Friday, April 9, 2021
PHOENIX – For some sports fans, the interaction with an athlete during an autograph session is the best feeling in the world. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has taken some of the excitement out of autograph seeking.
Before the pandemic, fans hoping to get an autograph from a favorite player could show up before games, especially during spring training around the Phoenix area, and head down to the first few rows of stands. Players would spend time signing baseballs, gloves, hats and cards.
Whether it was a young kid seeking an autograph of his favorite star for sentimental value or professional memorabilia collectors trying to get multiple items signed for resale and profit, autographs were easily accessible.
Athletes these days are required to keep their distance from fans, who aren’t subject to regular COVID-19 testing like players. It means players can’t make the day of a young fan by signing an item and perhaps exchanging a few words with them.
Signing autographs is off limits for players in most sports, and it was especially evident at Cactus League baseball games around the Phoenix area. Getting autographs at spring training is a rite of passage for many young fans.
Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Ben Bowden feels for the kids in the stands he has to turn down.
“Some kid came up and asked for an autograph,” Bowden said. “And I said, ‘Hey, sorry buddy we’re not allowed to.’ The look on his face, (I) was not happy that I had to say that to him because I remember what it was like being little and wanting an autograph. So I know that kind of stung him a little bit.
Wednesday, April 7, 2021
The University of Arizona is giving men's basketball head coach Sean Miller his walking papers after 12 seasons with the program and an overall record of 302-109.
The team's associate head coach, Jack Murphy, will take over as interim head coach as the university searches for candidates.
"We appreciate Sean's commitment to our basketball program and to the university," UA Vice President and Director of Athletics Dave Heeke said. "After taking the many factors involved into account, we simply believe that we need a fresh start, and now is the time. I want to thank Sean, Amy and their sons for their service to the university and wish them the very best in the future."
UA will continue to honor the terms of Miller's existing contract, according to the University.
Miller took over as head coach of the Wildcat's men's basketball program on April 6, 2009, to replace retiring Hall of Fame head coach Lute Olson. During his 12 years, the coach took the men's basketball team to seven NCAA tournaments, three Elite Eight appearances, five regular-season conference titles and three Pac-12 Tournament titles.
Miller was also investigated for his involvement in the 2017 NCAA basketball corruption scandal in which players were offered illegal pay to play for the Wildcats. While his assistant coach, Book Richardson, served prison time for his involvement in the scandal, Miller denied being a part of the scheme. Last October, the program and Miller were charged with five Level 1 NCAA violations due to a lack of control over the situation.
"Since the season's end, it has become clear that our men's basketball program—and our university—needs to write a new chapter in our history, and that begins with a change of leadership," UA President Robert C. Robbins said in the release. "Arizona basketball means so much to so many and, as stewards of the program, we must always act in the best interests of the university. I believe our future is bright, and I look forward to welcoming a new head coach to the Wildcat family."
Tuesday, April 6, 2021
PHOENIX – Just like any sports franchise, the NCAA is a business, but does a correlation exist between how much money a collegiate athletic department spends on a team and how far it goes in the postseason?
In the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament, the answer this season is “yes.” According to data collected from the U.S. Department of Education’s Equity in Athletics Data Analysis, when comparing all of the teams that made it to the Sweet 16, Baylor University, the University of Connecticut, the University of South Carolina and Stanford University had the highest expenses.
And three out of those four teams – UConn, South Carolina and Stanford – made it into the Final Four of the tournament.
Arizona, meanwhile, which made it to the title game but lost to Stanford, was the outlier, ranking 15th in expenses of the 16 schools.
Data is from the reporting period of July 2018 through June 2019, the most recent available.
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
WADDELL – Nicholas Watson, 17, has spent the past eight years fine-tuning his esports skills and playing his favorite sports-focused games, including Madden.
Now, thanks to Special Olympics Arizona and the Arizona Interscholastic Association, Watson plays Rocket League on Phoenix Canyon View High School’s unified esports team, which started its spring season earlier in March.
Unified esports is the equivalent of a high school varsity team with regular season and postseason qualifiers, and athletes are eligible to play at the same state championships as any other high school team. The difference is that unified teams are made up of students with and without intellectual disabilities who come together to create a community of acceptance.
For Watson, the team is creating community, and he’s also learning to play new games like Rocket League, a game that combines cars and soccer.
“Nicholas has so much fun that he just starts to belly laugh,” said Watson’s coach, Nick Swanson. “Like it’s just this contagious laugh when he scores a goal, and he can’t even help himself.”
Tuesday, March 30, 2021
Aari McDonald will probably never have to pay for another meal in Tucson for as long as she lives. The Arizona Wildcat All-American point guard—an absolute Diminutive Badass—scored 33 points and made a dramatic late-game return to the court after suffering a cringe-inducing ankle sprain to lead Arizona into the Final Four for the first time in school history. With her breathless heroics to help the Cats avoid a second-round upset loss to BYU, followed by her sheer dominance in the Sweet 16 win over Texas A&M and the Elite Eight takedown of Indiana, McDonald firmly cemented her Legend status in UA lore.
McDonald shot a stellar 12-20 from the floor, had four assists and grabbed 11 ridiculous rebounds! She also had the play of the game when a Hoosier had the ball and was going up for a shot. McDonald sneaked inside, executed a lightning-quick “Gimme dat!” steal, and streaked down the court for an and-one lay-up.
It wasn’t entirely a one-person show. Cate Reese and Trinity Baptiste combined for 15 points and 16 rebounds. Defensive stopper Sam Thomas and Spanish sharpshooter Helena Pueyo both hit clutch three-pointers; Pueyo’s came with the score tied in the fourth quarter.
Arizona entered the fourth quarter up by two and won going away, by 13.
Before that “going away” part, there was some serious drama. Driving to the basket, McDonald turned her ankle. It was ugly in real time and got increasingly uglier with each successive slow-motion replay. She was helped off the court, got it taped up, but remained on the bench for a time. When Arizona was having trouble bringing the ball upcourt against the Indiana press, McDonald went back in and immediately took over the game. It was Magical (as in Johnson).
There will be the unavoidable comparisons to the 1988 men’s team that made Arizona’s first trip to the Final Four. To be sure, some of the comparisons are striking. That team reached the ultimate national stage in only Coach Lute Olson’s fifth year in Tucson. For the women’s team, it’s Adia Barnes’ fifth year.
Tuesday, March 23, 2021
PHOENIX – Arizona is in a drought. That’s not exactly breaking news, but all the water in the world won’t quench the thirst of pro sports fans around the Valley.
With no disrespect toward the Mercury or Rattlers, who have been like water bottles found in a sea of sand that is the Arizona sports market, the so-called four major professional sports franchises have come up dry every year except one.
There is hope that the Cardinals, with an electrifying franchise quarterback in Kyler Murray, and the Suns, led by burgeoning star Devin Booker, might soon provide relief, but the Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Coyotes and Suns have still combined to win exactly one championship.
One.
The Diamondbacks delivered in 2001, defeating the New York Yankees in a memorable World Series. But they are the only major pro team to win a championship and that was nearly two decades ago.
The Arizona sports landscape has been particularly barren since 2010, a stretch during which all four teams have spent many seasons on their league’s bone pile.
“The last 10 years has been an absolute drought in the Valley,” said Scott Bordow, who has covered sports in Arizona for almost 40 years with the East Valley Tribune, the Arizona Republic and The Athletic.
The four franchises have lost their way for varying reasons.
Monday, March 22, 2021
OK, it’s 11 a.m. on a weekday morning. Most decent people are working. Spring Break is over and some politicians have declared that the pandemic is no longer a thing, so kids can be back at school. But a few of us lucky ones get to be at home, watching the University of Arizona women’s basketball team play their first game in the NCAA Tournament.
I’ve got my laptop in front of me, with the TV a little bit off to the side. Giant mug of Diet Pepsi and a bowl of microwave popcorn. I eat the plain kind of popcorn, so it kinda tastes like sawdust. I’ve never tried the “butter” flavor; I’m afraid that it will taste like feet (not that I actually know what feet taste like).
It’s been almost two decades since the UA women made it to the NCAAs. They certainly would have been in it last year, but the pandemic canceled everything. While I believe that the NCAA acted quite responsibly in most things last year, I think that they made a big mistake in not announcing the brackets for the men’s and women’s tournaments. It would have given fans something to chew on and given the players the satisfaction of knowing that they would have been in the tourney were it not for the coronavirus.
Friday, March 19, 2021
PHOENIX – A beautiful sunrise on an early Saturday morning greeted the trail runners as they meandered through Mesquite Canyon. The scenic view from the White Tank Mountain Recreational Park in Waddell was just one of the perks for the athletes who competed in the race.
Whether they were casual runners participating in the 8K or experienced ultra long-distance gurus, the desert’s dramatic table of wildflowers and imposing boulders made for the perfect setting on this March morning. It sure beat the monotony of training on a treadmill, alone, while staring out a window as COVID-19 kept most everyone inside.
Though the pandemic forced most races to go virtual this past year, in-person races are finally coming back, but things look a little different. The races start in waves to promote social distancing, and participants must wear masks or facial coverings. Even with these changes, demand for in-person racing remains high. Runners often like to be surrounded by their community, instead of running alone.
“Training on your own is hard,” said runner Kaesha Guillaume, 14, of Casa Grande. “It’s nice to be with other people.”
Trail running is connecting people in an otherwise disconnected world during the pandemic.
Aravaipa Running, a Valley outdoor training group that organizes local events, started its in-person trail runs last August, and the popularity of these events continues to increase. The pandemic has limited a lot of outlets for physical activities with gyms being closed for a substantial amount of time, while other sporting events were also canceled because of safety concerns. Outdoor trail runs allow participants to compete safely.
