The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Laurent Duvernay-Tardif has gone from the offensive line to the front line, using the medical degree he earned during the past few offseasons with the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs to help patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. He explained during a video interview how he had contacted the health ministry in his native Canada early in the outbreak to see how he could help. Duvernay-Tardif began by making public-service announcements and getting the word out about social distancing, but he soon sprang into action when it became clear that there would be a shortage of trained medical professionals.

NEW YORK (AP) — “Field of Dreams” was No. 6 in The Associated Press sports writers’ favorite sports movies poll. It was released in April 1989, two weeks after “Major League,” 10 months after “Bull Durham” and eight months after “Eight Men Out.” It is a story of fathers and sons, phantoms and phenoms on an unlikely diamond in an Iowa cornfield. More than 30 years later, it still generates tears, setting loose emotions gushing like water across the fresh-cut grass. Director Phil Alden Robinson remembers a woman weeping at a test screening. When he realized the woman worked for the studio and had already seen the movie, he knew he had something special.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid has spoken with cornerback Bashaud Breeland following his arrest in South Carolina. Reid said Friday that the organization will allow the legal process to play out before making any decisions of its own. The 28-year-old Breeland faces five total charges, including resisting arrest and drug possession, after he was seen smoking marijuana in a car late Tuesday. Breeland was released on $2,362.50 bond after spending nearly 10 hours in jail.

UNDATED (AP) — Major League Soccer is allowing players to return to outdoor team training fields for individual workouts starting next Wednesday. MLS suspended the season because of the coronavirus pandemic on March 12, closing all team facilities but asking players to remain in market with their teams. The league-wide moratorium on group and team training remains in effect through May 15. MLS says individual workouts must follow certain detailed health and safety protocols. The workouts are voluntary and must also follow local public health and government policies.

NEW YORK (AP) — “Field of Dreams” was No. 6 in The Associated Press sports writers’ favorite sports movies poll. It was released in April 1989, two weeks after “Major League,” 10 months after “Bull Durham” and eight months after “Eight Men Out.” It is a story of fathers and sons, phantoms and phenoms on an unlikely diamond in an Iowa cornfield.

More than 30 years later, it still generates tears, setting loose emotions gushing like water across the fresh-cut grass. Director Phil Alden Robinson remembers a woman weeping at a test screening. When he realized the woman worked for the studio and had already seen the movie, he knew he had something special.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa wrestling team set a school record and led the nation with eight wrestlers named to the 2020 National Wrestling Coaches Association Division I All-Academic Team, the NWCA announced Thursday.

Spencer Lee, Max Murin, Kaleb Young, Alex Marinelli, Michael Kemerer, Abe Assad, Jacob Warner, and Tony Cassioppi are among the 175 athletes from 63 institutions to earn recognition. To be eligible, student-athletes must have a 3.2 grade point average and have won 60 percent of their matches, or maintain a 3.0 GPA while earning All-America honors.

Lee and Marinelli were named to the team for the third straight year. Kemerer is also a three-time honoree, earning honors in 2017 and 2018. Warner and Young are two-time recipients. The NWCA honors are the firsts for Murin, Assad, and Cassioppi.

Iowa has had 42 NWCA Scholar All-Americans since Tom Brands was named head coach in 2006.

The complete release from the NWCA is at nwcaonline.com.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are exercising their fifth-year option on Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, a person familiar with their decision told The Associated Press, though both sides remain optimistic that they will agree on a long-term contract before the start of the season. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Chiefs had not announced the move. Teams are allowed to use a fifth-year option on players selected in the first round of the NFL draft. If the Chiefs are unable to sign Mahomes to a long-term deal, he would be due a base salary of $25 million for the 2021 season.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are exercising their fifth-year option on Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, a person familiar with their decision told The Associated Press, though both sides remain optimistic that they will agree on a long-term contract before the start of the season. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Chiefs had not announced the move. Teams are allowed to use a fifth-year option on players selected in the first round of the NFL draft. If the Chiefs are unable to sign Mahomes to a long-term deal, he would be due a base salary of $25 million for the 2021 season.

UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA is facing a lawsuit accusing the organization of failing to address gender-based violence by male athletes against female students at colleges and universities. Plaintiffs in the suit, filed this week in U.S. District Court in Michigan, include women who have been athletes at Michigan State, Nebraska and an unidentified America East school. Other plaintiffs in the suit have been students at Michigan State or Nebraska. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and other issues. The NCAA did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.

UNDATED (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders have re-signed free agent wide receiver De’Mornay Pierson-El. Pierson-El spent training camp in 2019 with the Raiders before playing in the XFL this season for St. Louis. He had nine catches for 70 yards and one TD for the Raiders in four preseason games last summer. He also returned 15 punts for 81 yards before getting cut before the season.

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. (AP) — Swingman Tray Jackson has signed an offer to transfer from Missouri to Seton Hall. Pirates coach Kevin Willard made the announcement Thursday. The 6-foot-8 Jackson will sit out the 2020-21 season. He will have three years of eligibility remaining. Jackson played in 26 games at Missouri. He lives in Detroit. The Pirates recently added Harvard guard Bryce Aiken as a graduate transfer. Seton Hall posted a 21-9 record last season and finished tied for first place in the Big East Conference.

(Radio Iowa) — University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld hopes athletic practices, including football, can resume on June first. Herreld made his comments to the Board of Regents following Big Ten Conference meetings that considered options for the upcoming football season.

Harreld believes six to eight weeks of practice are needed to ensure player safety for the football season.

(Radio Iowa) Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffery says he is not sure which way center Luka Garza is leaning but he has returned to Iowa City. Garza placed his name into the NBA Draft but left open the option of returning for his senior season.

McCaffery says he preparing for next season expecting to have Garza on the team.

McCaffery says Garza’s evaluation was hampered by the cancellation of the draft combine.

McCaffery says they are not looking at adding any players for next season.

The Iowa High School Athletic Association Board of Control approved some new recommendations from the wrestling advisory committee. Five changes were unanimously approved.

A couple of the changes have to do with dual team postseason competition. Schools may now choose to opt out of those events by the first competition date. The qualifying process will change as well for Region Team Duals. The top two teams at sectionals in 1A and 2A previously qualified. Now just the 16 Sectional champions will automatically qualify, with the next 8 highest ranked teams by the Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association qualifying as well.

Seeding for the traditional state tournament has been impacted as well. Criteria regarding common opponents will be reduced from 2 points to 1 point. All 16 wrestlers will be seeded in each state tournament bracket as well.

Another change for regular season events will allow tournament hosts to determine the length of subvarsity matches.

Changes will go into effect for the upcoming 2020-21 season.