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Finlandia
Finlandia University players dominate this year’s American Collegiate Athletic Association All-Academic Women’s Basketball team. Five Lions received top honors, with a grade point average of 3.5 or better. That’s more than any other school. They include Molly Berg, Harlee Froberg, Katie Loman, Katie Lundeen and Taylor Pertile. Honor Roll selectees with a GPA of 3.25 or better include Mia Glenn and Toria Nagy. Players must be at least sophomores to qualify.
MLB
There’s nothing significant to report on the negotiations between Major League Baseball team owners and the players union that could set the stage for games this summer. Players continue to insist that they won’t agree to the owners’ proposal for further salary cuts to the highest-paid stars. They would also like to play more than 100 games, instead of the 82 that the owners have offered. Because salaries would be prorated, that would earn them more money. Players did say that they might consider some other types of concessions.
Meanwhile, teams must decide by Sunday if they’ll continue to pay their minor league players. Minor leaguers have been receiving a $400 per week stipend, under a deal that ends at the end of the month. There will be no minor league baseball this summer. The Detroit Tigers have made no announcement about their plans. The Milwaukee Brewers released 30 minor leaguers yesterday, then committed to paying the rest through June, at least.
NFL
The National Football League will not proceed with a controversial plan to let teams run an offensive play instead of kicking off after a score. The “fourth-and-15” play could be used in place of an onside kick, after a team scores late in the game, but still trails, and hopes to get the ball back. Recent changes to the kickoff rules have made it almost impossible for the kicking team to recover an onside kick. With the “fourth-and-15” option, the team would have one chance to move the ball 15 yards or more from the kickoff position. If they succeed, they keep the ball. If they fail, the opposing team get the ball at the line of scrimmage. A straw poll taken at a meeting yesterday showed that owners were evenly split on the concept, so no vote was taken. It might be reconsidered next year.
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