Coaches Top 25 –
Last Thursday, the Amway Coaches Poll was released. This is the first preseason poll for the 2020 College Football Season. The reigning College Football National Champions, Louisiana State University Tigers is ranked No. 5. The other Tigers (Clemson) that they beat in last season’s championship game is ranked No. 1. Clemson is the 2019 champs.
The Amway Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports is conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of head coaches at FBS schools. The panel is chosen by random draw, conference by conference plus independents, from a pool of coaches who have indicated to the American Football Coaches Association their willingness to participate. Each coach submits a Top 25 with a first-place vote worth 25 points, second place 24, and so on down to one point for 25th.
Here are all of the teams in the first Amway Coaches Poll for the 2020-2021 Season. The number of first place votes received is in parentheses.
1. Clemson Tigers – (38)
2. Ohio State Buckeyes – (17)
3. Alabama Crimson Tide – (4)
4. Georgia Bulldogs
5. LSU Tigers – (6)
6. Oklahoma Sooners
7. Penn State Nittany Lions
8. Florida Gators
9. Oregon Ducks
10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
11. Auburn Tigers
12. Wisconsin Badgers
13. Texas A&M Aggies
14. Texas Longhorns
15. Michigan Wolverines
16. Oklahoma State Cowboys
17. USC Trojans
18. Minnesota Golden Gophers
19. North Carolina Tar Heels
20. Utah Utes
21. Central Florida Knights
22. Cincinnati Bearcats
23. Iowa Hawkeyes
24. Virginia Tech Hokies
25. Iowa State Cyclones
NBA Playoffs –
It’s the last week of tournament games for NBA teams to get a spot in the playoffs. All eight playoffs spots have been determined for the Eastern Conference. The Milwaukee Bucks clinched the top seed for the second season in a row. The other playoff teams are the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors.
In the Western Conference, the Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns are fighting for the final playoff spot. There will be an additional “play-in” game on Saturday, August 15, between the teams that are in the eighth and ninth spots when the tournament ends on August 14. If the eighth seed team wins Saturday’s matchup, that team will be in the playoffs. If the ninth seed teams wins, a second game will be played on ESPN Sunday, August 16 at 4:30 p.m.
The Los Angeles Lakers have the No. 1 seed in the West with the Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz all clinching playoff spots.
The Playoffs start on August 17 and the Finals will begin on September 30. Keep up with the standings.
COVID Sacks MAC Football –
Alumni and fans of schools in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) will not be able to cheer on their football teams this fall. The MAC is the first conference in the Football Bowl Subdivision to cancel its season due to the coronavirus. The conference’s budget took a huge hit with several schools in the Power Five conferences, mainly the Big Ten, deciding to limit their football schedules to games against teams in their conferences.
The MAC does not have the lucrative television and sponsorship contracts that the Power Five conferences have for football. A large source of revenue comes from playing schools in the Power Five. Without its members playing the Big Ten opponents on their original schedule, the MAC will lose more than $10.5 million this year.
The schools in the MAC are Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Northern Illinois, Ohio, Toledo and Western Michigan.
#WHOLENEWGAME –
The NBA announced the creation of the NBA Foundation dedicated to promoting economic empowerment in the Black community. With an initial investment of $300 million coming from each NBA team owner committing $30 million a year for 10 years, the foundation in partnership with the National Basketball Players Association will focus on employment and career advancement.
This is the NBA’s first standalone foundation. To accomplish its mission, it will work with local and national organizations as well as Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Game On,
Shavannia
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