National Sports

Each day, we watch the NBA and NHL shuffle another season of games. Canadian franchises are now playing in front of empty arenas. How will these stoppages effect the high schools and colleges in upstate New York? Will the expected surge of positive COVID 19 test results shut down games to fans or even worse cancel games?

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney has her sights set on taking down Washington Football Team owner Daniel Snyder, in pursuit of more information regarding a federal probe into sexual harassment and improper conduct involving Snyder's NFL franchise. Rep. Maloney, a Democrat, who has represented New York's 12th/14th Districts in the U.S. Congress since 1993, is chairwoman of the House Oversight Committee. According to reports, Snyder is now being investigated for possible interference in the feds investigation. Wow!

Assists are coming to organizations across the country from the NBA Foundation. The foundation is a non-profit organization established and initially funded by all 30 NBA teams. According to their website, nbafoundation.nba.com, "the Foundation is focused on driving economic opportunity and empowerment in the Black community." This month the foundation dished out its fourth round of grants. This distribution included 38 grants totaling $11 million dollars. One of those grants ended up at a small college just down the Taconic Parkway from the Capital Region.

The Indianapolis 500 has long been considered the Super Bowl of auto racing. When we were kids, my friends and I would race our bikes around the block endlessly. Some would claim to be Mario Andretti, I would always choose Al Unser Sr. He was a winner and always seemed like a great guy. Thursday night, Al Unser, Sr., the 4 time Indy 500 champ, passed away.

If you are a casual observer of the NFL, or someone who bets religiously on the games each week, one thing has been the same. No one knows what is going to happen in this wacky season.

An Airbnb user has put together the ultimate NYC street basketball experience. Get exclusive looks at places that created the foundation for modern day basketball.

Monday was a big day for sports wagerers that reside in the State of New York. After watching the New York Racing Association successfully launch their mobile app and seeing their fellow enthusiasts in other states being able to bet on NFL games right from their phones, New Yorkers can finally join the party. On Monday New York State Gaming Commission gave the OK for 9 operators to launch mobile sports betting sites for the state.

Danica Patrick was back on a race team but this time it was for the Boston Marathon. Patrick is best known for her days behind the wheel and then half of the super-couple with NFL star Aaron Rodgers. She retired from auto racing in 2018 but on October 11th, Danica joined a new team for a different type of race.

Who is the Capital Region's most beloved sports team? I think we know but let's take a look anyhow. There are probably some major professional sports teams and leagues that we can toss immediately. The NHL is easy to toss. Besides the lack of general popularity, a direct result of Gary Bettman's reign as commissioner, the NHL fanbase in the Capital Region is too fractured.

Going to a Major League Ballpark, enjoying a cold beer and a hot dog, is a tradition that has been passed down through generations in the United States. When I went to my first New York Mets game, the only beer available in Shea Stadium was a Rheingold. As my dad used to tell me, "they owned the taps." Schaefer had the same thing going on at Yankee Stadium. That was the 1970's. Today people want variety and according to an article by Eno Sarris of The Athletic, people aren't getting wide choice of beers in every ballpark.

You had better be careful what you drop on social media about your personal hygiene, especially if you are a high profile actor, who is married to a high profile actress. According to an article by New York Daily News entertainment writer Karu F. Daniels, former 70's Show actors Ashton Kutcher and his wife, also a 70's Show alum, Mila Kunis, "surprised fans about their bathing habits when they revealed on the Armchair Expert podcast that they do not bathe their children every day." Wow, those kind of comments may leave a smell and they did for the Hollywood star.

Monday night, New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso had just hit his 18th home run of the season. He was rounding 3rd base and as he faced his teammates in the dugout he began to do an imitation of a Pete Towsend guitar windmill. Alonso was indicating to his fellow Amazin's that they were rockin'. Pete Alonso likes to have fun and he's not afraid to show it. Following his second Home Run Derby Championship, the young first baseman is blossoming into a star. But is Pete Alonso one of the Top 5 Sports Stars in the Empire State, I don't think so. Let's take a look.