradition — a blow familiar elsewhere across the country. The Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/DesertedIcons">is examining how the cancellation or postponement of iconic sporting events impacts some of those communities</a>.

The CWS started in 1947 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It moved to Wichita, Kansas, for 1949 before a group of local businessmen brought it to Omaha in 1950 and helped keep it afloat here after it lost money 10 of the first 12 years.

Crowds at the old Rosenblatt Stadium grew and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/baseball/article/2019-10-21/which-players-have-won-both-college-world-series-and-mlb-world" target="_blank">the memories piled up</a>, from Dave Winfield’s dominant pitching and hitting for Minnesota in 1973 to the complete game by Roger Clemens to help Texas beat Alabama for the championship a decade later. By the 1980s, ESPN was airing hours of CWS games.

Ed and Carolyn Conrath of Omaha started attending games in 1974. They bought two season tickets on the first-base line four years later and still own them. The Conraths enjoy the games, of course, but they also look forward to visiting with friends they see only at the CWS.

“You get to know people around you,” Carolyn Conrath said. “We’ve watched entire families grow from little children into parents of teenagers and adults now.”

Her favorite baseball memory is Whit Merrifield’s walkoff single in the 11th inning to give South Carolina the 2010 championship in the final game played at Rosenblatt, but it’s about far more than baseball for devoted fans of the CWS.

Carolyn laughed as she told the story of the streaker who interrupted a game in 1974, swinging a pink plastic bat at home plate and taking off toward third base before security caught him as he tried to exit through right field. She said she enjoys the tradition of fans batting around beach balls or trying to start the wave, and the people in the right- and left-field bleachers yelling clever chants at each other.

ESPN college baseball analyst Kyle Peterson grew up in Omaha and pitched for Stanford in the CWS in 1995 and ’97 before a four-year pro career.

“For all of us, there’s certain things in your life you just assume are going to be annual things, and this is one,” Peterson said. “There was nothing that you would think would be enough to interrupt this.”

All-time college wins leader Mike Martin, who brought 17 Florida State teams to the CWS, said he’s as sad for Omaha businesses and fans as much as he is for the players who will miss out.

“It puts everybody in Omaha and the rest of college baseball in a sad state that we’ve got to wait a long time before we can get that excitement built up again,” said Martin, who retired last year. “It’s not easy to accept this, but the excitement will return, good lord willing, and we’ll be right back where we were.”

The Omaha Baseball Village provides temporary employment for about 400 and generates hundreds of thousands of dollars from vendors renting space and nightlife. Marketing director Jenny Peters said more than 250,000 people come through the village during the CWS.

“The College World Series to Omaha is such a signature event, an identity for the community,” Peters said. “To lose that, it’s more than jobs and revenue. There’s a little bit of heart that goes into it from everyone who lives here and works here and gets to show off our town.”

Tokheim, who has operated sports apparel stores in Omaha for more than two decades, has an ideal location for “The Dugout” — an infield grounder away from the stadium’s front door. He employs about 30 people during the CWS, some 25 more than the rest of the year.

Tokheim said his shop should survive one year without the CWS, but that might not be the case for neighboring businesses.

“I think we’re all just stunned right now,” he said.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Rich Tokheim’s sports apparel shop is right across the street from TD Ameritrade Park. More than half his annual revenue comes in the 11 or 12 days of the College World Series each June.“We’re here,” he said, “because of the College World Series. It’s just so many people.”Those people won’t be in Omaha this year. The Division I baseball championship, decided in this city of just under a half-million for the past 70 years, is a prominent sports casualty of the coronavirus pandemic — a blow not just to the ledgers and coffers of local businesses but to the identity of the city itself.Omaha has long prided itself on hosting the eight-team tournament and even built $100 million TD Ameritrade Park a decade ago in exchange for an NCAA promise to keep the CWS here through at least 2035.The 24,000-seat stadium is dark 50 of 52 weeks a year, except for Creighton home games in front of small crowds, but for those two weeks each summer, it’s the place to be. More than 332,000 people attended the 15 games a year ago and thousands more were outside tailgating, patronizing bars and restaurants, or visiting the Omaha Baseball Village shopping and entertainment area.Average occupancy in the metro area’s 15,000 hotel rooms was 85% during last year’s CWS, with a high of 95% on opening day. Thousands of full- and part-time jobs are tied to the event. The economic impact has been estimated at $74 million per year, with more than $6 million generated in local and state taxes.All that is lost in 2020.“My heart bleeds for those folks,” said Kathryn Morrissey, executive director of the local organizing group College World Series Inc. “It’s their Christmas, our Mardi Gras for our community, when we celebrate.”Instead, there is a void this summer for people who have grown up with the event and made it a tradition — a blow familiar elsewhere across the country. The Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/DesertedIcons">is examining how the cancellation or postponement of iconic sporting events impacts some of those communities</a>.The CWS started in 1947 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It moved to Wichita, Kansas, for 1949 before a group of local businessmen brought it to Omaha in 1950 and helped keep it afloat here after it lost money 10 of the first 12 years.Crowds at the old Rosenblatt Stadium grew and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/baseball/article/2019-10-21/which-players-have-won-both-college-world-series-and-mlb-world" target="_blank">the memories piled up</a>, from Dave Winfield’s dominant pitching and hitting for Minnesota in 1973 to the complete game by Roger Clemens to help Texas beat Alabama for the championship a decade later. By the 1980s, ESPN was airing hours of CWS games.Ed and Carolyn Conrath of Omaha started attending games in 1974. They bought two season tickets on the first-base line four years later and still own them. The Conraths enjoy the games, of course, but they also look forward to visiting with friends they see only at the CWS.“You get to know people around you,” Carolyn Conrath said. “We’ve watched entire families grow from little children into parents of teenagers and adults now.”Her favorite baseball memory is Whit Merrifield’s walkoff single in the 11th inning to give South Carolina the 2010 championship in the final game played at Rosenblatt, but it’s about far more than baseball for devoted fans of the CWS.Carolyn laughed as she told the story of the streaker who interrupted a game in 1974, swinging a pink plastic bat at home plate and taking off toward third base before security caught him as he tried to exit through right field. She said she enjoys the tradition of fans batting around beach balls or trying to start the wave, and the people in the right- and left-field bleachers yelling clever chants at each other.ESPN college baseball analyst Kyle Peterson grew up in Omaha and pitched for Stanford in the CWS in 1995 and ’97 before a four-year pro career.“For all of us, there’s certain things in your life you just assume are going to be annual things, and this is one,” Peterson said. “There was nothing that you would think would be enough to interrupt this.”All-time college wins leader Mike Martin, who brought 17 Florida State teams to the CWS, said he’s as sad for Omaha businesses and fans as much as he is for the players who will miss out.“It puts everybody in Omaha and the rest of college baseball in a sad state that we’ve got to wait a long time before we can get that excitement built up again,” said Martin, who retired last year. “It’s not easy to accept this, but the excitement will return, good lord willing, and we’ll be right back where we were.”The Omaha Baseball Village provides temporary employment for about 400 and generates hundreds of thousands of dollars from vendors renting space and nightlife. Marketing director Jenny Peters said more than 250,000 people come through the village during the CWS.“The College World Series to Omaha is such a signature event, an identity for the community,” Peters said. “To lose that, it’s more than jobs and revenue. There’s a little bit of heart that goes into it from everyone who lives here and works here and gets to show off our town.”Tokheim, who has operated sports apparel stores in Omaha for more than two decades, has an ideal location for “The Dugout” — an infield grounder away from the stadium’s front door. He employs about 30 people during the CWS, some 25 more than the rest of the year.Tokheim said his shop should survive one year without the CWS, but that might not be the case for neighboring businesses.“I think we’re all just stunned right now,” he said.

Deserted icons: No College World Series hits Omaha hard

The XFL has suspended operations effective immediately and informed all employees that they have been terminated, according to several employees on social media and multiple media reports.

It is not known if the league will resume operations in February 2021, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.espn.com/xfl/story/_/id/29021347/xfl-suspends-operations-lays-employees-no-plans-return-2021">sources told ESPN</a>&nbsp;the league has no plans to return in 2021.

XFLNewshub.com reporter Konnor Fulk shared on social media that a small "skeleton crew" of league executives will continue to work out of its Connecticut headquarters.

The news comes one day after the league announced it will refund all 2021 season tickets.

Employees were told they are receiving their final paychecks on a Zoom conference call with XFL President and Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Pollack,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/texans/article/XFL-suspends-operations-terminates-employees-15192425.php">according to the Houston Chronicle</a>.

The league had ended its inaugural season last month after just five weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic that has shut down a number of other leagues around the world including the end of the NHL and NBA seasons and the beginning of the baseball season.

The Masters golf tournament was scheduled to be held from April 9-12, but has been postponed to November.

The NFL is scheduled to hold its&nbsp;draft virtually later this month. It is planning to start its regular season in early September as scheduled and play the games in front of fans, league officials said on a Tuesday conference call, according to an&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001108001/article/nfl-planning-to-begin-2020-nfl-season-as-scheduled">article&nbsp;on NFL.com</a>.

Other major sporting events have been postponed, including the Kentucky Derby and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

<a href="https://thehill.com/people/donald-trump">President Trump</a>&nbsp;held a conference call with the commissioners of major U.S. sports leagues Saturday, with Trump saying he hopes to have fans back at venues by late summer or early fall.

"They want to get back," Trump said of the sports leagues at a subsequent coronavirus task force briefing. "They've got to get back. They can't do this. Their sports weren't designed for it. The whole concept of our nation wasn't designed for it. We have to get back. We want to get back soon."

The XFL has suspended operations effective immediately and informed all employees that they have been terminated, according to several employees on social media and multiple media reports.It is not known if the league will resume operations in February 2021, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.espn.com/xfl/story/_/id/29021347/xfl-suspends-operations-lays-employees-no-plans-return-2021">sources told ESPN</a>&nbsp;the league has no plans to return in 2021.XFLNewshub.com reporter Konnor Fulk shared on social media that a small "skeleton crew" of league executives will continue to work out of its Connecticut headquarters.The news comes one day after the league announced it will refund all 2021 season tickets.Employees were told they are receiving their final paychecks on a Zoom conference call with XFL President and Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Pollack,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/texans/article/XFL-suspends-operations-terminates-employees-15192425.php">according to the Houston Chronicle</a>.The league had ended its inaugural season last month after just five weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic that has shut down a number of other leagues around the world including the end of the NHL and NBA seasons and the beginning of the baseball season.The Masters golf tournament was scheduled to be held from April 9-12, but has been postponed to November.The NFL is scheduled to hold its&nbsp;draft virtually later this month. It is planning to start its regular season in early September as scheduled and play the games in front of fans, league officials said on a Tuesday conference call, according to an&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001108001/article/nfl-planning-to-begin-2020-nfl-season-as-scheduled">article&nbsp;on NFL.com</a>.Other major sporting events have been postponed, including the Kentucky Derby and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.<a href="https://thehill.com/people/donald-trump">President Trump</a>&nbsp;held a conference call with the commissioners of major U.S. sports leagues Saturday, with Trump saying he hopes to have fans back at venues by late summer or early fall."They want to get back," Trump said of the sports leagues at a subsequent coronavirus task force briefing. "They've got to get back. They can't do this. Their sports weren't designed for it. The whole concept of our nation wasn't designed for it. We have to get back. We want to get back soon."

XFL suspends operations, lays off all employees: reports

<div>https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e8fcbfdeb7f170536022dc8</div>

AUDIO: Eagle Radio Sports for Friday

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are bringing back cornerback Bashaud Breeland on a one-year deal that could be worth up to $4.5 million, according to a person familiar with the contract. The agreement helps alleviate one of the Super Bowl champions' biggest concerns ahead of the NFL draft. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because the deal had not been announced. Breeland helped the Chiefs win their first championship in five decades last season before joining cornerbacks Kendall Fuller and Morris Claiborne in free agency. Fuller has since signed with Washington.

MADRID (AP) — Toni Dovale has a different routine than most Spanish soccer players during the coronavirus pandemic. Some have been spending their time trying to stay fit or negotiating salary reductions with their clubs. But the former Sporting Kansas City and Celta Vigo player is working to guarantee there are enough protective masks, gloves and medicine to help in the fight against the virus in hard-hit Spain. He is working in his family's small pharmacy while soccer remains on hold because of the virus. He had been playing in Thailand before coming to Spain for the holidays and got stuck when the outbreak started.

UNDATED (AP) — Few vocations require more missed time with loved ones than big league and major college sports. Elite athletes and coaches enjoy privileges and rewards, but family time is one part of life that can't be priced out. The COVID-19 pandemic that put sports on pause has given them time with loved ones. The 82-game National Hockey League schedule normally keeps Winnipeg forward Blake Wheeler away from his wife and three young children more than one-third of the year. Now, Wheeler says his 2-year-old son, Mase, is finally starting to realize he is his dad.

UNDATED (AP) — College baseball stands to benefit from Major League Baseball's decision to shorten its 2020 draft to as few as five rounds and limit signing bonuses for undrafted free agents to $20,000. The college game also will have older and more experienced players because of the NCAA's decision to allow players whose season was shut down by the coronavirus pandemic to return to school in 2021 with the same eligibility standing as in 2020. Michigan coach Erik Bakich says the talent level in the college game could be the deepest ever.

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated PressKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are bringing back cornerback Bashaud Breeland on a one-year deal that could be worth up to $4.5 million, according to a person familiar with the contract. The agreement helps alleviate one of the Super Bowl champions' biggest concerns ahead of the NFL draft. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because the deal had not been announced. Breeland helped the Chiefs win their first championship in five decades last season before joining cornerbacks Kendall Fuller and Morris Claiborne in free agency. Fuller has since signed with Washington.MADRID (AP) — Toni Dovale has a different routine than most Spanish soccer players during the coronavirus pandemic. Some have been spending their time trying to stay fit or negotiating salary reductions with their clubs. But the former Sporting Kansas City and Celta Vigo player is working to guarantee there are enough protective masks, gloves and medicine to help in the fight against the virus in hard-hit Spain. He is working in his family's small pharmacy while soccer remains on hold because of the virus. He had been playing in Thailand before coming to Spain for the holidays and got stuck when the outbreak started.UNDATED (AP) — Few vocations require more missed time with loved ones than big league and major college sports. Elite athletes and coaches enjoy privileges and rewards, but family time is one part of life that can't be priced out. The COVID-19 pandemic that put sports on pause has given them time with loved ones. The 82-game National Hockey League schedule normally keeps Winnipeg forward Blake Wheeler away from his wife and three young children more than one-third of the year. Now, Wheeler says his 2-year-old son, Mase, is finally starting to realize he is his dad.UNDATED (AP) — College baseball stands to benefit from Major League Baseball's decision to shorten its 2020 draft to as few as five rounds and limit signing bonuses for undrafted free agents to $20,000. The college game also will have older and more experienced players because of the NCAA's decision to allow players whose season was shut down by the coronavirus pandemic to return to school in 2021 with the same eligibility standing as in 2020. Michigan coach Erik Bakich says the talent level in the college game could be the deepest ever.

Friday Sports Headlines

CHICAGO (AP) — There are no sponsored power plays at the moment.

No calls to the bullpen presented by phone companies.

Amid the coronavirus shutdown, sports business executives are having tough conversations about lucrative advertising and marketing contracts with no games on the horizon. Everyone involved knows the relative insignificance of the talks in the greater scheme of things, but billions of dollars are in play, and the results could have far-reaching implications for sports for years to come.

“It’s unprecedented,” said Justin Toman, the head of sports marketing for PepsiCo Inc. “I think there’s been a lot of creativity and discussions, scenario planning on how to deal with it. But it’s ongoing and I don’t think anybody has the answer. I think it really is this almost unthinkable thing that has impacted the world of sports.”

The conversations are made even more complicated by an almost infinite number of variables.

It’s unclear when the NBA and NHL will be able to resume this season, if at all. If they start play again, it’s uncertain how they will deal with the rest of their regular seasons and playoffs. Major League Baseball is looking at myriad scenarios for its season, and even the NFL in its offseason is dealing with its own set of potential issues.

Then there are questions around playing without fans — one of the possibilities being contemplated by some leagues.

“If there’s no fans in the stands, then, from a sponsorship perspective, there will be a race to who gets TV inventory, TV-visible inventory, which is roughly half of the value to sponsorships,” said AJ Maestas, the founder and CEO of Navigate Research, a sports and entertainment research firm. “So half of the value you’re trying to replace, or make good, you know as a marketing term, with very limited television inventory, because usually it’s close to sold out in a healthy economy.”

Teams and other sports properties looking to provide value for their partners could cross some barriers they were unwilling to cross previously. More sports could put advertisements on their uniforms and equipment, following the example of the NBA and its jersey patches. All 30 teams now have a corporate sponsorship on their uniform after the league began selling jersey patches in 2017-18. The program has brought in more than $150 million in revenue.

“Those more exotic scenarios create all kinds of opportunities,” Maestas said, “and the No. 1 one in my mind is TV-visible inventory. ... That is one of our predictions, is that there will be TV-visible innovation in every direction you can imagine.”

The effect of the coronavirus pandemic is already being felt in a variety of ways.

Jack Morton Worldwide, the lead agency for MillerCoors for its experiential sports marketing, had to change some of its plans for the upcoming NFL draft after its public events were canceled. While the Miller Lite campaign is still fluid, it is moving from more on-premise activation with its team deals to a more digital approach.

Finding the right tone also is a challenge, said Jack Morton Worldwide vice president Sean Callahan.

“Why sports are amazing and why this is additionally hard for sports fans is not having that outlet and that shared moment,” Callahan said. “So being able to try and create some shared moments here is what we’re trying to do.”

The shutdown for traditional sports has led some sponsors to take a closer look at esports, which have experienced far less disruption amid the crisis.

Total viewership on Twitch, an Amazon-owned streaming platform for gaming, surpassed 3 billion hours for the first time last quarter, boosted by a 23% increase in viewership from February to March, according to Streamlabs. Several NBA players have been streaming games while they wait for word on their season.

“We have the eyes of Gen Z, young millennials,” said Nicole LaPointe Jameson, chief executive officer of Evil Genuises, a North American esports organization, “and for people that traditionally had physical activation budgets or other types of budgets that now have had to be reallocated, it’s definitely been an early Q1 resurgence of potential partnership activation as well as increased opportunity with our current partners.”

CHICAGO (AP) — There are no sponsored power plays at the moment.No doughnut races in the fourth quarter.No calls to the bullpen presented by phone companies.Amid the coronavirus shutdown, sports business executives are having tough conversations about lucrative advertising and marketing contracts with no games on the horizon. Everyone involved knows the relative insignificance of the talks in the greater scheme of things, but billions of dollars are in play, and the results could have far-reaching implications for sports for years to come.“It’s unprecedented,” said Justin Toman, the head of sports marketing for PepsiCo Inc. “I think there’s been a lot of creativity and discussions, scenario planning on how to deal with it. But it’s ongoing and I don’t think anybody has the answer. I think it really is this almost unthinkable thing that has impacted the world of sports.”The conversations are made even more complicated by an almost infinite number of variables.It’s unclear when the NBA and NHL will be able to resume this season, if at all. If they start play again, it’s uncertain how they will deal with the rest of their regular seasons and playoffs. Major League Baseball is looking at myriad scenarios for its season, and even the NFL in its offseason is dealing with its own set of potential issues.Then there are questions around playing without fans — one of the possibilities being contemplated by some leagues.“If there’s no fans in the stands, then, from a sponsorship perspective, there will be a race to who gets TV inventory, TV-visible inventory, which is roughly half of the value to sponsorships,” said AJ Maestas, the founder and CEO of Navigate Research, a sports and entertainment research firm. “So half of the value you’re trying to replace, or make good, you know as a marketing term, with very limited television inventory, because usually it’s close to sold out in a healthy economy.”Teams and other sports properties looking to provide value for their partners could cross some barriers they were unwilling to cross previously. More sports could put advertisements on their uniforms and equipment, following the example of the NBA and its jersey patches. All 30 teams now have a corporate sponsorship on their uniform after the league began selling jersey patches in 2017-18. The program has brought in more than $150 million in revenue.“Those more exotic scenarios create all kinds of opportunities,” Maestas said, “and the No. 1 one in my mind is TV-visible inventory. ... That is one of our predictions, is that there will be TV-visible innovation in every direction you can imagine.”The effect of the coronavirus pandemic is already being felt in a variety of ways.Jack Morton Worldwide, the lead agency for MillerCoors for its experiential sports marketing, had to change some of its plans for the upcoming NFL draft after its public events were canceled. While the Miller Lite campaign is still fluid, it is moving from more on-premise activation with its team deals to a more digital approach.Finding the right tone also is a challenge, said Jack Morton Worldwide vice president Sean Callahan.“Why sports are amazing and why this is additionally hard for sports fans is not having that outlet and that shared moment,” Callahan said. “So being able to try and create some shared moments here is what we’re trying to do.”The shutdown for traditional sports has led some sponsors to take a closer look at esports, which have experienced far less disruption amid the crisis.Total viewership on Twitch, an Amazon-owned streaming platform for gaming, surpassed 3 billion hours for the first time last quarter, boosted by a 23% increase in viewership from February to March, according to Streamlabs. Several NBA players have been streaming games while they wait for word on their season.“We have the eyes of Gen Z, young millennials,” said Nicole LaPointe Jameson, chief executive officer of Evil Genuises, a North American esports organization, “and for people that traditionally had physical activation budgets or other types of budgets that now have had to be reallocated, it’s definitely been an early Q1 resurgence of potential partnership activation as well as increased opportunity with our current partners.”While esports differ from traditional sports in their digital focus, Jameson sounded a similar note when it comes to working with sponsors right now, emphasizing the importance of flexibility and communication.Creativity is another key concept for sports executives as they try to solve the considerable business challenges presented by the new coronavirus.“I think the general sentiment and overarching feeling is: ‘You know what guys? We’re in this together. These are unprecedented times, and let’s come together to re-imagine our relationship,’” said David A. Wright, the chief marketing and commercial officer for Minor League Baseball.“I think that’s been really refreshing, and I think just speaks to the power of partnership. At times like this, man, the power of partnership is really, really important.”