1, 2. That's the number of sleeps left before rookies will be reporting to their various teams according to a Football Operations email that became public. Questions still abound on procedures and how the games will be played but every bit of positive news is welcome!
By this time next week, most of the 14 unsigned rookies will join Nate Stanley in putting pen to paper.
Then, just today a host of players from across the league made a show of unity the likes of which we haven't seen since...the MLB vs the MLBPA. REALLY hope it doesn't get that cantankerous between the 🏈 versions but it is confounding that this close to training camp starting that a show by the likes of Eric Kendricks, Anthony Barr, Kirk Cousins & others would be necessary.
I would love to be wrong on this but if there isn't 🏈 this Fall then the anarchy & tragedy of recent weeks may get stoked even higher, so get it together Goodell!
The first news that broke out this week didn't come as any great surprise but did further affirm how special of a talent Jabril Cox is. He was one of the 90 member pool known as the Bednarik Watch List. For those who may not know, that's the award given to the best defensive player each year, as judged by the Maxwell Football Club. We're a long way from him being the recipient but considering all the defensive talent in the country, that's no small thing for him!
Back in Fargo, it was announced that 2020 would include an eight-person hall-of-fame class. 3x All-American pitcher Lindsey (Graham) Gustafson, All-American OT Chuck Klabo, 7x All-American runner Dr. Andrew Moen, 7x All-American T & F Andi (Noel) Olsonawski, 2x national champion heavyweight 🤼 Nick Severson, 19x All-American sprinter Jill (Theeler) Schlekeway, all-time leading ⚽️ scorer Nicole (Vanden Bos) Hurt & former T & F coach Don Larson. They are scheduled for an October 2 induction.
Yet another date for non-conference 🏀 was announced this week. Dec 29 will pit NDSU against Wichita St. and will be a program first against them and against a team from the American Conference.
The hammer took another hit on the nail of Football's coffin this week as the MIAC canceled non-conference competition for this Fall. That obviously applies to more than the Pig Skin but Concordia's contests against two of the WIAC schools would have been a great litmus test for their chances.
The week began with a reported mid-foot sprain by none other than Byron Buxton and ended with reliever Jhoulys Chacín requesting and being granted his relief. Being that he was one of the contenders for long relief work the unenviable situation will most likely be handled by Dobnak, Smeltzer or Lewis Thorpe. If I were to make a prediction that would be the hierarchy.
Hate to break it to the next squad but the best sports news since the draft for Fargo came down this week as the ND HS Activities Association voted to proceed with all Fall activities.
The fly in the ointment is that all subsequent decisions on which, if any, activities will take place will be made by local school boards. Don't get me wrong, I think that's how pretty much all government should be handled but it may well mean that some towns or schools opt-out. That would be a different kind of a bitter pill to swallow for this group of seniors since some (most) of NDs high schools will at least start the school year off close to normally.
Fargo started the week with a series loss to Milwaukee before traveling to Chicago for three. After splitting the first two, they went down to the wire in the rubber match. In the ninth inning, the birds strung together enough success at the plate to come from behind and take the series in what we should hope is the first of many great finishes to games over the next...9 months? 12? 108? You get the point!
West Fargo faced off against Moorhead and earned a 3-0 victory while Post 2 went against EGF & 400, splitting each doubleheader. The see-saw stretched into Saturday as Anoka came to Jack Williams. P2 won 5-4 in game one but fell behind late in game two, which finished 5-2 in favor of Anoka.
P2 roared back in today's doubleheader against Watertown by outscoring 21-1, which just about says it all. Anoka, meanwhile, went to the West side but the Pats shut them out in game 1, 11-0, and followed that up with another victory.
Comments