The Ducks are no longer flying together, and Emilio Estevez has explained why.
It was first reported by Deadline on Friday that Estevez, who has played beloved coach Gordon Bombay since the original Mighty Ducks movie in 1992, would not be returning to the role for the second season of Disney Plus' revival series The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers. That report cited "weeks of back and forth with [Estevez's] team over the show's COVID vaccination requirement."
On Monday, Estevez disputed that in a lengthy statement given to Deadline. It can be read in full below:
"I am not anti-vaxx. Full stop.
I take this pandemic very seriously, and I am often teased about my continued following of the safety protocols and my abundance of caution.
I want to address what transpired and clear up some falsehoods which appeared in an article regarding my decision to depart The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers.
In the final analysis, this was nothing more than a good old fashioned contract dispute and not, as some would believe an anti-vaccine position.
While I can’t speak for anyone else in regards to this polarizing, sensitive issue, I have my own lived experience.
In late February 2020, at the end of shooting the pilot for the The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers in Vancouver, I wasn’t feeling 100%. I chalked it up to being on a cold set and on an ice rink day after day.
I drove to Vancouver for the pilot, due to news of 'an emerging disease,' which would eventually be known as 'Covid 19.' My decision to drive there and back was to avoid mass crowds and international airports. I already started wearing face coverings, gloves and using hand sanitizer. I also genuinely love driving across and around America, as anyone who knows me can attest.
En route from Vancouver to Los Angeles I became noticeably ill. Once back in L.A. I begged several doctors to be tested for this new variant of flu. I was assured that 'I didn’t meet the criteria,' or 'There’s no way you have it.' After multiple efforts, I finally received a car side Covid 19 PCR test on March 13, 2020. I continued to become increasingly sick, suffering from fever, sweats, brain fog and mood swings.
On March 17, 2020 I got word I had indeed contracted Covid 19. Thankfully I refrained from visiting my elderly parents and others until I received my results. I had discussions with doctors and contact tracing personnel from the L.A. County Department of Health.
I suffered the summer and fall of 2020 from what we now know as 'Long Haul Syndrome.'
As the show went back into production in August 2020, I reluctantly soldiered on, but was uncertain about how I would be safe on set. I questioned the wisdom of returning to make a tv show in the middle of a pandemic and how actors could be considered 'essential workers.'
The show producers tried their best to assuage my fears of coming back to work. 'You have natural immunity!' 'You’ll be the safest one on set,' I was repeatedly told. Additionally, I was warned by my former reps about possible consequences and legal jeopardy I could face for not reporting to work as ordered.
So, I returned to Vancouver. I followed the Canadian quarantine mandate as well as the strict 'Zone A' on set Covid protocols. I did not complain, nor did I release my diagnosis to the public. I wanted to try and preserve the show morale and be a leader, however, while still suffering from Long Haul Syndrome. The legacy of the franchise was more important to me than my own health.
In retrospect, I wrongly chose to protect the show over being transparent about having contracted Covid-19. I may have provided another public example to wit, how we are all vulnerable to this deadly disease.
The quoted 'anonymous sources,' producers and show runners all know the truth.
Simply put, I am anti-bully.
My exit from the show was due to a myriad of creative differences – any other narrative is false.
To the fans of the franchise – I am as disappointed as you are.
To my 'Ducks' cast and crew – have a wonderful Season 2 on the show and please know that I will miss you all.
It was an honor and a thrill to be able to return as the iconic and beloved character, Gordon Bombay, a character which has been a celebrated benchmark in my 40 year career. And I thank the studio and the producers for creating an opportunity to allow me to visit him again. Ducks Fly Together!"
Game Changers premiered March 26, 2021, on Disney Plus. The first season finale was released May 28, and the series was renewed for another season in early August.
Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls, Parenthood) starred alongside Estevez.
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The Cleveland Browns are giving Shedeur Sanders special treatment in training camp, but it's not the type of favoritism the fifth-round pick would necessarily want. Per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Sanders is the only Browns quarterback who has not been taking reps with the first-team offense during OTAs or the first two practices of training camp. Former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett, veteran Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel have all split reps with the first team. Despite being asked to throw passes to members of the equipment staff amid a shortage of professional pass-catchers for a four-quarterback roster, Sanders said he's thankful for the opportunity to show the Browns coaching staff his talents. "I feel like that it's not in my control, so I'm not going to think about that or even have that in my thought process of why it is," Sanders said to a question as to why he's not getting first-team reps. "There's a lot of people who want to have the opportunity to be at this level, and I'm here and I'm thankful to have the opportunity. So, whenever that is, that is." Sanders, 23, believes that he can contribute more to the Browns than what the coaching staff is asking of him. "It doesn't make me feel down or left out because I know who I am as a person," Sanders said. "I know who I am as an individual and I know what I could bring to this team. So, I can never feel less than any circumstance." The Browns selected Sanders with the No. 144 pick in April's draft. As a player whom many draft analysts thought was a first-round talent, Cleveland took what could be the steal of the draft in the fifth round. It's curious why the Browns aren't giving Sanders a shot with the first team early in training camp before the quarterback race becomes more serious. Cleveland should absolutely see what Sanders has to offer this summer. Flacco, 40, isn't a long-term solution at the position. Pickett failed in Pittsburgh. The Browns need to gauge what rookies Gabriel and Sanders can do with the first team. Having Sanders throw balls to the equipment staff is a waste of everyone's time. But then again, Cleveland has wasted plenty of quarterbacks.
There is not a bigger sporting event in North America than the Super Bowl, and tickets are only getting more expensive every year. There is also a ridiculous secondary market for tickets where seats sell for well above the original face value. It is usually fans or ticket resellers going for a quick profit. But as was reported on Friday, sometimes it can be players in the NFL looking to make a profit. According to multiple reports, including the Associated Press and ESPN, more than 100 players are facing fines and potential suspensions for selling their allotment of tickets to this year's Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs for above face value. Players are reportedly facing fines of one-and-a-half times the face value they originally paid for the tickets, while they are also prevented from purchasing tickets to the Super Bowl for the next seasons. The Associated Press obtained a memo from the NFL detailing the violation and investigation. That memo was as follows: “Our initial investigation has determined that a number of NFL players and coaches, employed by several NFL Clubs, sold Super Bowl tickets for more than the ticket’s face value in violation of the Policy. This long-standing League Policy, which is specifically incorporated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement, prohibits League or Club employees, including players, from selling NFL game tickets acquired from their employer for more than the ticket’s face value or for an amount greater than the employee originally paid for the ticket, whichever is less. We are in the process of completing our investigation into this matter, but the investigation has revealed that club employees and players sold their tickets to a small number of ‘bundlers’ who were working with a ticket reseller to sell the Super Bowl tickets above face value.” If players are not willing to pay the fine, they could be facing suspension from the league. It seems unlikely that any of the players — none of whom have been named, or their teams — would refuse to pay such a fine. It's also one of those moments where you can say, professional athletes — they're still normal people trying to make a quick buck. The most logical answer here is perhaps some of the players caught up in this are younger players who have not yet struck it rich on a big contract or perhaps even practice squad players who are not making top dollar.
The New York Mets are a half-game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the NL East, but their pitching staff is still injury-ravaged despite the recent returns of Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas. Brandon Waddell (hip), Dedniel Nuñez (elbow), Max Kranick (flexor), Paul Blackburn (shoulder), Tylor Megill (elbow), Griffin Canning (Achilles), Drew Smith (elbow), A.J. Minter (lat), Danny Young (elbow), and Christian Scott (elbow) are alll on the Mets' IL. The MLB Trade Deadline is July 31 at 6 p.m. EST, so the front office has one week to add healthy arms from around the league this season. ESPN's David Schoenfield predicted on Thursday that New York would trade for a Minnesota Twins reliever. "One guarantee of the trade deadline: The Mets will add to the bullpen, probably with more than one trade. Though the rotation still ranks fifth in ERA, that was built off a hot start," he wrote. "More importantly, the only Mets starter to complete six innings since June 7 has been David Peterson. As a result, manager Carlos Mendoza has run relievers Reed Garrett, Huascar Brazoban, Jose Butto and Ryne Stanek into the ground. The bullpen had a 2.78 ERA through May, but that figure is over 5.00 since the beginning of June (ranking near the bottom of the majors)." "The Twins have two high-profile relievers in [Jhoan] Duran and [Griffin] Jax, both of whom are under team control through 2027, so they'll be much more expensive than your usual short-term relievers if the Twins decide to trade one or both," he continued. "Duran would be harder to deal -- but bring more in return -- so we'll say Jax will go. Don't be fooled by his 4.09 ERA: He has 68 strikeouts and 12 walks in 44 innings with a 97-mph heater. He's an elite strikeout reliever, the type you want on the mound in October." The Mets are hot despite their injuries, as they're on a four-game winning streak and just swept the Los Angeles Angels. Next up is a road trip against the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres. New York right-handed pitcher Clay Holmes (8-5, 3.48 ERA) will face Giants right-hander Logan Webb (9-7, 3.08 ERA) on Friday.
The Houston Astros are adding some versatility to their depth options as they near yet another postseason berth. On Friday the A's announced that recently DFA'd Logan Davidson has been claimed by Houston. Davidson was the A's first round pick in 2019 at No. 29 overall, and he finally made his MLB debut this season in late May after years of grinding in the minors and working on his versatility to get a shot at the roster. Despite being selected in 2019, he was still hanging around the A's top-30 prospect list this season, which feels uncommon for players after so many years. His debut was certainly not one that players dream of. He entered the game as a pinch-runner in the bottom of the tenth inning, replacing an injured Nick Kurtz at third base. On the first fly ball to the outfield, he tagged up and was thrown out at home as his first play in the big leagues. He'd make up for that in his first start the next day, going 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a run scored in the A's lone win during the 1-20 stretch in May and June. He received limited playing time in his stint with the A's, and went 3-for-20 (.150) with a .261 OBP. In the minors this season, Davidson has batted .263 with a .412 OBP and seven home runs across 73 games played with the Las Vegas Aviators. Now 27, Davidson is a versatile defender that can fill in at a number of positions, getting the most playing time at first and second in the minors this season, while also seeing time at third, shortstop and left field. While Davidson has been claimed, he was also optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land. The Astros also placed left-hander Brandon Walter on the 15-day IL with left elbow inflammation, and designated Nick Robertson for assignment. Robertson had been with the Dodgers, Red Sox, Cardinals and Blue Jays the past two seasons, racking up a 5.30 ERA across 27 appearances with a 1.57 WHIP between the two years, but he has yet to pitch for the Astros this season. The 27-year-old right-hander has been with the Space Cowboys all season, making 31 appearances out of the 'pen with a 4.68 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. In his 32 2/3 innings he'd struck out 36 batters, which is solid for an up-and-down guy, but he'd also walked 25 hitters and held a 17.2% walk rate. The question now is whether another club will scoop him up and add him to their own 40-man. He's kept the walks more under control in the past, so he may be worth taking a flier if there is roster flexibility.