NFL IS BACK!

We are just hours away from the log awaited start to the 2020 NFL season.  The Houston Texans visit the Kansas City Chiefs in an AFC battle.  The Chiefs look to defend their Super Bowl Tittle and the Texans look to be spoilers and improve on their playoff season from a year ago.

 

This season opener will be different because of the ongoing Pandemic.  All eyes will be on football, but we will also be watching to see how the Pandemic has affected football.  Either way you look at it once the opening kick is made we will be back to a little bit of normalcy.

 

 

TIDBIT TUESDAY: 8/25/2020

 Today's edition of Tidbit Tuesday takes us to the gridiron and the Arizona Cardinals.  Did you know that Cardinals Safety Budda Baker is the highest paid saefty in NFL history?

That's the young safety signed a 4 year $59 million extentsion with the team this morning.  Baker has made the Pro Bowl twice in his career.  The move comes just weeks before the regular season is set to start and will allow Baker to focus on football.

The move is a great move for the Cardinals.  Baker is a part of a secondary that looks to improve on last years lackluster performance.  They have added key pieces that will make the team competitive in every games.  With the offensive firepower they have the Cardinals will definately battle for a playoff spot.

SUNS GET TENTH PICK

 Today the NBA held their annual draft lottery. Due to the pandemic and the stoppage of basketball in mid-march, the playoffs started late and so we had to wait for the draft lottery. 

The Phoenix Suns, who just missed the playoffs, after going 8-0 in the bubble had a small chance at the number 1 pick. 

Unfortunately the chips did not fall in the Suns favor. They ended up getting the number 10 pick in the NBA Draft.  Now the big question is what to do with it?

COYOTES KNOCKED OUT OF NHL PLAYOFFS

 The Arizona Coyotes lost to the Colorado Avalanche 7-1 in Game 5 of the NHL playoffs.  With the win the Avalanche when the series 4-1. They now move on to the second round.

The Coyotes now go home and look to prepare for next season.  Despite a good season, the Coyotes were outmatched and did not have a chance against the Avalanche.

Not many people expected the Coyotes to make the playoffs.  The team had a good season, despite the early playoff exit.  They have a promising future ahead of them. 

TIDBIT TUESDAY: 8/18/2020

 This week's edition of Tidbit Tuesday takes us to high school football.  Did you know that Carl Hayden has only been to the playoffs in one season in its 63 years of existence?

Carl Hayden Community High School opened up in 1957 in West Phoenix.  The Falcons have had plenty of success in basketball, soccer, wrestling and softball and baseball.  The school was always known for having a bad football team.

All of that changed in 1996 when head coach Stuart Goldstein had the team believing in themselves and led them to their only playoff berth in school history.The year was 1996 and team was led by senior QB Mark Mejia, who is now the head coach at North High School.

The Falcons finished the regular season 6-4 and just made it into the playoffs by beating Trevor Browne in the regular season finale.  They played Brophy Prep in the first round of the state playoffs at Phoenix College.  Brophy beat Carl Hayden soundly and ended the dream season.

Carl Hayden looks to get back in to the post-season for the first time in 24 years under second year coach Steven Arenas.  The school is in a new conference and with a powerful run game looks to be more competitive this season

COYOTES FALL TO AVALANCHE IN GAME FOUR

The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Arizona Coyotes 7-1 in game 4 of the NHL playoffs.  Colorado now leads the series 3-1 and is one win away from advancing to the next round.

 

The Coyotes haven't put up much of a fight going down 2-0.  The won game 3 to make the series interesting.  They will now be playing for their playoff lives on Wednesday in game 5 of the best of 7 series.

 

The Coyotes had a good season and used the bubble season to qualify for the playoffs.  They have not been in the playoffs since the 2011-2012 season.

BENAVIDEZ IMPRESSIVE IN VICTORY

 Phoenix native David "El Bandera Roja" Benavidez defeated Roamer Alexis Angulo in convincing fashion on Saturday Night.  The fight was the main event for Premier Boxing Championship on the Show Time network.  The fight was stopped when Angulo's corner did not let him come out after the 11th round, making it officially a tenth round knockout.

The most excitement in the fight came the day before when Benavidez came in nearly three pounds overweight.  He didn't even try to cut the remaining weight.  Instead he had to vacate his belt, even with the victory.  In the post fight interview Benavidez took responsibility for not making weight.

This marks the second time he has lost his tittle outside of the ring.  The first time he tested possitive for cocaine during a random drug test.  Benavidez says he does not have a discipline problem.  He says he knows he has made mistakes and has learned from them.

Benavidez did not look like a guy that didn't make weight.  He was consistant with his game plan and dominated the fight from start to finish.  He is now 23-0 with 20 KO's.  At just 23 years old he has the potential to be one of the best boxers of all time. 

PHOENIX UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT POSTPONES FALL SPORTS DUE TO COVID-19

Yesterday the Phoenix Union High school District announced that it has postponed all fall sports until further notice due to Covid-19.  None of the 17 High Schools have met the state's benchmarks to reopen.  The important thing here is that it is postponed and not canceled.

District Athletic Director Dr. Zack Munoz was on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM this morning with the legend Kevin McCabe and defended the districts stance on this issue.  Munoz said "We looked at our community, our zip codes are the highest in the entire state."  Munoz was referring to the soaring numbers in the great Phoenix area, where his schools are located.  Munoz later went on to say that fall sports will return when benchmarks get to the point where it is safe for the students to return.

Currently the district is doing online learning and will continue to do so until at least fall break, Munoz said.  Fall break usually is Mid-October for the Phoenix Union High Schools.  Many people want to see High School sports return, but I think we can all agree that we would rather see it return safely.

When will that be?  No one knows, so for now we have to play the waiting game.

PHOENIX BOXER MISSES WEIGHT, VACATES TITTLE

 Phoenix WBC Super Middleweight Champion David Benavidez (22-0, 19 KO's) will fight Roamer Alexis Angulo (26-1, 22 KO's) tomorrow night in Connecticut.  The fight was set to be in defense of Benavidez tittle, but that won't be the case tomorrow when the two square off in the ring.

Benavidez weighed in 2.8 pounds over weight.  The fight will still go on, but the consequences for Benavidez are severe.  He is now forced to vacant his tittle, meaning even with a win he will leave the ring with the tittle.  If Angulo wins he will be the new champion.

The fight is going to be a good fight between two very talented boxers.  Benavidez has a lot to prove now.  He is too good of a boxer to let this affect his career.  He will be fighting for another tittle very soon.  The fight will be on ShoTime.

SUNS END SEASON WITH WIN, BUT MISS PLAYOFFS

 The Phoenix Suns ended the regular season today with a 128-102 victory over the Dallas Mavs in the Bubble in Orlando, Florida.  The Suns completed a perfect 8-0 bubble season and kept there chances of making the play-in game alive.

The Suns Devin Booker continued to show his star power with a 27 point performance.  Booker is averaging 30.3 points while in Orlando.  The Suns have looked like a totally different team since the season restarted.  They finish the regular season 34-39.

The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 119-106 clinching them a spot in the play-in game.  This game occurred at the same time as the Suns game.  These results left the game between Portland and New Jersey a must watch.  

The Portland Trailblazers beat the New Jersey Nets  134-133 ending the Suns hope of extending their season.  Even though the Suns didn't make the post season their play inside the NBA bubble gives them plenty of momentum for next season.