The problem San Diego will face is that it plays right down Interstate 5 from one of baseball’s best teams in the Dodgers, and the roster of wild card contenders has gotten to be as deep as the Padres’ outfield corps, with the Cubs, Mets and Marlins ready to join the fray that already included the Pirates and Giants. So, what can be expected from the Padres in 2015? Here are five predictions....
Borussia Dortmund starlet Christian Pulisic was named to the roster, as expected, and he was joined by fellow youngsters Julian Green, who impressed during recent friendlies, and Lynden Gooch. Familiar faces such as Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones also made the squad, but Clint Dempsey was ruled out for the remainder of the year with an irregular heartbeat. Also back in the team is forward Aron Johannsson, who has been riddled with hip injuries since making his debut in 2013....
His abrupt ouster as head of programming for Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2 and FoxSports.com has created more questions than answers, not least for his colleagues at FS1. Here are five burning questions about Horowitz’s departure. 1. What happens to Katie Nolan? Pro tip: She’s leaving Fox for ESPN as soon as her contract expires in 2018. Sporting News reported exclusively that ESPN’s heaviest hitters — John Skipper, Connor Schell and “Pardon the Interruption” producer Erik Rydholm — were personally courting the “Garbage Time” host to jump to ESPN....
Here are five things I’m most excited about for Opening Day. MORE: Opening Day schedule, start times for all 30 teams The sounds I’m ridiculously excited for those lucky enough to be in the stands on Opening Day. Baseball writers and fans have waxed poetic for decades about the thrill of hearing the crack of the bat or the pop of the glove or the roar of the crowd. But a summer without hearing those sounds in person — it just isn’t the same watching on TV or streaming on your phone — really has proven the “absence makes the heart grow fonder” adage true all over again....
How else can you explain a team that two weeks ago jumped Baylor (which has a better resume) and this week failed to drop after a dangerously close victory over three-win Indiana — and the awful, 14-point home loss to six-loss Virginia Tech looking worse every week. “It’s important to be hitting your stride,” said Ohio State coach Urban Meyer. “I wouldn’t say we’re hitting our stride. But if you evaluate our team compared to Week 1, it’s still the most-improved team....
Areas of the northern part of Texas became flooded on Sunday afternoon and evening as heavy rain and strong winds combined, causing damage to properties and roads throughout Dallas. A tornado warning, that is no longer in effect, was issued for Dallas County at around 2:10 p.m. on Sunday, but the National Weather Service (NWS) is yet to confirm whether a tornado was spotted in the area. NWS said that around 4 inches of rain fell in the space of just a few hours on Sunday afternoon, as all of the lanes at Loop 12 off Interstate 30 were closed due to high levels of water....
Florida can afford to pay big if it’s warranted, and to get the best candidates available – say, Dayton’s Archie Miller — it will be warranted. MORE: 13 best replacements for Donovan | 3 reasons Donovan will succeed in the NBA | Why it’s not worth the risk Because Billy Donovan’s two decades on the job showed everyone that long-term basketball success at Florida is possible. But it’s not inevitable....
The company posted a statement about the man’s termination on Twitter and its corporate website on Tuesday afternoon, one day after a video of him yelling inside a Fort Myers Costco store went viral on social media. Viewers connected the man to the insurance company through an employee profile that seemed to identify him. Ted Todd Insurance’s statement did not reference the employee by name but said a worker was terminated after the company became aware of the individual’s “threatening behavior” as seen in the video....
Austin Appleby, a graduate transfer from Purdue, will take over for Luke Del Rio, who injured his knee against North Texas on Saturday. He may miss two games with a sprained MCL. “There’s no experience like game experience,” Appleby said via KnoxNews.com. “I’ve played in the big stadiums before. It’s not going to be new to me. It’s just going to be another week of practice and get ready to play a game....
River started its preseason Wednesday in Ezeiza, with all eyes set on the club’s first commitment: the Florida Cup, from January 15-21. The squad led by Marcelo Gallardo will depart on Sunday, Jan. 8, on three different flights and will be staying at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Orlando, training at the University of Central Florida. Unlike Estudiantes de La Plata, River will play in the final stage, against Millonarios (Colombia), on January 15 at Bright House Networks Stadium....
Between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2019, Dr. Ashish Pal allegedly submitted false claims to federal health care programs for medically unnecessary ablations and vein stent procedures, according to the settlement. The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) alleged that the surgeon performed the procedures on veins that did not qualify for treatment under the standards of the industry. Dr. Pal was also accused of misrepresenting patient medical records to justify the surgeries, including overstating the degree of reflux and diameter of veins and falsely documenting patient symptoms....
McElwain said Monday night sophomore offensive tackle Rod Johnson is out for the rest of the Gators’ spring practices and Saturday’s “Orange and Blue Debut” game with a stinger-like injury, according to the Gainesville Sun. MORE: College football’s top traditions | FSU also struggling with injuries | Texas releases ‘Game of Thrones’ hype video “He got banged up and his fingers kind of went numb, kind of stinger-ish type of deal,” McElwain told reporters....
Ukwuachu was kicked off Boise State’s football team in 2013 and then transferred to Baylor. At the time Boise State did not disclose why Ukwuachu was dismissed, but reports eventually emerged that the player had allegedly physically assaulted his girlfriend, though he was never charged for it. MORE: Top 15 programs since 2000 | HAYES: Strange, bizarre time we live in In 2014 he was held off Baylor’s roster for unknown reasons and last week we found out why....
Dr. Brian Warden reportedly posted on a statewide anti-mask site that he would provide exemption letters to school mask mandates. One post announced he would give the letters to interested parents, and a follow-up message from Warden on the same site indicated he would write the medical letter on signed stationery for $50. Screenshots of Warden’s posts were shared around on social media, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. The newspaper reported that the posts were met with a huge backlash online, with many people calling for Warden’s ouster from his position as an ER doctor at Tallahassee’s Capital Regional Medical Center....
Gators aren’t an uncommon sight in the Sunshine State, but you usually don’t find them admiring your parking skills. But that’s exactly what one six-foot long reptile was doing at around 3 a.m. in Immokalee. Deputies from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office were gathered around a white vehicle in an apartment complex’s parking lot, after spotting the reptile had snuck underneath. The owner of the car, named as Janie McIntosh by local outlet ABC-7, spotted the cops in the early hours of Saturday, and sent her grandson, Germaine James, to investigate....
Stephen Davis was the battalion chief for Orange County Fire Rescue, where firefighters are subject to a vaccine requirement for county employees. Lisa McDonald, a spokeswoman for the fire department, said Davis was fired after failing to heed a direct order to take disciplinary action against workers earlier in the month, according to the AP. A statement from Orange County Fire Rescue, obtained by Orlando TV station WESH, said that Davis was hired in April 2007 and promoted to battalion chief in 2018....
Lambert received a Gators jersey complete with his name on the back and got to tour the team’s locker room, workout facility, and of course The Swamp. Florida head coach Will Muschamp greeted Lambert as he walked to the stadium and mentioned that he, “looked good in orange and blue.” MORE: Gallery | Army signs 11-year-old | Kentucky treats Make-A-Wish boy to exciting weekend The Gators made Lambert an honorary captain for the first game of the season against Idaho but it was canceled due to rain....
Oliva’s report was commissioned by House staff members and looked into the deaths caused by the new coronavirus, which is released by the state’s department of health and criticized the data, suggesting that all deaths are counted as coronavirus-related deaths if a positive COVID-19 test is found. According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the report found that among 13,920 reported COVID-19 deaths as of September 23, the virus was listed as an underlying cause for 11,460, accounting for 82 percent....
