News broke early today that once again North Platte will be without a week 3 football game.&nbsp;

The news is still coming in, keep checking in with this post for updates throughout the day.&nbsp;

Here is the statement from NPHS Activities director Jordan Cudney:&nbsp;

According to the Omaha World Herald:&nbsp;

News broke early today that once again North Platte will be without a week 3 football game.&nbsp;The news is still coming in, keep checking in with this post for updates throughout the day.&nbsp;Here is the statement from NPHS Activities director Jordan Cudney:&nbsp; <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">🚨SCHEDULE UPDATE 🚨 See below for changes to the varsity football game tonight. <a href="https://t.co/o7XkCDIWk0">pic.twitter.com/o7XkCDIWk0</a>&mdash; NPHS_Activities (@NPHS_Activities) <a href="https://twitter.com/NPHS_Activities/status/1304458849613570048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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</div>According to the Omaha World Herald:&nbsp; <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">BW had busses loaded ready to head to North Platte for their football game tonight. NP was informed this morning that they needed to do additional contact tracing and that resulted in more players being quarantined.&mdash; MikeSautterOWH (@MikeSautterOWH) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSautterOWH/status/1304455627079647233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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NPHS Football: Game off....again

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State coach Ryan Day is pushing the Big Ten for answers about when the conference plans to play a football season.

In a statement released by the school on Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ryandaytime/status/1304149825278148613" target="_blank">Day said</a>&nbsp;he and his players and their families want some details about if and when the conference plans to start a season that was postponed a month ago because of concerns about playing through the pandemic.

Day said he understands the conference’s decision to postpone the season because of the coronavirus pandemic, but “the communication of information from the Big Ten following the decision has been disappointing and often unclear.”

“The Big Ten medical subcommittee has done an excellent job of creating a safe pathway toward returning to play in mid-October,” Day said. “These young men and their parents have asked so many questions that I do not have an answer to, but the one that hurts the most is ‘Why can these other teams and players play and we can’t?’”

The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference are starting their seasons this week, including No. 1 Clemson at Wake Forest, No. 5 Oklahoma hosting Missouri State and No. 10 Notre Dame at home against Duke.

Ohio State was No. 2 in the preseason AP Top 25 and considered a national title contender behind star quarterback Justin Fields. But if the Buckeyes and the Big Ten don’t start their season until late November, which has been discussed by the league’s athletic directors and coaches, it’s unlikely they would be able to compete in the College Football Playoff. The semifinals are scheduled for Jan. 1 and the national title game is set for Jan. 11.

Earlier Thursday, Penn State coach James Franklin made similar comments to Day’s during an interview with ESPN Radio.

“I think the big challenge as the head football coach is that your players and your parents think that you have all the answers to what’s going on, but the reality is, we’re dependent on the Big Ten to drive this thing forward. It’s been challenging. It truly has,” Franklin said on Keyshawn, Zubin and JWill. “To be able to stand up in front of your team and parents and tell them that the season is canceled/postponed, but not have any answers as to how that affects their future and when we will be playing football and still haven’t a month later. That’s the hard part.”

The Big Ten announced on Aug. 11 it was postponing its fall football season. The Pac-12 soon followed suit, but six other major college football conferences, including the powerhouse Southeastern Conference, have forged ahead, although some season openers have been postponed because of COVID-19 outbreaks.

The Big Ten and first-year commissioner Kevin Warren have faced push back and criticism ever since, including a lawsuit filed by eight Nebraska players who want the decision overturned.

The Big Ten’s decision and the subsequent backlash have trickled into politics in this election year, with Democrats and Republicans pointing fingers over who is responsible for taking away college football in the Midwest.

On Wednesday, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost told The Associated Press if the football season isn’t played he plans to sue the Big Ten on behalf of Ohio State, claiming that the decision made in response to the pandemic wrongly interferes with the university’s business relationships and amounts to a breach of contract.

Ohio State and other schools already are suffering financially because of the decision.

Minnesota said Thursday that because of a projected loss of $75 million, the school would have to drop men’s indoor and outdoor track and field, gymnastics and tennis after their 2020-21 seasons.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State coach Ryan Day is pushing the Big Ten for answers about when the conference plans to play a football season.In a statement released by the school on Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ryandaytime/status/1304149825278148613" target="_blank">Day said</a>&nbsp;he and his players and their families want some details about if and when the conference plans to start a season that was postponed a month ago because of concerns about playing through the pandemic.Day said he understands the conference’s decision to postpone the season because of the coronavirus pandemic, but “the communication of information from the Big Ten following the decision has been disappointing and often unclear.”“The Big Ten medical subcommittee has done an excellent job of creating a safe pathway toward returning to play in mid-October,” Day said. “These young men and their parents have asked so many questions that I do not have an answer to, but the one that hurts the most is ‘Why can these other teams and players play and we can’t?’”The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference are starting their seasons this week, including No. 1 Clemson at Wake Forest, No. 5 Oklahoma hosting Missouri State and No. 10 Notre Dame at home against Duke.Ohio State was No. 2 in the preseason AP Top 25 and considered a national title contender behind star quarterback Justin Fields. But if the Buckeyes and the Big Ten don’t start their season until late November, which has been discussed by the league’s athletic directors and coaches, it’s unlikely they would be able to compete in the College Football Playoff. The semifinals are scheduled for Jan. 1 and the national title game is set for Jan. 11.Earlier Thursday, Penn State coach James Franklin made similar comments to Day’s during an interview with ESPN Radio.“I think the big challenge as the head football coach is that your players and your parents think that you have all the answers to what’s going on, but the reality is, we’re dependent on the Big Ten to drive this thing forward. It’s been challenging. It truly has,” Franklin said on Keyshawn, Zubin and JWill. “To be able to stand up in front of your team and parents and tell them that the season is canceled/postponed, but not have any answers as to how that affects their future and when we will be playing football and still haven’t a month later. That’s the hard part.”The Big Ten announced on Aug. 11 it was postponing its fall football season. The Pac-12 soon followed suit, but six other major college football conferences, including the powerhouse Southeastern Conference, have forged ahead, although some season openers have been postponed because of COVID-19 outbreaks.ADVERTISEMENTThe Big Ten and first-year commissioner Kevin Warren have faced push back and criticism ever since, including a lawsuit filed by eight Nebraska players who want the decision overturned.The Big Ten’s decision and the subsequent backlash have trickled into politics in this election year, with Democrats and Republicans pointing fingers over who is responsible for taking away college football in the Midwest.On Wednesday, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost told The Associated Press if the football season isn’t played he plans to sue the Big Ten on behalf of Ohio State, claiming that the decision made in response to the pandemic wrongly interferes with the university’s business relationships and amounts to a breach of contract.Ohio State and other schools already are suffering financially because of the decision.Minnesota said Thursday that because of a projected loss of $75 million, the school would have to drop men’s indoor and outdoor track and field, gymnastics and tennis after their 2020-21 seasons.

Why not us?: Ohio State's Day wants answers from Big Ten

After getting their homecoming game against Kearney cancelled it looks as if NPHS will play after all. A credit to Activities Director Jordan Cudney for making this happen:&nbsp;

After getting their homecoming game against Kearney cancelled it looks as if NPHS will play after all. A credit to Activities Director Jordan Cudney for making this happen:&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">Bellevue West has found a game on Friday. 6 p.m. kickoff vs North Platte at North Platte.&mdash; MikeSautterOWH (@MikeSautterOWH) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSautterOWH/status/1303869841187708931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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NPHS finds a replacement game

NORTH PLATTE, Neb.-Three weeks into the 2020 football season, the North Platte High School football team is seeing their schedule impacted by COVID-19 for the first time.

The NPHS Activities Department announced Wednesday afternoon that a Kearney High School football player had tested positive for COVID-19. Kearney was slated to visit Bauer Field this Friday, September 11, for a rivalry matchup, but that is now a no-go.

School officials say they are looking at potential options for a replacement game, but no official decisions have been made at this time.

The Bulldogs are off to their first 2-0 start since the 2015 season.&nbsp;

NPHS is scheduled to travel to Lincoln next week (September 18) to take on Lincoln Northstar at Seacrest Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m with live coverage on-air at FM 98.1 and live video streaming at <a href="https://northplattepost.com/">www.northplattepost.com</a>.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb.-Three weeks into the 2020 football season, the North Platte High School football team is seeing their schedule impacted by COVID-19 for the first time.The NPHS Activities Department announced Wednesday afternoon that a Kearney High School football player had tested positive for COVID-19. Kearney was slated to visit Bauer Field this Friday, September 11, for a rivalry matchup, but that is now a no-go.School officials say they are looking at potential options for a replacement game, but no official decisions have been made at this time.The Bulldogs are off to their first 2-0 start since the 2015 season.&nbsp;NPHS is scheduled to travel to Lincoln next week (September 18) to take on Lincoln Northstar at Seacrest Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m with live coverage on-air at FM 98.1 and live video streaming at <a href="https://northplattepost.com/">www.northplattepost.com</a>.

Friday Night Lights: NPHS vs. Kearney football game cancelled after Kearney player tests positive for COVID

9.8.2020 NPHS Volleyball vs Gering - Livestream

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9.7.2020 NPHS activities spectator guidelines

CHADRON, Neb. (AP) - Chadron State has scheduled five football games for this fall, all against fellow members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

The games will count as official NCAA contests, but there will be no RMAC championship and no standings kept.

The games will be at Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction on Oct. 10; at home against South Dakota Mines on Oct. 17; at home against Black Hills State on Oct. 24; at South Dakota Mines in Rapid City on Oct. 31; and at Black Hills State in Spearfish, South Dakota, on Nov. 14.

The schedule is subject to revision because of the changing nature of the coronavirus pandemic.

Information about spectator attendance will be available later.

NCAA Division II teams can play 10 games this school year and still allow players to retain their current eligibility for the fall of 2021. The RMAC also plans to allow teams to play football in the spring.

CHADRON, Neb. (AP) - Chadron State has scheduled five football games for this fall, all against fellow members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.The games will count as official NCAA contests, but there will be no RMAC championship and no standings kept.The games will be at Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction on Oct. 10; at home against South Dakota Mines on Oct. 17; at home against Black Hills State on Oct. 24; at South Dakota Mines in Rapid City on Oct. 31; and at Black Hills State in Spearfish, South Dakota, on Nov. 14.The schedule is subject to revision because of the changing nature of the coronavirus pandemic.Information about spectator attendance will be available later.NCAA Division II teams can play 10 games this school year and still allow players to retain their current eligibility for the fall of 2021. The RMAC also plans to allow teams to play football in the spring.

Fall football: Chadron St. schedules 5 games vs RMAC foes

The NBA bubble has held. So has the NHL’s double bubble. The WNBA and MLS, no leaks.

In this unprecedented landscape of sports in a pandemic world, one indisputable fact has emerged: bubbles work.

Thousands of tests, minimal to no positive COVID-19 test results.

So as the NCAA gets set announce its plans for the 2020-21 college basketball season, there are clear precedents and blueprints in place should it decide to go the bubble route.

“It’s certainly viable,” said Mark Starsiak, vice president of sports at Intersport, a Chicago-based sports marketing and media agency, “From a basketball standpoint, I think we can follow those models.”

The college football restart has been scattershot. The season has already started, yet 53 FBS schools have the pads and helmets hanging on hooks while waiting for better pandemic news.

A much more unified plan is in place for the college basketball season.

The NCAA is hoping to start the season in late November/early December, with a vote by the Division I council expected Sept. 16.

A partnership between the Pac-12 and Quidel Corp. to potentially do daily, rapid COVID-19 tests on athletes should help smooth a return to the court.

The question then becomes: What’s the best way to safely play basketball again?

While bubble football would be next to impossible logistically, basketball could fit nicely.

The travel parties are much smaller and college basketball already has plenty of multiple-team events, from holiday and conference tournaments to the NCAA Tournament. Add the effective safety measures of the pro leagues, find suitable sites and bubble basketball could work.

The NCAA is already looking at it, reportedly filing a trademark for the phrase “Battle in the Bubble.” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont also said there have been preliminary talks for bubble basketball at the Mohegan Sun resort.

“The idea of a bubble would be a really good idea, just to isolate all the teams who want to play against each other in that bubble and keep things safe, keep away from the public and keep us in our own area where we’re able to play the game the right way and safely,” Duke sophomore forward Wendell Moore, Jr. said.

A big key will be finding the right places to bubble.

The NBA has the ideal setup at Disney World, but college basketball might be better suited to follow the NHL’s lead.

Hockey’s two bubbles — Toronto and Edmonton, Alberta — cordoned off areas enclosing the arena and several nearby hotels. All personnel entering are tested and strict protocols are in place for vendors delivering food and packages into the bubbles.

Similar bubbles for college basketball could be set up at smaller resorts, cities with arenas and hotels nearby, or Division II or III schools with arenas not being used during the pandemic.

The NCAA could set up pods of multiple nonconference teams, conference tournaments could be held in similar fashion and so could the NCAA Tournament.

In other words, basketball bubbles could pop up all over the country.

“Maybe do it for maybe a week or two at a time, playing a certain amount of games and getting retested after you come back or something like that,” Memphis coach Penny Hardaway said. “It’s possible, but it’s not going to be easy.”

Pulling off a college basketball bubble, however, comes with a caveat.

NCAA players are considered students, so academics would have to be part of the equation.

Division I players are already accustomed to doing school work on the road and the majority take primarily online classes. To make the bubbles work, socially distant space would have to be carved out for the players to take their classes and study.

The programs may also have to rethink the size of their traveling parties.

“Discussions about the right amount of tutors or academic staff would need to take place,” said Starsiak, who has operated high-level sports and entertainment events for 15 years. “

You have to look at, do we need three managers this time around? No, probably not. Do you take two and have a tutor or an academic come with us? Yeah, I think you could. I think there’s a way to kind of combine both things to have some live, in-person resources.”

The NCAA is going to do everything possible to have a basketball season.

The pandemic wiped out the NCAA Tournament last spring and the NCAA collected $270 million in cancellation insurance instead of the $1 billion TV payout it normally gets. A second straight year without March Madness could be devastating.

AP Sports Writers Teresa Walker in Nashville, Tenn.; Aaron Beard in Raleigh, N.C.; and Pat Eaton-Robb in Storrs, Conn.; contributed to this story.

By JOHN MARSHALL - Associated PressThe NBA bubble has held. So has the NHL’s double bubble. The WNBA and MLS, no leaks.In this unprecedented landscape of sports in a pandemic world, one indisputable fact has emerged: bubbles work.Thousands of tests, minimal to no positive COVID-19 test results.So as the NCAA gets set announce its plans for the 2020-21 college basketball season, there are clear precedents and blueprints in place should it decide to go the bubble route.“It’s certainly viable,” said Mark Starsiak, vice president of sports at Intersport, a Chicago-based sports marketing and media agency, “From a basketball standpoint, I think we can follow those models.”The college football restart has been scattershot. The season has already started, yet 53 FBS schools have the pads and helmets hanging on hooks while waiting for better pandemic news.A much more unified plan is in place for the college basketball season.The NCAA is hoping to start the season in late November/early December, with a vote by the Division I council expected Sept. 16.A partnership between the Pac-12 and Quidel Corp. to potentially do daily, rapid COVID-19 tests on athletes should help smooth a return to the court.The question then becomes: What’s the best way to safely play basketball again?Bubbles may be the answer.While bubble football would be next to impossible logistically, basketball could fit nicely.The travel parties are much smaller and college basketball already has plenty of multiple-team events, from holiday and conference tournaments to the NCAA Tournament. Add the effective safety measures of the pro leagues, find suitable sites and bubble basketball could work.The NCAA is already looking at it, reportedly filing a trademark for the phrase “Battle in the Bubble.” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont also said there have been preliminary talks for bubble basketball at the Mohegan Sun resort.“The idea of a bubble would be a really good idea, just to isolate all the teams who want to play against each other in that bubble and keep things safe, keep away from the public and keep us in our own area where we’re able to play the game the right way and safely,” Duke sophomore forward Wendell Moore, Jr. said.A big key will be finding the right places to bubble.The NBA has the ideal setup at Disney World, but college basketball might be better suited to follow the NHL’s lead.Hockey’s two bubbles — Toronto and Edmonton, Alberta — cordoned off areas enclosing the arena and several nearby hotels. All personnel entering are tested and strict protocols are in place for vendors delivering food and packages into the bubbles.Similar bubbles for college basketball could be set up at smaller resorts, cities with arenas and hotels nearby, or Division II or III schools with arenas not being used during the pandemic.The NCAA could set up pods of multiple nonconference teams, conference tournaments could be held in similar fashion and so could the NCAA Tournament.In other words, basketball bubbles could pop up all over the country.“Maybe do it for maybe a week or two at a time, playing a certain amount of games and getting retested after you come back or something like that,” Memphis coach Penny Hardaway said. “It’s possible, but it’s not going to be easy.”Pulling off a college basketball bubble, however, comes with a caveat.NCAA players are considered students, so academics would have to be part of the equation.Division I players are already accustomed to doing school work on the road and the majority take primarily online classes. To make the bubbles work, socially distant space would have to be carved out for the players to take their classes and study.The programs may also have to rethink the size of their traveling parties.“Discussions about the right amount of tutors or academic staff would need to take place,” said Starsiak, who has operated high-level sports and entertainment events for 15 years. “You have to look at, do we need three managers this time around? No, probably not. Do you take two and have a tutor or an academic come with us? Yeah, I think you could. I think there’s a way to kind of combine both things to have some live, in-person resources.”The NCAA is going to do everything possible to have a basketball season.The pandemic wiped out the NCAA Tournament last spring and the NCAA collected $270 million in cancellation insurance instead of the $1 billion TV payout it normally gets. A second straight year without March Madness could be devastating.Bubbles may be the way to go.___AP Sports Writers Teresa Walker in Nashville, Tenn.; Aaron Beard in Raleigh, N.C.; and Pat Eaton-Robb in Storrs, Conn.; contributed to this story.

College basketball floats idea of bubbles for safe season

Fall will rear its head early this year with a cold snap on Tuesday that will plunge temperatures into the upper 40's.&nbsp;

Because of that, sports on Tuesday have been effected:&nbsp;

Also, unrelated to the weather on Tuesday we have a slightly updated time for the football game on Friday:&nbsp;

Fall will rear its head early this year with a cold snap on Tuesday that will plunge temperatures into the upper 40's.&nbsp;Because of that, sports on Tuesday have been effected:&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨UPDATED SCHEDULE ALERT🚨 Due to forecasted conditions, the Lexington JV Doubles Invite scheduled for tomorrow (9.8.20) at Lexington has been moved to NEXT WEDNESDAY (9.16.20). Matches will start @ 11:00 AM. I apologize for the earlier post but this was just updated moments ago.&mdash; NPHS_Activities (@NPHS_Activities) <a href="https://twitter.com/NPHS_Activities/status/1303024133148733441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨SCHEDULE ALERT🚨 Due to forecasted conditions, the JV/V Girls Golf dual against McCook scheduled for tomorrow (9.8.20) at Heritage Hills G.C. has been POSTPONED to a later date. We will update all once a date has been selected. Thanks for your understanding in this matter!&mdash; NPHS_Activities (@NPHS_Activities) <a href="https://twitter.com/NPHS_Activities/status/1303014159324512257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Also, unrelated to the weather on Tuesday we have a slightly updated time for the football game on Friday:&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨TIME CHANGE🚨 The kickoff time for the North Platte vs Kearney Varsity FB game scheduled for Friday (9.11.20) has been moved from 6:30 PM to 7:00 PM. All online calendars will be updated to reflect. Thanks again for your understanding with the time change! <a href="https://twitter.com/ryanhogue24?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ryanhogue24</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Loofe33?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Loofe33</a>&mdash; NPHS_Activities (@NPHS_Activities) <a href="https://twitter.com/NPHS_Activities/status/1303017764202991619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Cold Spell expected Tuesday pushing back NPHS sports 

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Star-crossed tight end Jake Butt felt better this summer than ever before. On Saturday he joined Washington quarterback Alex Smith as one of the NFL’s biggest feel-good stories on cutdown day.

Smith returned from his gruesome 2018 leg injury to make Washington’s roster.

Butt made Denver’s roster after overcoming his sixth knee operation to stand out among a deep group of tight ends featuring 2019 first-rounder Noah Fant, heralded rookie Albert Okwuegbunam and free agent Nick Vannett.

“Well, I was kind of hopeful,” he’d made the cut, general manager John Elway said. “With everything that he’s been through I was hopeful because he’s such a great kid and it means so much to him. So, the good thing is this is probably the first time he’s come back to camp 100%.

“I’m excited about Jake. It’s something that he really wanted, so hopefully it continues to get even better from here.”

In three seasons in Denver, the ex-Michigan star has played in as many games (three) as he’s had major knee surgeries, each of which required a clean-up procedure.

Butt turned heads at camp from the very start, drawing high praise from his coach, Vic Fangio, and his quarterback, Drew Lock, who declared, “There’s nobody in our locker room that doesn’t want to see Jake Butt succeed.”

Butt, who has eight career catches for 85 yards, appreciates the sentiments but wants to put his health issues behind him.

“If you’ve been through an ACL you know how hard one is. When you go through three, it means a lot to get that recognition from your comrades, your teachers, your coaches,” Butt said recently. “But for me, I’m healthy. It’s part of my story but I’m out there, I’m out there playing ball, I’m not looking back.”

Butt’s resurgence cost third-year tight end Troy Fumagalli, who was waived/injured Saturday when the Broncos trimmed their roster to 53.

Butt first tore an ACL during spring drills his sophomore season at Michigan and he tore the other one in his final game for the Wolverines, in the Orange Bowl. The Broncos drafted him three months later, but he spent his rookie year on IR.

In 2018, he played in three games before suffering a third torn ACL, this time at practice, and last year his comeback was interrupted by yet another operation to clean out a torn meniscus. He hoped to return for the final month in 2019, but Lock got the activation nod instead after recovering from a thumb injury he’d sustained in the preseason.

Butt acknowledged some dark moments in his latest comeback when he began to question why he still loves the game that has taken such a toll on his body.

“There were a lot of days I really wanted to quit,” he said.

But he said he couldn’t face his family if he did that.

“It might not be the best day and the path might not be linear,” Butt said. “You’re going to have some down days, but eventually you’re going to go back up.”

And eventually the pain will subside and the good days will come one after the other.

“I’m really happy I stuck with it because I do feel really, really good out there. I feel like I can still play in this league and contribute,” Butt said. “I can even get much better than what I’m playing right now. That’s a lesson I definitely learned through this and everybody can learn.

“Bad days are going to come and tough days are going to come, but you can’t quit. You just have to keep showing up.”

“It’s been a hell of a year for Jake,” coach Vic Fangio said. “From Day 1, and he came back with the early group, I’ve not seem him limp once. He’s not been in the training room ... He’s had a terrific camp, not just playing-wise but he’s actually 100% healthy.

“And moving around, you’d never know that he had been through the injuries that he’s had with his knees. He looks as good as new to me.”

By ARNIE STAPLETON - Associated PressENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Star-crossed tight end Jake Butt felt better this summer than ever before. On Saturday he joined Washington quarterback Alex Smith as one of the NFL’s biggest feel-good stories on cutdown day.Smith returned from his gruesome 2018 leg injury to make Washington’s roster.Butt made Denver’s roster after overcoming his sixth knee operation to stand out among a deep group of tight ends featuring 2019 first-rounder Noah Fant, heralded rookie Albert Okwuegbunam and free agent Nick Vannett.Butt was a long shot a month ago.“Well, I was kind of hopeful,” he’d made the cut, general manager John Elway said. “With everything that he’s been through I was hopeful because he’s such a great kid and it means so much to him. So, the good thing is this is probably the first time he’s come back to camp 100%.“I’m excited about Jake. It’s something that he really wanted, so hopefully it continues to get even better from here.”In three seasons in Denver, the ex-Michigan star has played in as many games (three) as he’s had major knee surgeries, each of which required a clean-up procedure.Butt turned heads at camp from the very start, drawing high praise from his coach, Vic Fangio, and his quarterback, Drew Lock, who declared, “There’s nobody in our locker room that doesn’t want to see Jake Butt succeed.”Butt, who has eight career catches for 85 yards, appreciates the sentiments but wants to put his health issues behind him.“If you’ve been through an ACL you know how hard one is. When you go through three, it means a lot to get that recognition from your comrades, your teachers, your coaches,” Butt said recently. “But for me, I’m healthy. It’s part of my story but I’m out there, I’m out there playing ball, I’m not looking back.”Butt’s resurgence cost third-year tight end Troy Fumagalli, who was waived/injured Saturday when the Broncos trimmed their roster to 53.Butt first tore an ACL during spring drills his sophomore season at Michigan and he tore the other one in his final game for the Wolverines, in the Orange Bowl. The Broncos drafted him three months later, but he spent his rookie year on IR.In 2018, he played in three games before suffering a third torn ACL, this time at practice, and last year his comeback was interrupted by yet another operation to clean out a torn meniscus. He hoped to return for the final month in 2019, but Lock got the activation nod instead after recovering from a thumb injury he’d sustained in the preseason.Butt acknowledged some dark moments in his latest comeback when he began to question why he still loves the game that has taken such a toll on his body.“There were a lot of days I really wanted to quit,” he said.But he said he couldn’t face his family if he did that.“It might not be the best day and the path might not be linear,” Butt said. “You’re going to have some down days, but eventually you’re going to go back up.”And eventually the pain will subside and the good days will come one after the other.“I’m really happy I stuck with it because I do feel really, really good out there. I feel like I can still play in this league and contribute,” Butt said. “I can even get much better than what I’m playing right now. That’s a lesson I definitely learned through this and everybody can learn.“Bad days are going to come and tough days are going to come, but you can’t quit. You just have to keep showing up.”Butt’s perseverance paid off Saturday.“It’s been a hell of a year for Jake,” coach Vic Fangio said. “From Day 1, and he came back with the early group, I’ve not seem him limp once. He’s not been in the training room ... He’s had a terrific camp, not just playing-wise but he’s actually 100% healthy.“And moving around, you’d never know that he had been through the injuries that he’s had with his knees. He looks as good as new to me.”

Broncos’ Jake Butt a feel-good story on NFL’s cutdown day

It was a great day to run in Cozad, Nebraska!&nbsp; With 13 teams in attendance, the Bulldogs came ready to compete!&nbsp; It was great to see some big schools (Kearney, Grand Island Northwest, Hastings) that we hadn't seen yet this year. We had talked earlier in the week that it had been over a decade since either North Platte team had won the Cozad Invitational. Both teams were hungry and ready to give it their best shot!&nbsp; The boys came out on top to win the championship beating the second place Kearney Bearcats by 13 points.&nbsp; The girls finished runner-up to Kearney, but due to Kearney electing to not be figured in team scores, also came home with the Cozad Invitational&nbsp;Championship.&nbsp; I was very proud of how both teams competed and how each kid battled for their team!&nbsp; Each kid showed a lot of character and a lot of heart on the course today.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The girls were led by Zarah Blaesi with a 4th place finish and adding to the North Platte girls medals was Nelia Rivas (12th), Lexi Hoatson (18th) and Evlen Blaesi (20th).&nbsp; The girls really dug deep today.&nbsp; Last week they lost a close battle to McCook by two points and today they were able to overcome that deficit&nbsp;and beat the Bison.&nbsp;

All six of our boys were able to come home with a varsity medal today and lead the team to a first place finish.&nbsp; Evan Caudy led the way with a 1st place finish followed by Rian Teets (9th), Tom Moss (12th), Jonah San Miguel (14th), Quade Lowe (16th), and Aaron Franz (17th).&nbsp; The boys competed hard from top to bottom.&nbsp; They were hungry to compete and gave everything they had for their team.&nbsp;&nbsp; Link to Results:&nbsp; <a href="http://www.onlineraceresults.com/event/view_event.php?event_id=23516" target="_blank">http://www.onlineraceresults.com/event/view_event.php?event_id=23516</a>

By Jake Hasenauer - NPHS Cross CountryIt was a great day to run in Cozad, Nebraska!&nbsp; With 13 teams in attendance, the Bulldogs came ready to compete!&nbsp; It was great to see some big schools (Kearney, Grand Island Northwest, Hastings) that we hadn't seen yet this year. We had talked earlier in the week that it had been over a decade since either North Platte team had won the Cozad Invitational. Both teams were hungry and ready to give it their best shot!&nbsp; The boys came out on top to win the championship beating the second place Kearney Bearcats by 13 points.&nbsp; The girls finished runner-up to Kearney, but due to Kearney electing to not be figured in team scores, also came home with the Cozad Invitational&nbsp;Championship.&nbsp; I was very proud of how both teams competed and how each kid battled for their team!&nbsp; Each kid showed a lot of character and a lot of heart on the course today.&nbsp;&nbsp; The girls were led by Zarah Blaesi with a 4th place finish and adding to the North Platte girls medals was Nelia Rivas (12th), Lexi Hoatson (18th) and Evlen Blaesi (20th).&nbsp; The girls really dug deep today.&nbsp; Last week they lost a close battle to McCook by two points and today they were able to overcome that deficit&nbsp;and beat the Bison.&nbsp; All six of our boys were able to come home with a varsity medal today and lead the team to a first place finish.&nbsp; Evan Caudy led the way with a 1st place finish followed by Rian Teets (9th), Tom Moss (12th), Jonah San Miguel (14th), Quade Lowe (16th), and Aaron Franz (17th).&nbsp; The boys competed hard from top to bottom.&nbsp; They were hungry to compete and gave everything they had for their team.&nbsp;&nbsp; Link to Results:&nbsp; <a href="http://www.onlineraceresults.com/event/view_event.php?event_id=23516" target="_blank">http://www.onlineraceresults.com/event/view_event.php?event_id=23516</a>

Recap and Results from Cozad Cross Country Invite

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The varsity and junior varsity football teams at Omaha Creighton Prep are in a two-week quarantine after a player tested positive for the coronavirus.

Creighton Prep said through a notice to parents and later in a news release Saturday that all activities for the varsity and JV teams are suspended for now, the Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/sports/high-school/creighton-prep-football-team-quarantined-after-player-tests-positive-for-covid-19/article_f2d601bf-d676-5499-91c1-f2e61a06ab5e.html#tracking-source=home-breaking" target="_blank">reported</a>.

The school said that all players on those squads and their coaches had enough contact with the player to require a self-quarantine. Freshman and reserve (sophomore) football teams, the school said, will not be affected.

The state's online tracker shows that 35,661 have tested positive for the virus and 404 have died from it. The 7-day rolling average of the positivity rate in Nebraska has risen over the past two weeks from 8.64% on Aug. 21 to 11.18% on Friday, according to data from The COVID Tracking Project.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The varsity and junior varsity football teams at Omaha Creighton Prep are in a two-week quarantine after a player tested positive for the coronavirus.Creighton Prep said through a notice to parents and later in a news release Saturday that all activities for the varsity and JV teams are suspended for now, the Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/sports/high-school/creighton-prep-football-team-quarantined-after-player-tests-positive-for-covid-19/article_f2d601bf-d676-5499-91c1-f2e61a06ab5e.html#tracking-source=home-breaking" target="_blank">reported</a>.The school said that all players on those squads and their coaches had enough contact with the player to require a self-quarantine. Freshman and reserve (sophomore) football teams, the school said, will not be affected.The state's online tracker shows that 35,661 have tested positive for the virus and 404 have died from it. The 7-day rolling average of the positivity rate in Nebraska has risen over the past two weeks from 8.64% on Aug. 21 to 11.18% on Friday, according to data from The COVID Tracking Project.

Creighton Prep football teams quarantined after player tests positive for COVID

LINCOLN, Neb.-A Lincoln man who gave an impassioned speech at a Lincoln City Council meeting on changing the name of chicken wings, crashed a Scott Frost news conference on Friday.

Ander Christensen became an internet sensation after he suggested that Lincoln lead the way in changing the name of chicken wings to "saucy nugs" and various other names.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - In an age of growing divisive political discourse across the country, a Nebraska man is drawing attention for his impassioned plea to take action - against boneless chicken wings.

Video of Ander Christensen's satirical rant before the Lincoln City Council on Monday pleading to ban the "boneless chicken wing" moniker has garnered widespread attention on social media and news sites.

Christensen, who is the son of a council member, made his case that the meat in boneless wings doesn't come from a chicken's wing at all, but from its breast.

"We've been living a lie for far too long," he told the council.

Instead, he suggested the dish could be renamed, "buffalo-style chicken tenders, wet tenders, saucy nugs or trash."

His plea, of course, was for the children.

"Our children are afraid of having bones attached to their meat, which is where meat comes from. It grows on bones!" he said. "We need to teach them that the wings of a chicken are from a chicken, and it's delicious."

Here's the video...the chicken wings come at around the 1:47:00 mark.

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BREAKING NEWS <a href="https://t.co/FmJdix00WQ">pic.twitter.com/FmJdix00WQ</a>&mdash; Nebraska Huskers (@Huskers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Huskers/status/1302002079502917632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>LINCOLN, Neb.-A Lincoln man who gave an impassioned speech at a Lincoln City Council meeting on changing the name of chicken wings, crashed a Scott Frost news conference on Friday.Ander Christensen became an internet sensation after he suggested that Lincoln lead the way in changing the name of chicken wings to "saucy nugs" and various other names.ORIGINAL STORYLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - In an age of growing divisive political discourse across the country, a Nebraska man is drawing attention for his impassioned plea to take action - against boneless chicken wings.Video of Ander Christensen's satirical rant before the Lincoln City Council on Monday pleading to ban the "boneless chicken wing" moniker has garnered widespread attention on social media and news sites.Christensen, who is the son of a council member, made his case that the meat in boneless wings doesn't come from a chicken's wing at all, but from its breast."We've been living a lie for far too long," he told the council.Instead, he suggested the dish could be renamed, "buffalo-style chicken tenders, wet tenders, saucy nugs or trash."His plea, of course, was for the children."Our children are afraid of having bones attached to their meat, which is where meat comes from. It grows on bones!" he said. "We need to teach them that the wings of a chicken are from a chicken, and it's delicious."Here's the video...the chicken wings come at around the 1:47:00 mark.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FLNKTVcity%2Fvideos%2F2783781811947840%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>

Chicken wing guy crashes Scott Frost's news conference

9.4.2020 NPHS Football vs Fremont

The Pac-12 could be playing football and basketball sooner than expected after the conference announced Thursday that each of the 12 schools will soon have the capacity to perform daily, rapid COVID-19 tests on athletes.

Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott called the deal with Quidel Corporation a “game-changer.”

He said the ability to test athletes every day and receive results in 15 minutes could lead to the Pac-12 getting back in the game before the Jan. 1 date set by the conference’s university presidents when they postponed the fall sports season on Aug. 11.

“This is a very important and significant step, but there are other considerations that will go into our return-to-play plans,” Scott said.

The Pac-12′s six schools in California and Oregon are still restricted from holding full practices because of state mandates to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. However, the professional football teams in California have been given permission to proceed with normal preparations for a season that starts Sept. 13.

“Even if we were ready to start tomorrow we couldn’t,” Scott said. “There’s more to be done for sure in terms of working with health officials.”

The Pac-12 said tests and Quidel’s Sofia 2 testing machines are expected to be delivered to the conference’s schools by late September. The machines can perform what is known as a point-of-care antigen test.

Doug Bryant, president and CEO of Quidel Corporation, said the company has agreements with several schools that are already using its rapid tests. He declined to say which schools, and added the partnership with the Pac-12 is different from its other deals because the company will be providing the conference with the capacity for daily COVID-19 testing.

“Within the last month, we have doubled our shipping capacity,” Bryant said. “As we continue to ramp up production, we will have the ability to help other conferences if asked.”

Back in August, when the Pac-12 postponed its season, its medical advisors had recommended the frequency of testing athletes be dictated by the seven-day rate of positive tests and daily new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the counties where each school is located.

At the time, that meant Utah, Arizona, Arizona State, Southern California and UCLA would all have needed to test athletes daily. Several other schools would have been required to test every other day.

Scott said when the conference made its decision to postpone fall sports it did not think it would have access to this kind of rapid testing until November at the earliest.

The conferences forging ahead with football starting this month — including the Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference — have indicated they plan to test their football players three times per week.

“Having the opportunity and ability to identify and immediately remove someone who has the potential to be infected prior to stepping on the practice field really reduces the risk and removes the gap that currently exists with traditional laboratory testing,” said Dr. Doug Aukerman from Oregon State. He leads the Pac-12′s medical advisory committee.

A Jan. 1 return to competition could also put the Pac-12 behind the rest of the country in basketball. Basketball season typically starts in early November, but Scott said the NCAA is looking into delaying until November or early December.

Rapid, daily testing improves the Pac-12′s chances of starting on time.

“So I’m very optimistic that we’ll have a season,” Washington basketball coach Mike Hopkins said. “I think we definitely will, especially with the way that this testing and this partnership is moved forward.”

The Big Ten postponed fall sports the same day as the Pac-12. While the Big Ten has been getting crushed with criticism from all sides, including a lawsuit by Nebraska players demanding its decision be overturned, the Pac-12 has presented a unified front in support of postponing.

Scott said he considers it a “high priority” for the Pac-12 and Big Ten, Rose Bowl partners, to align their return to football. The Big Ten has discussed plans for starting a football season as early as Thanksgiving weekend, though the conference has been more focused on an early January start.

“Not only, for our student athletes, could we have a Pac-12 championship game and champion, but it’d be awesome to have some of the traditional postseason opportunities the Pac-12 and Big Ten have enjoyed with each other over many, many decades,” Scott said.

AP Sports Writers John Marshall and Tim Booth contributed to this report.

By RALPH D. RUSSO - Associated PressThe Pac-12 could be playing football and basketball sooner than expected after the conference announced Thursday that each of the 12 schools will soon have the capacity to perform daily, rapid COVID-19 tests on athletes.Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott called the deal with Quidel Corporation a “game-changer.”He said the ability to test athletes every day and receive results in 15 minutes could lead to the Pac-12 getting back in the game before the Jan. 1 date set by the conference’s university presidents when they postponed the fall sports season on Aug. 11.“This is a very important and significant step, but there are other considerations that will go into our return-to-play plans,” Scott said.The Pac-12′s six schools in California and Oregon are still restricted from holding full practices because of state mandates to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. However, the professional football teams in California have been given permission to proceed with normal preparations for a season that starts Sept. 13.“Even if we were ready to start tomorrow we couldn’t,” Scott said. “There’s more to be done for sure in terms of working with health officials.”The Pac-12 said tests and Quidel’s Sofia 2 testing machines are expected to be delivered to the conference’s schools by late September. The machines can perform what is known as a point-of-care antigen test.Doug Bryant, president and CEO of Quidel Corporation, said the company has agreements with several schools that are already using its rapid tests. He declined to say which schools, and added the partnership with the Pac-12 is different from its other deals because the company will be providing the conference with the capacity for daily COVID-19 testing.“Within the last month, we have doubled our shipping capacity,” Bryant said. “As we continue to ramp up production, we will have the ability to help other conferences if asked.”Back in August, when the Pac-12 postponed its season, its medical advisors had recommended the frequency of testing athletes be dictated by the seven-day rate of positive tests and daily new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the counties where each school is located.At the time, that meant Utah, Arizona, Arizona State, Southern California and UCLA would all have needed to test athletes daily. Several other schools would have been required to test every other day.Scott said when the conference made its decision to postpone fall sports it did not think it would have access to this kind of rapid testing until November at the earliest.The conferences forging ahead with football starting this month — including the Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference — have indicated they plan to test their football players three times per week.“Having the opportunity and ability to identify and immediately remove someone who has the potential to be infected prior to stepping on the practice field really reduces the risk and removes the gap that currently exists with traditional laboratory testing,” said Dr. Doug Aukerman from Oregon State. He leads the Pac-12′s medical advisory committee.A Jan. 1 return to competition could also put the Pac-12 behind the rest of the country in basketball. Basketball season typically starts in early November, but Scott said the NCAA is looking into delaying until November or early December.Rapid, daily testing improves the Pac-12′s chances of starting on time.“So I’m very optimistic that we’ll have a season,” Washington basketball coach Mike Hopkins said. “I think we definitely will, especially with the way that this testing and this partnership is moved forward.”The Big Ten postponed fall sports the same day as the Pac-12. While the Big Ten has been getting crushed with criticism from all sides, including a lawsuit by Nebraska players demanding its decision be overturned, the Pac-12 has presented a unified front in support of postponing.Scott said he considers it a “high priority” for the Pac-12 and Big Ten, Rose Bowl partners, to align their return to football. The Big Ten has discussed plans for starting a football season as early as Thanksgiving weekend, though the conference has been more focused on an early January start.“Not only, for our student athletes, could we have a Pac-12 championship game and champion, but it’d be awesome to have some of the traditional postseason opportunities the Pac-12 and Big Ten have enjoyed with each other over many, many decades,” Scott said.___AP Sports Writers John Marshall and Tim Booth contributed to this report.

‘Game-changer’: Rapid, daily virus testing coming to Pac-12

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Terence "Bud" Crawford is looking for a fight.

The undefeated WBO welterweight champion has never fought less than twice in a calendar year as a professional. He faces the possibility of being idle all of 2020.

Has Crawford, in the prime of his career at 32, gotten antsy?

"Actually, no," he said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I've been using this time for resting my body. I'm getting to spend more time with my kids and am just taking the good with the bad."

He continues to train every day. Shortly after coming through the door to his Omaha gym, a shouting Crawford asked manager-trainer Brian "BoMac" McIntyre for the day's plan and immediately changed into sweat clothes. Crawford has been helping WBO 130-pound champion Jamel Herring and unbeaten 168-pound contender Steven Nelson prepare for fights in Las Vegas this weekend.

"I get in here and work out with the fighters that have fight dates," Crawford said. "Normally, I'm running with them, doing strength and conditioning, sparring."

Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs) hasn't had a fight since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/8d8eea79d24723a57fd50ef59101e6db" target="_blank">he stopped Egidijus Kavaliauskas in the ninth round&nbsp;</a>at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 14.

Regarded as one of the world's top pound-for-pound fighters and a winner of belts in three divisions, Crawford has long wanted a shot at eight-division champion and current WBA welterweight super title-holder Manny Pacquiao. Top Rank CEO Bob Arum has been unable to make that fight so far.

Negotiations are underway to get Crawford a November date with the Kell Brook (39-2, 27 KOs). Brook is a former IBF welterweight champ who now is the WBO No. 10 at 154 pounds. He would have to come down a weight class to face Crawford.

Meanwhile, Crawford is on the outside looking in as top welterweights handled by Top Rank's rival promoter, Premier Boxing Champions, have been able to fight during the coronavirus pandemic.

Shawn Porter won a unanimous decision against Sebastian Formella on Aug. 23 in a WBC/IBF world title eliminator. WBC/IBF champion Errol Spence Jr. has a Fox pay-per-view fight against Danny Garcia on Nov. 21.

Jamal James won a unanimous decision over Thomas Dulorme to get in line to face Pacquiao or the winner of Sunday's Yordenis Ugas-Abel Ramos bout.

Former unified welterweight champ Keith Thurman, also a PBC fighter and the No. 4 WBC contender, has called on Crawford to be his first opponent after a layoff of more than a year following his loss to Pacquiao.

"It all comes down to money," Crawford said of crossing over to face one of the PBC boxers. "If the money was put up, those fights would be made."

Purses have taken a hit because of the pandemic, with many venues not yet open to fans. Plus, Arum and PBC founder Al Haymon have had a cold relationship, though media outlets have reported the two are more willing to do business with each other since a federal anti-trust lawsuit brought by Arum was settled in the spring.

Crawford said he can afford to be patient, noting that his best money-making years are still ahead of him.

"I don't feel like I'm about to be 33," he said. "I never drank, never smoked. I took care of my body. Only thing a person can actually say about me is that I ate a lot of sweets. That's it. My body is very preserved."

As impressive as his record is, Crawford hasn't garnered the respect he believes he's due. Critics say his resume is missing a career-defining fight.

"The only reason they say that is because of how dominant I've been," he said.

Crawford rolled off a list of opponents he's beaten: Amir Khan, Viktor Postol, Yuriokis Gamboa, John Molina Jr., Ricky Burns, Raymundo Beltran.

"Ricky Burns, he became champion after (fighting) me. Beltran, he became champion after me. A lot of people discredit those types of fighters," Crawford said. "Then everybody gets their credit for beating those types of fighters. But me, being on the pedestal that I am, they look at me and say, 'Oh, well, those are just steppingstone fights.' "

Winning a unified championship at 147 would go a long way in accomplishing his long-held goal of going down as one of the sport's all-time greats. He already has been an undisputed light welterweight champion and the WBO lightweight title-holder.

"They'll give me my credit when I retire," Crawford said. "Muhammad Ali, a lot of people didn't like him. He was the villain. A lot of people didn't like Mike Tyson, they just knew he was going to knock somebody out. A lot of people say Mike Tyson didn't fight nobody. A lot of people don't like Floyd Mayweather, but they respect him because of how talented he is.

"So when I look at it, I'm never going to get the just due. Just continue to keep winning. That's it."

By ERIC OLSON-AP Sports Writer OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Terence "Bud" Crawford is looking for a fight.The undefeated WBO welterweight champion has never fought less than twice in a calendar year as a professional. He faces the possibility of being idle all of 2020.Has Crawford, in the prime of his career at 32, gotten antsy?"Actually, no," he said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I've been using this time for resting my body. I'm getting to spend more time with my kids and am just taking the good with the bad."He continues to train every day. Shortly after coming through the door to his Omaha gym, a shouting Crawford asked manager-trainer Brian "BoMac" McIntyre for the day's plan and immediately changed into sweat clothes. Crawford has been helping WBO 130-pound champion Jamel Herring and unbeaten 168-pound contender Steven Nelson prepare for fights in Las Vegas this weekend."I get in here and work out with the fighters that have fight dates," Crawford said. "Normally, I'm running with them, doing strength and conditioning, sparring."Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs) hasn't had a fight since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/8d8eea79d24723a57fd50ef59101e6db" target="_blank">he stopped Egidijus Kavaliauskas in the ninth round&nbsp;</a>at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 14.Regarded as one of the world's top pound-for-pound fighters and a winner of belts in three divisions, Crawford has long wanted a shot at eight-division champion and current WBA welterweight super title-holder Manny Pacquiao. Top Rank CEO Bob Arum has been unable to make that fight so far.Negotiations are underway to get Crawford a November date with the Kell Brook (39-2, 27 KOs). Brook is a former IBF welterweight champ who now is the WBO No. 10 at 154 pounds. He would have to come down a weight class to face Crawford.Meanwhile, Crawford is on the outside looking in as top welterweights handled by Top Rank's rival promoter, Premier Boxing Champions, have been able to fight during the coronavirus pandemic.Shawn Porter won a unanimous decision against Sebastian Formella on Aug. 23 in a WBC/IBF world title eliminator. WBC/IBF champion Errol Spence Jr. has a Fox pay-per-view fight against Danny Garcia on Nov. 21.Jamal James won a unanimous decision over Thomas Dulorme to get in line to face Pacquiao or the winner of Sunday's Yordenis Ugas-Abel Ramos bout.Former unified welterweight champ Keith Thurman, also a PBC fighter and the No. 4 WBC contender, has called on Crawford to be his first opponent after a layoff of more than a year following his loss to Pacquiao."It all comes down to money," Crawford said of crossing over to face one of the PBC boxers. "If the money was put up, those fights would be made."Purses have taken a hit because of the pandemic, with many venues not yet open to fans. Plus, Arum and PBC founder Al Haymon have had a cold relationship, though media outlets have reported the two are more willing to do business with each other since a federal anti-trust lawsuit brought by Arum was settled in the spring.Crawford said he can afford to be patient, noting that his best money-making years are still ahead of him."I don't feel like I'm about to be 33," he said. "I never drank, never smoked. I took care of my body. Only thing a person can actually say about me is that I ate a lot of sweets. That's it. My body is very preserved."As impressive as his record is, Crawford hasn't garnered the respect he believes he's due. Critics say his resume is missing a career-defining fight."The only reason they say that is because of how dominant I've been," he said.Crawford rolled off a list of opponents he's beaten: Amir Khan, Viktor Postol, Yuriokis Gamboa, John Molina Jr., Ricky Burns, Raymundo Beltran."Ricky Burns, he became champion after (fighting) me. Beltran, he became champion after me. A lot of people discredit those types of fighters," Crawford said. "Then everybody gets their credit for beating those types of fighters. But me, being on the pedestal that I am, they look at me and say, 'Oh, well, those are just steppingstone fights.' "Winning a unified championship at 147 would go a long way in accomplishing his long-held goal of going down as one of the sport's all-time greats. He already has been an undisputed light welterweight champion and the WBO lightweight title-holder."They'll give me my credit when I retire," Crawford said. "Muhammad Ali, a lot of people didn't like him. He was the villain. A lot of people didn't like Mike Tyson, they just knew he was going to knock somebody out. A lot of people say Mike Tyson didn't fight nobody. A lot of people don't like Floyd Mayweather, but they respect him because of how talented he is."So when I look at it, I'm never going to get the just due. Just continue to keep winning. That's it."

Unbeaten Terence Crawford hoping to fight before year ends

The first cancellation to a North Platte school is here. North Platte St Pats were supposed to take on Hastings St. Cecilia on Friday the 4th. Instead after a recent positive COVID-19 case the St. Cecilia team has gone into quarantine for 14 days effectively cancelling the game against North Platte St. Pats.&nbsp;

Its unknown at this time if St. Pats will have enough time to get another team on the schedule.&nbsp;

Below is a letter from Hastings St. Cecilia that was sent to the parents:&nbsp;

The first cancellation to a North Platte school is here. North Platte St Pats were supposed to take on Hastings St. Cecilia on Friday the 4th. Instead after a recent positive COVID-19 case the St. Cecilia team has gone into quarantine for 14 days effectively cancelling the game against North Platte St. Pats.&nbsp;Its unknown at this time if St. Pats will have enough time to get another team on the schedule.&nbsp;Below is a letter from Hastings St. Cecilia that was sent to the parents:&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599163428145.png" alt="irish game cancelled.png" />
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St. Pats football for 9.4.2020 in question, Hastings cancels due to COVID -19

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The University of Nebraska at Omaha has quarantined four of its sports teams after some athletes tested positive for the coronavirus, even as data show the state approaching 400 COVID-19 deaths.

UNO shut down workouts and quarantined members this week of its men's basketball, women's softball, men's baseball and women's volleyball teams, the Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/education/four-uno-sports-teams-quarantined-after-athletes-test-positive-for-covid-19/article_1c566098-0623-5a01-9b2a-405072596df2.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1" target="_blank">reported</a>. That came after the results of 13 UNO athletes who were tested on Friday came back positive for the virus.

News of UNO's outbreak comes as colleges around the country deal with rising case numbers as schools try to reconvene for the fall.

None of the UNO athletes who tested positive have shown any symptoms, UNO Chancellor Jeffrey Gold said Wednesday.

Each of the four teams had at least two athletes who tested positive, Gold said. Through Tuesday, 38 students and nine employees had tested positive at UNO. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln reported 245 positive results among students, faculty and staff through August.

The state's online tracker shows that as of Thursday, nearly 35,000 people have tested positive for the virus and 399 have died from it. The 7-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska has risen over the past two weeks from 256.43 new cases per day on Aug. 19 to 318 new cases per day on Sept. 2.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The University of Nebraska at Omaha has quarantined four of its sports teams after some athletes tested positive for the coronavirus, even as data show the state approaching 400 COVID-19 deaths.UNO shut down workouts and quarantined members this week of its men's basketball, women's softball, men's baseball and women's volleyball teams, the Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/education/four-uno-sports-teams-quarantined-after-athletes-test-positive-for-covid-19/article_1c566098-0623-5a01-9b2a-405072596df2.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1" target="_blank">reported</a>. That came after the results of 13 UNO athletes who were tested on Friday came back positive for the virus.News of UNO's outbreak comes as colleges around the country deal with rising case numbers as schools try to reconvene for the fall.None of the UNO athletes who tested positive have shown any symptoms, UNO Chancellor Jeffrey Gold said Wednesday.Each of the four teams had at least two athletes who tested positive, Gold said. Through Tuesday, 38 students and nine employees had tested positive at UNO. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln reported 245 positive results among students, faculty and staff through August.The state's online tracker shows that as of Thursday, nearly 35,000 people have tested positive for the virus and 399 have died from it. The 7-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska has risen over the past two weeks from 256.43 new cases per day on Aug. 19 to 318 new cases per day on Sept. 2.

UNO quarantines 4 teams as Nebraska approaches 400 deaths

9.3.2020 NPHS Volleyball: Tri with Sidney and Ogallala

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Hotel clerks in this town know exactly when the NFL releases its schedule each year. The incessant ringing of the telephone serves as its own alarm.

“The second that schedule comes out, the phones just go off the hook,” said Kelsie Basten, the front desk manager at St. Brendan’s Inn in Green Bay. “It’s just insane.”

Now the phones are ringing for an entirely different reason.

The Green Bay Packers have announced they won’t have any spectators for at least their first two home games due to the coronavirus pandemic. All those fans who made reservations back in April are canceling travel plans.

That’s crushing news for hotel operators, restaurant owners and store managers whose budgets depend on those home football weekends.

“It’s scary times right now,” Basten said. “We’re kind of just going day by day, payroll by payroll, trying to get as much business as we can right now to keep us going through.”

Similar scenes are taking place in NFL markets across the nation as businesses deal with the fallout from pandemic-imposed attendance restrictions.

Most NFL teams won’t have fans at home games for the start of the season. That’s an additional blow for restaurants and sports bars already facing budget issues as they follow protocols brought about by COVID-19.

By STEVE MEGARGEE - Associated PressGREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Hotel clerks in this town know exactly when the NFL releases its schedule each year. The incessant ringing of the telephone serves as its own alarm.“The second that schedule comes out, the phones just go off the hook,” said Kelsie Basten, the front desk manager at St. Brendan’s Inn in Green Bay. “It’s just insane.”Now the phones are ringing for an entirely different reason.The Green Bay Packers have announced they won’t have any spectators for at least their first two home games due to the coronavirus pandemic. All those fans who made reservations back in April are canceling travel plans.That’s crushing news for hotel operators, restaurant owners and store managers whose budgets depend on those home football weekends.“It’s scary times right now,” Basten said. “We’re kind of just going day by day, payroll by payroll, trying to get as much business as we can right now to keep us going through.”Similar scenes are taking place in NFL markets across the nation as businesses deal with the fallout from pandemic-imposed attendance restrictions.Most NFL teams won’t have fans at home games for the start of the season. That’s an additional blow for restaurants and sports bars already facing budget issues as they follow protocols brought about by COVID-19.For instance, Detroit’s four major pro sports teams all play within a mile of one another, and the businesses surrounding those stadiums rely on fans stopping by before and after games. The Brass Rail Pizza Bar near Ford Field typically has a capacity of 260, but only 130 people are allowed in for now due to state policy.“Whatever capacity that we have right now, if we fill it up, we’d be grateful,” said Brass Rail manager Mohamed Elmardi, who hopes fans will watch Lions games at his restaurant because they can’t be in the stands.In downtown Nashville, Pat Martin closed Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint in April due to the pandemic. Martin has been closely monitoring whether the Tennessee Titans will give him reason to reopen.Tennessee has only announced fans won’t be at the home opener Sept. 20 against Jacksonville. Martin needs the Titans to fill Nissan Stadium to at least 50% capacity, or opening back up wouldn’t be worth the expense.“It’s a constant thing when you’ve got a restaurant now that it’s closed, you’re looking for the first blink of light at the end of the tunnel,” Martin said.As the smallest NFL market, Green Bay is being hit particularly hard.Located about 115 miles north of Milwaukee, Green Bay has a population of just over 100,000. Brenda Krainik, the director of marketing and communications for the Greater Green Bay Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau, estimates that every Packers home football weekend brings the community about $15 million.“Travelers come from all over the world,” Krainik said. “This is a bucket-list item. And they wouldn’t know us obviously, they wouldn’t know Green Bay, Wisconsin, a little town in the Midwest, if the Green Bay Packers weren’t here.”Krainik noted that several local businesses have pivoted their focus as they face the possibility of an entire season without Packers fans. Her bureau has increased its promotion of the area’s outdoor activities, such as fishing and hiking. She noted how a local winery had started hosting outdoor yoga classes and live entertainment.“People are being creative about outdoor recreation in ways that they’ve just not been before and that’s amazing to see because they are small businesses making it during a pandemic,” Krainik said. “But it definitely won’t replace 80,000 fans in the stands here in Green Bay.”Even if the Packers do have spectators for their final six home games, CEO Mark Murphy says attendance wouldn’t exceed 10,000 or 12,000.The business impact already has been felt since spectators weren’t permitted at training camp, which typically draws flocks of fans as children loan players bicycles to make the short ride from Lambeau Field to practice at Ray Nitschke Field.Theresa Barlament owns The Pancake Place, a Green Bay restaurant that’s been open for over four decades. She says August typically is her busiest month due to training camp but revenues last month fell about 30% from the previous year.And now she won’t have visitors from out of town lining up during home football weekends.“We have our regulars that will keep us afloat,” Barlament said. “It’s just so much fun when you have people from out of town all in the parking lot, the green-and-gold lining your seats inside and yelling ‘Go Pack Go’ on Packer mornings. It’s a really fun environment, and I don’t foresee that happening (this year).”Other businesses have seen steeper declines. That’s evident from the “going out of business” signs outside the Green Bay Jersey Store, which has been selling Packers merchandise several blocks from Lambeau Field for over 20 years.The decision was made a few months ago with the anticipation that fans probably wouldn’t be allowed at games. The store is staying open while it sells its remaining stock.“In the end, because brick-and-mortar retail has changed so much anyway and the fact this year’s business was going to obviously be so uncertain and so far down from what it normally would be any way you look at it, the owner just made the decision to close the doors,” said Mike Walters, the store’s manager.The lack of fans is proving especially costly for Green Bay’s hotels and motels.Linnea Berg manages the Bay Motel and said rates are as low as $59 per night for a room with a queen-sized bed. On Packers home football weekends, that price increases to $190 per night with a two-night minimum stay required.St. Brendan’s Inn has a standard rate of $129 per night that goes up to $219 with a two-night minimum requirement for Packers games. Basten said home football weekends can bring in $12,000 to $15,000.Berg said the Bay Motel has 53 rooms but hasn’t sold more than 30 of them for any night since back in January when it had no vacancies for the Packers’ NFC divisional round playoff victory over Seattle.They’re trying to find ways to fill those rooms while hoping full crowds will return to NFL games by 2021.“I don’t think we’d be able to survive two non-Packers seasons,” Berg said. “Not in Green Bay. Not with what we have seen so far.”___AP Sports Writer Larry Lage in Detroit and AP Pro Football Writer Teresa M. Walker in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report.