Tuesday Sports: Historic Opening Ceremonies Looming
PARIS GAMES
- The plans for the Opening Ceremony or the 2024 Paris Olympics are unlike any other. The first-ever Summer Olympic opening ceremony not held in a stadium, the organizers are turning one of the world’s most famous waterways, the River Seine, into the world’s biggest theatrical stage. Instead of walking into a stadium, a four-mile-long flotilla of nearly 100 boats will carry thousands of athletes from more than 200 countries past hundreds of thousands of spectators seated on the banks of the Seine.
- On Friday, LeBron James will carry the U.S. flag. But first, he carried the U.S. men’s basketball team. Again. James scored the final 11 points for the Americans down the stretch, and the four-time reigning Olympic gold medalists held off World Cup champion Germany 92-88 in London on Monday night in their final tune-up before the Paris Games start later this week.
NHL
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have hired Dean Evason to replace Pascal Vincent as their head coach. Evason will be the third Blue Jackets coach in as many seasons, not counting Mike Babcock being hired and resigning on the eve of training camp last September.
- The shovels are in the ground, the dirt overturned and construction has officially begun on the construction of the new 800 (m) million dollar arena for the NHL’s Calgary Flames. Scotia Place is expected to be completed in 2027 and will have a capacity of 18,400. It will replace the Saddledome, which opened in 1983.
NFL
- Joe Burrow and his surgically repaired wrist have been cleared for contact and the Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback is ready to go for the opening of training camp on Wednesday. Burrow was sidelined last season when he suffered a torn ligament in his right wrist in the 10th game, a loss to Baltimore on Nov. 16. He had surgery on his wrist Nov. 27.
- Jordan Love won’t be practicing with the Green Bay Packers as long as the quarterback’s negotiations on a contract extension remain unresolved. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Monday that Love reported to camp last week but wouldn’t be working out until a deal is reached. Love’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season. Gutekunst remained optimistic the Packers and Love could reach a deal soon. He noted that Love is participating in all other team activities.
MLB
- The Toronto Blue Jays, 9-and-a-half-games back of an American League wild-card playoff berth, open a three-game series Tuesday night against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays. The Jays send right-hander Jose Berrios to the mound, while right-hander Shawn Armstrong will start for the 50-and-50 Rays.
- Teoscar Hernández, winner of last week’s MLB’s Home Run Derby, had three hits and three RBIs last night, including a go-ahead single in the eighth inning, as the Los Angeles Dodgers extended their winning streak to four games by beating the San Francisco Giants 3-2. Tyler Fitzgerald became the first Giants player to homer in four straight games since Brandon Belt did it twice in 2018.
WCBL
Saskatoon 5 Weyburn 3
Weyburn 7 Saskatoon 3
(CP, SportsVideo.org)
