This Week in Sports Talk: April 19, 2020

This Week in Sports Talk (TWIST) is our weekly roundup of top headlines and sports news, plus a preview of what’s up next. Heading into the week of April 19, 2020, here’s the top sports news, with a twist. Skim it, and you’ll be good to go all week.

This Week in Sports Talk: April 19, 2020

We begin with some short takes in sports news heading into the week of April 19, 2020.

the wnba’s new york liberty land a new star

Sabrina Ionescu is the No. 1 draft pick for the WNBA. The elite point guard at the University of Oregon brings star power to the 23-year old league, which is in the midst of an overhaul.

A new WNBA collective bargaining agreement sees player salaries increased and marketing budgets expanded. The New York Liberty is under new ownership, and even has a new logo. Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic has caused an indefinite postponement of the start of the WNBA season, which was supposed to be May 15.

Golf is scheduled to make its return in June

The PGA Tour on Thursday announced an amended 2019-20 season as well as the fall portion of its 2020-21 season. Golf is scheduled to be back in mid-June with the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas.

If all goes as scheduled, Colonial Country Club will host the tournament from June 11-14, 2020. The first four tournaments on the amended schedule will be played without fans in attendance and with guidelines to ensure that players are able to practice appropriate social distancing.

As of this posting, the PGA Championship is scheduled to begin on August 6, and the US Open on September 17. The Masters is currently scheduled for November 12. And the Ryder Cup is still on the calendar for September.

players balking at MLB “Arizona Plan”

Major League Baseball is still wrestling with the logistics of safely playing a 2020 season. Currently under consideration is the “Arizona Plan.” All games would be played in the state, potentially at Spring Training facilities. Each of the 30 teams would be sequestered at nearby hotels and only allowed to travel to and from the stadium.

While nothing is definite, some players are already resisting this proposal. LA Angels slugger Mike Trout laid out a number of concerns, including the fact that his wife is pregnant and that player families can’t be expected to shelter-in-place in a hotel in Arizona for weeks.

wait: tom brady said what to Howard Stern?

The much-hyped interview between quarterback Tom Brady and radio host Howard Stern took place a week and a half ago, and it lasted over two hours. Fans saw a more human side of the usually taciturn Brady. He spoke openly about his decision to leave the New England Patriots, and said that he skipped the Patriots’ pre-season OTAs for the past couple of years because he was having marital problems and needed to be at home. He dodged a number of potentially controversial issues related to the NFL, though, leaving some less than satisfied.

the xfl is no more

Last week the spring football league the XFL officially ceased operations and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The WWE, also owned by Vince McMahon, has furloughed several of its big names. 

event updates in other sports

In the world of tennis, some big events are still on the calendar for the fall. The French Open has been moved to September 20th. As of this posting, the US Open is still on for August 31-September 13.

The Boston Marathon has been postponed until September 14, and the London Marathon to October 4.

The Tour de France has pushed its start date back to August 29.

The Kentucky Derby has been moved to the first Saturday in September. As of this posting, the Preakness has been indefinitely postponed, and the Belmont Stakes are still on the calendar for June 6.

Top Sports Headlines heading into the week of April 19, 2020

Now that we’re warmed up, here’s everything else you need to know about sports heading into the week of April 19, 2020:

1. NFL

Must Know:

The NFL will conduct its draft virtually beginning this Thursday April 23. The consensus is that the first two picks will be quarterback Joe Burrow as No. 1 to the Cincinnati Bengals. And defensive end Chase Young to the Washington Redskins. 

The big question: where will Tua Tagovailoa go?  The star quarterback for Alabama suffered a serious injury in his final season. But for that, he would probably be the projected first pick.

The mock drafts that always take place in the weeks prior to the actual event have Tagovailoa going to the Miami Dolphins. But his injuries have given all of the teams pause. Although, our Sports Desk notes that the last time the Dolphins passed on an injured quarterback, they deeply regretted it later. That quarterback was Drew Brees, in a trade from Chargers.

Once the draft is over, there are likely to still be two big name quarterbacks still on the market: former MVP Cam Newton and former No. 1 draft pick Jameis Winston. Newton could end up seeing the season start without being picked up by a team – and then sign if a team struggles or a quarterback is injured.

Nice to Know:

For now, the hope is that the NFL season will unfold as scheduled. Reports are that the league is talking about playing with no live audiences for the entire season. There’s discussion similar to the one underway in MLB about quarantining players for the season – which raises all the same issues about families and logistics. Watch this space for further updates.

Extra Credit:

Assuming that there will be an NFL season, lots of fans are optimistic about the prospects of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their new quarterback Tom Brady. And pessimistic about the outlook for the New England Patriots.

The Vegas line has the Buccaneers favored in 11 of 16 games, and many think they could easily go 12 -4. Others predict that the Pats, on the other hand, could go 8 – 8. What?

There’s also speculation that Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski will come out of retirement to play with his former teammate Tom Brady. Head coach Bruce Arians is considered to be a fun guy, which Gronk would surely love. The Bucs are located near the global WWF headquarters – given Gronk’s involvement there, he could potentially do both.

Technically, Gronkowski is still under the control of the Patriots. So if he wanted to join the Buccaneers, they would have to make a trade for him, or the Patriots would have to release him. Our Sports Desk believes it’s unlikely – but it would be big fun to watch if it did.

bonus round:

Here’s a little tidbit of knowledge that we didn’t have until today. The Wonderlic scores are out!

The Wonderlic test is used at the NFL scouting combine to measure general cognitive ability in three areas: math, vocabulary, and reasoning. The test has 50 multiple choice questions that are to be answered in 12 minutes.

The test is graded on a 50-point system with 50 points being the highest score. Punter Pat McInally, a fifth-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1975, recorded the only perfect score on the test. The highest recorded score for a quarterback? Harvard graduate Ryan Fitzpatrick got a 48. What does this have to do with how well the players perform on the field? That part is unclear. Do standardized tests really predict anything? Discuss among yourselves.

2. NBA

Must know:

The NBA suspended its season on March 11, and there is no date set for resuming play.

Nice to know:

Must-watch TV alert: tonight is the launch of “The Last Dance,” the 10-part documentary on the NBA GOAT Michael Jordan. It premieres at 9:00P Eastern on ESPN. Sports-starved fans all over the world rejoice.

Bonus round: 

High school hoops star Jalen Green, the No. 3 prospect in the 2020 college basketball recruiting class, announced this week that he’s not going to play college hoops and will instead pursue a pro career. Green will join the NBA’s developmental G-League program. The team will operate outside of the league’s usual framework and be unaffiliated with any NBA franchise. It’s expected to be based in Southern California.

Green is the second five-star prospect to commit to the G-League team this week, joining No. 13 overall prospect Isaiah Todd, who reversed his plan to play for Michigan in order to turn pro.

This Week in Sports News April 19, 2020

That’s it. You’re good to go with the top headlines and coming attractions heading into the week of April 19, 2020. Stay safe and healthy out there, dear reader. See you next week.

Join our Community

For access to insider ideas and information on the world of luxury, sign up for our Dandelion Chandelier newsletter here. And see luxury in a new light.

Forward This Article