In the tennis match between Major League Baseball team owners and players, the players’ union volleyed back a counter-proposal for a 2020 season that includes more games on the schedule and prorated salaries. And… the owners are almost certain to turn it down.
So as I said to Pat Ryan on WISE Sports Radio, this doesn’t change my opinion that we won’t have a baseball season this year. The shame is that the stalemate is over money and not COVID-19 safety concerns.
The NFL reacted to outrage over a bad pass interference call in the 2018 NFC Championship Game by making it reviewable under instant replay. But officials reviewed the plays so badly, rarely overturning even an apparent call, that the league has decided to nix it for the 2020 season.
On Thursday’s WISE Sports Radio NFL segment, Pat Ryan and I talk about that rule, the decision not to add a “sky judge” for instant replay this coming season, a left tackle heading for a big payday, the quieter Cleveland Browns, and… my favorite Michigan player in the NFL.
It’s looking less likely that we’ll see Major League Baseball play a 2020 season after team owners submitted a new proposal to players which calls for salary cuts up to 40 percent.
As Pat Ryan and I discussed on Wednesday’s WISE Sports Radio baseball segment, even the lowest-paid players make money that would be lucrative for almost anyone in regular life. But when someone making $35 million is looking at being paid $8 million instead, maybe it’s apparent why players aren’t too keen on billionaire owners crying about reduced revenues.
Several documentaries on Lance Armstrong have been produced, so I don’t know how much interest there is in ESPN’s two-part “30 For 30,” Lance.
But I’m intrigued because I had an opportunity to review a 2016 feature film on Armstrong, titled The Program (starring Ben Foster as the controversial cyclist), for Awful Announcing a few years ago.
As part of that, I also interviewed David Walsh, the British Times journalist who was skeptical of Armstrong’s success after recovering from cancer. As heroic as Armstrong seemed, the story was too good to be true.
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Last week looked like it could be the final stand for Major League Baseball with team owners and the players union set to discuss the final proposal for a 2020 season being played. While many have focused on the COVID-19 restrictions that would be implemented, the greater concern might be salaries.
On Wednesday’s WISE Sports Radio baseball segment, Pat Ryan and I chat about the many rules players, umpires, coaches, and ballpark staff would face if MLB games are played. And if there isn’t a season, will the players ultimately be blamed?
Ian Casselberry 