Yardbarker

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

EXPERTISE:

NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, Premier League, MLS, US Soccer, UFC

Masked WWE wrestler Kane, now a mayor, votes against mask ordinance

Glenn Jacobs, a mayor in Tennessee, cast a only "no" vote on an ordinance to wear a mask. Yes, that's the same Glenn Jacobs who portrayed masked WWE Superstar Kane for the bulk of his career.

Flyers' Oskar Lindblom completes cancer treatment with inspiring message

The 23-year-old Lindblom was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma last December. He rung the bell at Abramson Cancer Center at Pennsylvania Hospital to celebrate his final treatment.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner expects 20-30 percent stadium capacity

Will there be fans in Yankee Stadium at some point this summer?

Texas A&M football given one-year probation for recruiting violations

Along with probation, Texas A&M was fined $5,000 and handed additional recruiting restrictions.

Cam Newton on Patriots contract: 'This is not about money for me, it's about respect'

Newton doesn't have to show he knows how to win, but he does have to prove to the Patriots and every other team he can survive a grueling 16-game season and be 100% for January playoff contests. 

Spurs' DeMar DeRozan has a problem with the NBA bubble rules

Players won't be socially distant while on the court, though, which is why San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan believes some of the protocols presented to players are absurd.

Cubs' Jose Quintana to miss season start after dishwashing-related injury

The setback isn't too serious, as Quintana should begin throwing again within a couple of weeks, but his season could be in doubt given the shortened schedule.

USC tells students most classes will be online; a foreboding for football season?

The University of Southern California has asked students to remain home and use online courses for the fall term and also announced that only 10  to 20 percent of classes will be conducted in USC classrooms.

Report: MLB schedule approved by MLBPA, to be announced next week

It's believed teams will only play opponents from similar regional divisions across both leagues.

Danny Roberts, Shavkat Rakhmonov pull out of July 25 UFC Fight Island show

A pair of competitors reportedly won't be making the journey to the UFC Fight Island for the promotion's July 25 show headlined by Darren Till versus Robert Whittaker.

Cardinals replace Yankees for MLB Field of Dreams game versus White Sox

The Field of Dreams Game will have a new team in place of the Yankees.

NFLPA could request NFL cancel all preseason games?

Even though the NFL is pushing to eliminate two preseason games, the NFLPA might advocate for scrapping the exhibition slate altogether.

League MVP Carlos Vela likely opting out of MLS is Back tournament?

Last year's winner of the Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player award set a league single-season scoring record with 34 goals in 31 regular-season appearances in 2019. 

Nuggets' Nikola Jokic expected to play in Orlando after contracting COVID-19

Denver coach Michael Malone declared the best passing big man in the Association today should be good to go for the NBA's 22-team resumption that's set to tip off on July 30. 

Damian Lillard thinks NBA players will break 'bubble' rules

Recent events have shown how quickly things can fall apart for a team or even an entire league in these uncertain times.

Mexico cancels baseball season, Mexico City Marathon due to pandemic

One day after the coronavirus pandemic forced Minor League Baseball to cancel its season, the Mexican Baseball League made the same call. Additionally, the 2020 Mexico City Marathon announced that the race scheduled for Aug. 30 is canceled.

Cubs pitching coach wants MLB season despite his own scary coronavirus illness

Hottovy, who doesn't know how he became infected, added he's at about 80 percent as spring training 2.0 sessions get underway.

Wizards' Bradley Beal hasn't yet decided to play in NBA restart

Beal said he won't make his call based on any social-justice discussions occurring around the United States following the killing of George Floyd.

NFL preseason cut in half to two games?

Both parties agreeing to drop preseason games at a time when the NFL wishes to limit travel and exposure to non-league personnel while hoping to somehow conduct a season amid the pandemic this fall makes sense. 

Penn State AD speaks out against spring college football season

Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour was less than keen on the notion of playing football in the first half of 2021.

New Jersey, Colorado, New Hampshire allow wagers on July 4 hot dog eating contest

The July 4 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest won't be the same this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. The event will take place in an undisclosed location rather than on Coney Island in Brooklyn, N.Y., in front of thousands of screaming fans.

76ers' Ben Simmons 'good to go' for NBA resumption after February back injury

Simmons was averaging 16.7 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds a game before the season was put on hiatus.

Nets GM on player opt-outs: 'We have to bring a team to Orlando'

Marks said on Wednesday he has "no reason to believe at this point" any other players will elect to sit the season's resumption out.

Rick Pitino: 2020 CBB season should start in January with only league games

We're still months away from the planned start of the 2020-21 college basketball season, but longtime head coach Rick Pitino already thinks the NCAA should be proactive and push the start of the campaign back until the new year. 

Rutgers president 'far from certain' there will be college football amid pandemic

As coronavirus cases spike across the country there is growing doubt about the feasibility of a college football season.