OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A group of Power Five coaches led by Michigan’s Erik Bakich is proposing a later start to the college baseball season. They say it would trim expenses in the post-coronavirus era, make the game more fan friendly and reduce the risk of injury to players. Under the 35-page proposal, there would be nine weeks of preseason practice instead of five, the regular season would run from the third week of March to the third week of June and the College World Series would wrap up the last week of July. Bakich said the move would increase revenue.

UNDATED (AP) — Hall of Fame basketball coach Eddie Sutton has died. He led three teams to the Final Four and was the first coach to take four schools to the NCAA Tournament. He was 84. Sutton’s family said in a statement Saturday night he died of natural causes at home in the Tulsa, Oklahoma, area, surrounded by his three sons and their families. Wife Patsy died in 2013. Sutton was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on April 3 after going 806-328 in 37 seasons as a Division I head coach — not counting vacated victories or forfeited games — and made it to 25 NCAA Tournaments.

UNDATED (AP) — The NBA is in talks with The Walt Disney Company on a single-site scenario for a resumption of play in Central Florida in late July. It’s the clearest sign yet that the NBA believes the season can continue amid the coronavirus pandemic. Games would be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, a massive campus on the Disney property near Orlando. NBA spokesman Mike Bass said the conversations were still “exploratory,” and that the site would be used for practices and housing as well.

PALM DESERT, Calif. (AP) — Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf was arrested in Southern California on Friday. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said the second player taken in the 1998 draft was taken into custody on a domestic battery charge in Palm Desert, about 110 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Leaf was being held on $5,000 bail at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility. Leaf finished third in Heisman Trophy voting in 1997 and led Washington State to the Rose Bowl. Drafted by the Chargers, he won just four of 18 games as a starter in three seasons with the team.

UNDATED (AP) — The Washington Nationals have changed their plans for a virtual World Series ring ceremony after players decided they would rather wait until they could reunite in person to receive their new jewelry. The Nationals previously announced they were going to give out the rings during a show broadcast on television and online. They still plan to unveil the design of the ring Sunday, the anniversary of the date they began their turnaround from a 19-31 record to World Series champs.

The IGHSAU has adjusted the post-season dates for softball for the 2020 season.

Regionals are scheduled to begin on Monday, July 13 with the state softball tournament now set for July 27-31 in Fort Dodge at Rogers Sports Complex for all 5 classes.

Monday, July 13 – 1A/2A Regionals

Wednesday, July 15 – 1A/2A/3A Regionals

Thursday, July 16 – 4A/5A Regionals

Friday, July 17 – 1A/2A/3A Regionals

Saturday, July 18 – 4A/5A Regionals

Monday, July 20 – 1A/2A/3A Regional Finals

Tuesday, July 21 – 4A/5A Regional Finals

Monday, July 27-Friday, July 31 – State Softball Tournament at Rogers Sports Complex  in Fort Dodge

w/ Chris Parks

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The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds paddlers to stay safe and follow physical distancing guidelines to help slow the spread of COVID-19 Getting outdoors after being indoors for such a long time is a fun and healthy option to start summer activities. “Paddling, biking, running and walking are good for our physical and mental health. Small groups of people can easily keep the proper physical distance while paddling,” said Nate Hogeveen, River Programs Director. “But everyone needs to take extra precautions at the accesses, on the water, and while shuttling. Help keep you, your family and other paddlers safe by following these physical distancing guidelines: 1. Limit paddling group size – Paddle with family and friends you know and limit the group to no more than 10. If you boat with people not from your household, limit passengers. Smaller groups will allow for easier shuttle plans. Avoid car loads of people.

1. Maintain 6 feet distance at all times – Spread out to help provide space between you and the next boat on the water. Give those ahead of you plenty of time and space to finish launching or loading before you approach. Paddle lakes instead of rivers to eliminate the need for a shuttle.
2. Only touch your own gear – Everyone needs to carry their own gear. After the trip, wipe down gear to disinfect surfaces. Bring along hand sanitizer or wipes.
3. Avoid sharing snacks and water – Drink from your own water bottle and store food and snacks in your personal drybag.
4. Avoid sandbar crowds and “rafting” up together – Tubers are reminded not to go in groups larger than 10 and don’t tie tubes to one another.

Explore the interactive paddlers map at www.iowadnr.gov/Things-to-Do/Canoeing-Kayaking/Where-to-Paddle to help plan your trip, Check out the Iowa DNR’s water trail map library at www.iowadnr.gov/Things-to-Do/Canoeing-Kayaking/Water-Trail-Maps-Brochures for individual water trail maps, including access points and some history information.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds all boaters and anglers to “Clean, Drain, and Dry” their boats and equipment this Memorial Day weekend to protect Iowa lakes and rivers from aquatic hitchhikers. Aquatic hitchhikers are invasive species – everything from zebra mussels to Eurasian watermilfoil – that move from one waterbody to another by hitchhiking on boats, in bait buckets and on other equipment used in the water. They often grow quickly and spread fast when brought to another lake or stream due to lack of natural controls.

“The best way to control the negative impacts of aquatic invasive species in Iowa is to prevent their spread to new waterbodies,” said Kim Bogenschutz, aquatic invasive species coordinator for the Iowa DNR. These aquatic invasive species can create serious problems for Iowa waters by reducing native species and making lakes and rivers unusable for boaters, anglers and swimmers.

Boaters and anglers can unintentionally spread aquatic hitchhikers if they do not take the proper precautions each time they leave a lake or river.

• CLEAN any plants, animals, or mud from your boat and equipment before you leave a waterbody.
• DRAIN water from all equipment (motor, live well, bilge, transom well, bait bucket) before you leave a waterbody.
• DRY anything that comes into contact with water (boats, trailers, equipment, boots, clothing, dogs). Before you move to another waterbody either: Spray your boat and trailer with hot or high-pressure water; or Dry your boat and equipment for at least five days.
• Never release plants, fish, or animals into a waterbody unless they came out of that waterbody and empty unwanted bait in the trash.

It is illegal to possess or transport prohibited aquatic invasive species. It is illegal to transport any aquatic plants on water-related equipment in Iowa.  Signs posted at public accesses remind boaters to stop aquatic hitchhikers and identify infested waters.

Boaters must also drain all water from boats and equipment before they leave a water access and keep drain plugs removed or opened during transport. It is also illegal to introduce any live fish, except for hooked bait, into public waters.

Find more information about aquatic invasive species and a list of infested waters in the current Iowa Fishing Regulations or at www.iowadnr.gov/ais.

Chase Wallace was hired this week to be the new head football coach for the Griswold Tigers. Wallace said he has always known that coaching was something he wanted to be a part of his life.

Wallace is a Griswold graduate so he will get the unique opportunity of getting his first head coaching experience at his alma mater. Wallace is taking over for the coach he played for, Andy Everett.

Wallace said he plans to keep in place many of Coach Everett’s philosophies but wants to add some formation diversity to spread the ball out at times. Wallace said his first priority is to get kids involved with the program and excited about football.

Wallace hopes that added numbers can start to build the program up. The Tigers are coming off a winless season last year.

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

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(Radio Iowa) — With campus facilities closed Iowa football players have been searching for fields to get in some workouts. It has not been easy. Most of the facilities in Johnson County have been shut down. Senior defensive end Chauncey Golston has been kicked-off of several fields.

Golston says they have tried several different facilities.

Senior Ihmir Smith-Marsette and other receivers have found space to work with new starting quarterback Spencer Petras (peet-ris).

Smith-Marsette says they are running routes out of the playbook.

Senior defensive lineman Austin Schulte has been working out at his home in Pella.

Schulte has transformed his family garage into a weight room.

NHLPA voting on 24-team playoffs…NFL eyes officiating help, alternative to onside kick

UNDATED (AP) — A person with knowledge of the situation tells The Associated Press the NHL Players’ Association’s executive board is voting on a 24-team playoff proposal as they return to play format. Results of the vote could be in as soon as Friday night. Under the proposal plan, the top four teams in each of the Eastern and Western Conferences would play each other for seeding while the remaining 16 teams face off in a best-of-five series play-in round to set the final 16. Even if the executive board votes to approve the format, the league and players union still need to negotiate other details, including health and safety protocols.

UNDATED (AP) — The NFL is considering adding a “booth umpire” and a senior technology adviser to the referee to assist the officiating crew. NFL clubs received a list of potential rules changes on Thursday. Owners will vote on the proposals at the upcoming league meeting to be held by video conference on May 28. If owners don’t approve adding a booth umpire and/or a senior technology adviser, the league could test a version of both rules in the preseason for possible future implementation.

UNDATED (AP) — The NFL has come up with a proposal that would give teams another option instead of an onside kick, permitting a team to maintain possession of the ball after a score by substituting one offensive play. The kicking team would attempt a fourth-and-15 from its 25-yard line. This could be done a maximum of two times per game. Onside kicks have become infrequent and rarely successful since the NFL changed rules on alignments for kickoffs.

DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — Chase Briscoe won the Xfinity Series’ return to action at Darlington Raceway on Wednesday, two days after the race was postponed by rain. Briscoe used two strong restarts and a quick pit stop to finish on top. He got the lead out of the pits during the final caution, then pulled away from Kyle Busch and Justin Allgaier (AHL’-gy-ur) on the subsequent restart with seven laps to go for his fourth career win and second this season.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Vanderbilt has removed the interim title and made Candice Storey Lee the first woman to run a Southeastern Conference athletics program. Lee is one of only five women and the second black woman in charge of a Power Five program. The 41-year-old Lee is a former Commodores basketball captain. She took over as interim athletic director on Feb. 4 when Malcolm Turner resigned after one year on the job.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard expects the football season to start as scheduled. The Cyclones open at home on September fifth against South Dakota. Pollard made his comments as part of the Cyclone Virtual Tailgate Tour.

Pollard says the big question right now is how many fans will be part of the season opener.

Pollard says as of right now they could have the stadium about half full.