College Football
Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby tells The Athletic one idea being floated about the 2020 football season is to play it in the fall and in the spring. Bowlsby says it’s possible the season could start on time, but when the flu season begins again in November and December, things could change. A recent poll of athletic directors by Stadium indicated 99 percent of them believe the season will be played, with 75 percent saying it will likely be delayed due to the pandemic.
College Sports
Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt says the school will cut nearly $7 million from the athletic budget in the upcoming school year, including eliminating performance bonuses for himself and Red Raiders coaches. The cuts are needed because of the economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and deeper cuts may be needed if college football can’t play a full season, Hocutt told A-J Media in Lubbock, TX.
Kansas basketball coach Bill Self, as well as football coach Les Miles and athletic director Jeff Long, are all taking 10 percent salary reductions for the next six months. The move will save the Kansas athletic department nearly $500,000.
NFL
According to the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Texans plan to exercise the fifth-year option on quarterback Deshaun Watson’s contract prior to the May 4th deadline. Watson, who is 24-13 as a starter since taking over as Houston’s No. 1 quarterback as a rookie in 2017, is expected to earn around $17.3 million in 2021 unless the Texans are able to sign him to a long-term contract before then.
The Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs released punter Dustin Colquitt. The former University of Tennessee standout was the longest tenured member of the Chiefs, having been with them for 15 seasons. Colquitt averaged 44.3 yards per punt last season.
MLB
If there are major league baseball games in 2020, they will be played without Baltimore Orioles outfielder Trey Mancini. Mancini unveiled to The Players Tribune he is battling stage 3 colon cancer after receiving the diagnosis during spring training. Mancini did not detail his prognosis, but stated he will be taking treatments every two weeks for six months. He began chemotherapy on April 13th.
Olympics
The Japanese medical community is moving toward a consensus that holding next year’s Tokyo Olympics may hinge on finding a coronavirus vaccine. Japan Medical Association president Yoshitake Yokokura said in a video media conference today the Olympics were possible only if the infections were under control, not only in Japan, but globally. He did not say whether he opposes the Olympics without vaccines.