newyorkpost--2020-03-14--How big free agency price tags are dictating top of NFL draft

League officials are scrambling to save the 2020 NFL Draft ...

If the Jets are criticized for negotiating a contract near the top of a $16 million per year market to keep All-Pro safety Jamal Adams from free agency …
If the Panthers (and soon the Giants) will be lambasted for deciding to invest more than $16 million in game-changing running backs Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley, respectively …
Then isn’t the NFL really saying the first 10 picks of the draft now are reserved only for quarterbacks, pass rushers, offensive tackles and cornerbacks?
Sure enough, 2020 mock drafts show that exclusivity, so The Post posed a paradox to four NFL analysts: Why bother with any other position if it is later considered foolish to pay top dollar to young stars exceeding expectations?
“It’s a really smart question,” ESPN’s Todd McShay said. “You can get away with drafting anyone anywhere if they are a special player. It’s when you go to re-sign them: Do you think the value is still going to be there?”
The “best player available” philosophy could become “best premium position player available” within the top 10.
“I think that’s where the league is going,” McShay said. “You want to re-sign your own guys for continuity, but it’s a lot easier to throw money at rookies than it is that second contract. Jamal and Saquon bring a lot of leadership and competitiveness to those teams, but you have to get those other positions right if you are going to turn the corner.”
“ ‘Build through the draft’ is a cliché, but if the right decision is to let go of an elite player entering his prime based on his position, then either the system or the thinking is broken.”
“The expectation is you are going to hit on your picks at the top of the draft, and you will either pay them or trade them to get something of value, a la Jacksonville with Jalen Ramsey,” former NFL agent turned CBS Sports analyst Joel Corry said. “How you play dictates your second contract more than anything else.”
First-round picks earn a preset wage based entirely on draft slot for four seasons, which makes it enticing to fill those four positions that otherwise eat up the salary cap. Negotiations on a second contract can begin after three seasons, so Adams and McCaffrey are first eligible now, with Barkley up next offseason.
“I don’t think those guys ever leave the building,” said ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum, the former Jets general manager and Dolphins vice president. “I think those are foundational players that are part of winning locker rooms.
“We are building teams here, and to the extent they provide value beyond the normal discussion of just the position, that’s something that oftentimes gets lost in the wash.”
A preposterous theory that floated around the NFL combine — based on some buyer’s remorse from the Rams on Todd Gurley (four years, $57 million) and salary-cap complications Ezekiel Elliott’s six-year, $90 million contract cause for the Cowboys — is that Jacksonville lucked out.
Unlike the Giants, Rams, Panthers and Cowboys, the Jaguars will not have to sink a large contract into a running back because top 10 pick Leonard Fournette hasn’t earned it. Think about that backwards logic.
“You are talking about a running back who has taken all these hits,” McShay said. “What you are paying them in year 6-10 hurts your cap so much more than when you drafted them in the top 10 as a rookie.”
Five of the top 10 picks in 2015 already have changed teams and others soon could in free agency. A swing-and-miss at a premium position is more easily forgiven than a risk.
“These head coaches and general managers have to win now,” said SiriusXM NFL Radio host Brady Quinn, a former NFL quarterback. “It starts with a combination of need and using those five positions to prioritize what you are going to take in the top 10.”
The reward for bucking convention can be seen with the Redskins and Colts, who were questioned for over-drafting guards. Brandon Scherff and Quenton Nelson quickly became two of the best in the NFL.
“People question it and he goes in and he’s an All-Pro,” Quinn said. “You see that happen and you say to yourself, ‘Hmm.’ But, more often than not, I think teams are apprehensive.”
Quinn’s fifth premium position is wide receiver, but he admits even that is being phased out. Many scouts see Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy as a top-five talent in 2020 who could slip based on position.
It’s common for quarterbacks to be over-drafted — four could be in the top 10 again — but now four or five offensive tackles could go before the first wide receiver, tight end, running back, guard or safety.
Is that just the strength of the 2020 draft class? Or a sign of things to come?
“You may see it leaning in that direction,” Corry said. “I still think if you are one of the best players available, you are going to go high regardless of position.”
Subject to change.


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Mike Piazza on coronavirus: ‘Stay isolated as much as possible’

PORT ST. LUCIE — Mike Piazza and his family live in Italy .
They came back to their home in Miami in February and opted to stay here .
Since then , scary times have come to Parma , where the Piazza family has found a home abroad , and to all of Italy , because of the coronavirus pandemic .
“ I just talked to a close friend over there , ’ ’ Piazza told The Post late Thursday night , “ and what happened is that when they shut down the schools initially at the end of February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They were all going to the piazza and having lunch and drinks and that was a big mistake because people had [ the virus ] and didn ’ t know it and were passing it on and made the situation a lot worse and now obviously the country is in a full lockdown .
The biggest fear is the fear of the unknown .
The fear of the darkness .
“ You like to think you are prepared for these situations , but ultimately if there is a max sort of pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases that needed to be treated , you just don ’ t have the infrastructure , so I think that is what is happening in Italy , ’ ’ the Hall of Fame catcher said .
“ They made that mistake .
Yes , you want to carry on a sense of normalcy , but the most important thing is to stay isolated as much as possible .
Maintain your distance and do all the precautions .
You have to be extra vigilant , we pray and we hope that it is at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some sort of way to deter the spread.
’ ’ Piazza arrived in South Florida right before the Super Bowl .
His wife and three children arrived on Valentine ’ s Day .
“ They were supposed to go back for school while I did my thing in spring training , and the day before they were scheduled to leave , school was canceled , ’ ’ Piazza explained .
“ It ’ s a very fortunate situation , ’ ’ said Piazza , a deep believer in his Catholic faith .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the school has been offering online support .
And of course we are praying for our friends .
Italy is our home now in a way and the kids miss their friends and are very concerned .
I ’ m just going to church more often and praying .
In Parma , people are extremely worried and very humbled .
I think everyone will appreciate their normal lives when we get back to that point .
’ ’

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
PORT ST. LUCIE — Mike Piazza and his family live in Italy. They came back to their home in Miami in February and opted to stay here.
Since then, scary times have come to Parma, where the Piazza family has found a home abroad, and to all of Italy, because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I just talked to a close friend over there,’’ Piazza told The Post late Thursday night, “and what happened is that when they shut down the schools initially at the end of February, the Italians made a big mistake. They were all going to the piazza and having lunch and drinks and that was a big mistake because people had [the virus] and didn’t know it and were passing it on and made the situation a lot worse and now obviously the country is in a full lockdown. The biggest fear is the fear of the unknown. The fear of the darkness.
“You like to think you are prepared for these situations, but ultimately if there is a max sort of pandemic or you have an extraordinary amount of cases that needed to be treated, you just don’t have the infrastructure, so I think that is what is happening in Italy,’’ the Hall of Fame catcher said. “They made that mistake. Yes, you want to carry on a sense of normalcy, but the most important thing is to stay isolated as much as possible. Maintain your distance and do all the precautions. You have to be extra vigilant, we pray and we hope that it is at least somewhat contained and they can find some sort of way to deter the spread.’’
Piazza arrived in South Florida right before the Super Bowl. His wife and three children arrived on Valentine’s Day.
“They were supposed to go back for school while I did my thing in spring training, and the day before they were scheduled to leave, school was canceled,’’ Piazza explained.
The family stayed in Miami.
“It’s a very fortunate situation,’’ said Piazza, a deep believer in his Catholic faith. “We’ve gotten some tutors and the school has been offering online support. And of course we are praying for our friends. Italy is our home now in a way and the kids miss their friends and are very concerned. I’m just going to church more often and praying. In Parma, people are extremely worried and very humbled. I think everyone will appreciate their normal lives when we get back to that point.’’


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--NHL already working in hopes of restarting season

Everything is on the table for the NBA , from canceling ...

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
This is the message, until it’s not.
As the NHL and the Players’ Association tried to figure out the details for what this “pause” in the season might look like in light of the coronavirus pandemic, commissioner Gary Bettman reinforced the uncertainty.
“Nobody knows how long the hiatus may be,” Bettman told the AP on Friday, one day after the league suspended operations indefinitely. “This isn’t an independent determination. We’re going to have to rely on others as to when it’s safe, which is why people can speculate, but nobody can predict with certainty.”
One thing that is clear is the league and its players want to continue this season at some point, and clubs have been told to work with their arenas to find dates for games, which could go into July. Of course health is the league’s first concern, but the NHL is predicated on gate receipts more than any of the other three major North American pro leagues, and the financial ramifications of canceling the rest of the season are huge.
Not only would the players not get paid and the teams not make money, but the huge drop in hockey-related revenue would drastically affect the salary cap next season.
That is why Bettman is open to any idea that might facilitate playing games at some point, even in empty arenas.
“I’m not ruling anything in and I’m not ruling anything out,” Bettman said. “This is still too fluid.”
A positive note is Bettman still had not received any information about a player or team employee testing positive for coronavirus — which doesn’t mean it might not come out soon.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if somebody isn’t feeling well and self-quarantining,” Bettman said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if somebody has been tested and is waiting for results.”
That was the biggest difference between the NHL and NBA, which suspended its season on Wednesday night after Jazz forward Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, followed by teammate Donovan Mitchell. The two leagues share a lot of arenas, so Bettman knew it only would be a matter of time before someone in or around the NHL got it, and then the league would have to stop.
“The last couple of weeks, we, like everybody else, have been monitoring what’s been going on, and we went from dealing with things on a day-to-day basis to an hour-by-hour basis, and then it was in minutes,” Bettman told NHL.com. “But [Wednesday] night, when the NBA had a positive test and they had to cancel a game at that moment, it was clear to me.And through all of our calculus, we knew that once a player tested positive, it would be a game changer.“I decided it was time to get ahead of it and not wait for one of our players to get tested, because in all likelihood, at some point in time, we weren’t going to get through the rest of the season without a player testing positive.”
So like the rest of the sporting world, Bettman put the NHL on “pause.” He was hesitant to use any word stronger than that, still holding out optimistic hope the Stanley Cup would be awarded at some point this summer. Bettman said the league wants players and staff to self-isolate at home.
“It’s going to evolve,” he said. “We’re looking at all contingencies, and when the circumstances are right that we can play, then we’ll look at what we can do.”
Players on injured reserve are permitted to receive treatment at team facilities, which otherwise are closed to the players, who will receive their final three paychecks. Players with families living outside a team’s home city may join them, but must notify clubs.
“My hope is that at some point we’ll get back to some normalcy, and that’s not just my hope for the NHL, and it’s not just my hope for all sports. It’s my hope for everything that’s going on.”
— Additional reporting by Larry Brooks


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--NCAA: Spring athletes will keep year of eligibility

The NCAA is still considering presenting a tournament bracket as ...

Student-athletes who participate in spring sports will not lose a year of eligibility due to the coronavirus pandemic, the NCAA announced Friday.
A day after spring season championships were canceled and nearly all the spring sports were eliminated, this was one way to make up for the lost season for baseball, softball, lacrosse and track and field athletes, among others.
“Council leadership agreed that eligibility relief is appropriate for all Division I student-athletes who participated in spring sports,” the NCAA said in a statement. “Details of eligibility relief will be finalized at a later time. Additional issues with NCAA rules must be addressed, and appropriate governance bodies will work through those in the coming days and weeks.”
On social media, some have expressed hope senior basketball players would also be given an extra year of eligibility, although that seems unlikely since only the postseason was interrupted. Under the current rules, once a student-athlete appears in 30 percent of his or her season schedule or past the halfway point of that season, it counts as a year of eligibility.
For now, the NCAA’s Council Coordination Committee is looking into winter sports and will discuss the matter.
“There is tremendous empathy for the student-athletes, especially the seniors, first of all on the basketball teams because it’s at the end of our season, March Madness,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a video the school released. “It’s one of the really [great] gifts that our country has. It makes everyone feel better. These are moments that these kids work hard for and live for.”
In-person recruiting was banned by the NCAA on Friday until at least April 15 and schools were advised to suspend visits of all kinds for recruits in that time frame. Phone calls and written communications will be allowed. This announcement didn’t slow down the transfer portal, as numerous players opted to give themselves the opportunity to transfer.


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Yankees decide to stay in Tampa during coronavirus shutdown

TAMPA — The Yankees don ’ t know when the coronavirus will loosen its chokehold on the world enough for big league baseball to resume .
What they do understand is this : When the season reboots , the Yankees want to be ready to take the initial step toward winning the organization ’ s first World Series since 2009 .
At a meeting at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Friday , the Yankees could have voted to go home , go to New York or stay in Tampa .
“ They gave us the option of what we wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team we wanted to stay here and continue working out and getting ready for whenever the season is , ’ ’ Zack Britton said while standing in the parking lot .
“ It was unanimous , everyone wants to stay here and get ready to go for when the season starts back.
’ ’ Getting even 10 men to agree on anything is an upset .
Egos , agendas and politics get in the way .
Yet the Yankees found a way for 50 players to agree that it was important to remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a time when the world has been smothered by the virus .
“ Whatever guys wanted to do we were going to do but we wanted to be ready for whenever the season starts , ’ ’ Britton said .
Major League Baseball released a statement Thursday informing teams the rest of spring training was being called off and at least the first two weeks of the regular season would be canceled .
The belief of many in the game , however , is Opening Day will be delayed longer and could stretch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a message to everybody in the room .
“ Guys are here to win .
Guys are here to win a World Series .
Whether or not we have a chance at it this year guys want to be ready for when that opportunity comes , ’ ’ Britton said .
“ I was happy to know we are all pulling in the same direction .
We have a great clubhouse and guys want to stick it out here .
They could have easily decided to go home and be with their families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together.
’ ’ “ Hal Steinbrenner spoke to us and he is going to give us access to the facility , they are going to supply us with breakfast in the morning .
It ’ s not crazy organized but we are going to have some structure to it for guys who want to hit or throw bullpens , ’ ’ Britton said of the workouts , which will begin Saturday .
“ It was nice of Hal.
’ ’ Britton said MLB and the Players Association are working to set guidelines under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Maybe we will have a better idea of a concrete schedule , ’ ’ Britton said .
Since MLB decided to end spring training , the situation has changed almost hourly .
That isn ’ t expected to change .
“ I would say that on a daily basis moving forward , as we just recently experienced , things will continue to change and evolve and we will adjust accordingly , ’ ’ general manager Brian Cashman said on a conference call .
“ As we move forward , our facility will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for players that choose to be here with informal abilities to allow them to get some work in at various times during the day.
’ ’ According to Britton , the Yankees have been diligent about keeping the workplace safe .
“ They had a company come in there and sanitize the clubhouse for a while now , like every morning and we are going to keep that up , ’ ’ Britton said .
“ Having the Yankee doctors down here and all the resources I feel like if we are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that here where we have the resources of the Yankees .
I don ’ t think anybody feels scared of us getting the coronavirus and if we do we will combat it .
Maybe somebody will get it , maybe somebody won ’ t .
Who knows , right , regardless of what happens , we are in a good spot being down here with the resources they have from a doctors ’ standpoint .
’ ’

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
TAMPA — The Yankees don’t know when the coronavirus will loosen its chokehold on the world enough for big league baseball to resume.
What they do understand is this: When the season reboots, the Yankees want to be ready to take the initial step toward winning the organization’s first World Series since 2009.
At a meeting at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Friday, the Yankees could have voted to go home, go to New York or stay in Tampa.
“They gave us the option of what we wanted to do. We decided as a team we wanted to stay here and continue working out and getting ready for whenever the season is,’’ Zack Britton said while standing in the parking lot. “It was unanimous, everyone wants to stay here and get ready to go for when the season starts back.’’
Getting even 10 men to agree on anything is an upset. Egos, agendas and politics get in the way. Yet the Yankees found a way for 50 players to agree that it was important to remain together and believe it was safe in a time when the world has been smothered by the virus.
“Whatever guys wanted to do we were going to do but we wanted to be ready for whenever the season starts,’’ Britton said.
Major League Baseball released a statement Thursday informing teams the rest of spring training was being called off and at least the first two weeks of the regular season would be canceled. The belief of many in the game, however, is Opening Day will be delayed longer and could stretch into May.
The unanimous vote sent a message to everybody in the room.
“Guys are here to win. Guys are here to win a World Series. Whether or not we have a chance at it this year guys want to be ready for when that opportunity comes,’’ Britton said. “I was happy to know we are all pulling in the same direction. We have a great clubhouse and guys want to stick it out here. They could have easily decided to go home and be with their families and they decided we want to stick together.’’
Hal Steinbrenner made the vote easier.
“Hal Steinbrenner spoke to us and he is going to give us access to the facility, they are going to supply us with breakfast in the morning. It’s not crazy organized but we are going to have some structure to it for guys who want to hit or throw bullpens,’’ Britton said of the workouts, which will begin Saturday. “It was nice of Hal.’’
Britton said MLB and the Players Association are working to set guidelines under which clubs and players will work.
“Maybe we will have a better idea of a concrete schedule,’’ Britton said.
Since MLB decided to end spring training, the situation has changed almost hourly. That isn’t expected to change.
“I would say that on a daily basis moving forward, as we just recently experienced, things will continue to change and evolve and we will adjust accordingly,’’ general manager Brian Cashman said on a conference call. “As we move forward, our facility will be available and we shall provide support for players that choose to be here with informal abilities to allow them to get some work in at various times during the day.’’
According to Britton, the Yankees have been diligent about keeping the workplace safe.
“They had a company come in there and sanitize the clubhouse for a while now, like every morning and we are going to keep that up,’’ Britton said. “Having the Yankee doctors down here and all the resources, I feel like if we are going to get sick, it’s better off doing that here where we have the resources of the Yankees. I don’t think anybody feels scared of us getting the coronavirus, and if we do, we will combat it. Maybe somebody will get it, maybe somebody won’t. Who knows, right? Regardless of what happens, we are in a good spot being down here with the resources they have from a doctors standpoint.’’


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--No Masters: PGA Tour pros react to golf’s shutdown

A tradition unlike any other is now a sports event ...

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
First was the NBA. Then came MLS and the NHL. Then the NCAA Tournament and MLB. Those major sports organizations ceased operation on Wednesday and Thursday.
Then, on Friday morning, the PGA Tour announced it was suspending play for the next month.
And now the Masters.
After Masters organizers were radio silent the previous two days as the rest of the sports world shut down, venerable Augusta National Golf Club, which walks to its own beat, announced Friday the tournament, which was to begin the week of April 6, is being postponed.
“Ultimately, the health and well-being of everyone associated with these events and the citizens of the Augusta community led us to this decision,” Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National, said in a statement. “We hope this postponement puts us in the best position to safely host the Masters Tournament and our amateur events at some later date.”
It’s unclear when the event will be played and whether the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and Drive, Chip & Putt events will also be part of the rescheduling. The Masters, which dates to 1934, has never been played outside of March or April.
Tiger Woods is the defending champion, having won his fifth green jacket and 15th career major championship last April.
The Masters became the sixth event on the PGA Tour schedule that will not be played in its current spot on the calendar, following the cancellation of the remainder of The Players Championship, next week’s Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla., the WGC-Dell Match Play Championship in Austin, Texas, the opposite-field event in the Dominican Republic, and the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.
“I think they’re doing the right thing, and I look forward to hopefully playing the Masters later this year,’’ Justin Thomas said Friday. “I felt like there was no chance we were going to play the Masters. Obviously, I wanted to, but I didn’t think we were going to, to be perfectly honest.
“But then again, you have days at Augusta where it looks like there’s going to be a tornado and it’s perfectly sunny. Some freaky things seem to happen around there. So, I didn’t know what was going to happen, but it’s definitely for the best decision and what needed to be done.’’
The PGA Tour sent texts to the players competing in The Players Championship shortly before 10 p.m. Thursday to alert them that the tournament was being canceled — despite the fact that earlier in the day Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said the tournament would play on, but without spectators.
At the time, some players were glued to their mobile phones breathlessly searching for the latest news and some already were asleep, resting for their early tee times Friday.
Monahan, in a press conference Friday, said among the things that influenced him to change course and cancel the tournament entirely were player input and the fact Walt Disney World and Universal Studios were closing down.
On Friday, with many of the players at TPC Sawgrass to clean out their lockers, the reaction was universal in support of the Tour canceling The Players, which paid out half of its $15 million purse to be split up equally among the players who competed, paying them about $52,000 each.
“I didn’t talk to Jay, [but] I was hoping he made the decision [to cancel],’’ reigning U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland said Friday. “If I would have been asked, I would have told him I didn’t think we should be playing.
“We had to do it. It would have looked horrible if we showed up and played [Friday] with every other sports league not playing. It probably would have been insensitive, so I’m glad Jay made the decision that he did. It’s best for us. It’s best for the fans and our families. Hopefully, the world comes together and we get over this.
“This is obviously a very serious deal, and I think it’s only going to get worse right now, so it’s best for us not to be playing golf.’’
Rory McIlroy called it “the right decision’’ not to play Friday and until further notice.
Bernd Wiesberger, who’s from Austria and plays most of his golf on the European Tour, was relieved by the Tour’s decision to cancel and the Masters decision to postpone because he was facing the European travel ban that went onto effect Friday.
“Obviously, everyone would love to see some golf, but in the bigger picture I’m in constant contact with family and relatives in Europe and it’s pretty bad there,’’ he said. “I’m looking forward to going back home and being with them and help out over there.
“It’s unprecedented times. We all need to kind of stick together and do the right thing for everyone, for the elderly, to not have anyone affected that doesn’t need to be, and therefore I think it’s good we’re packing up and kind of going home and try to have as minimal social contact as possible and try not to spread it any further.’’


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Mets executive Donovan Mitchell Sr. tests negative for coronavirus

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic .
PORT ST. LUCIE @ @ @ @ @ good news Friday night , when they learned Donovan Mitchell Sr. , their director of @ @ @ @ @ , tested negative for the coronavirus .
Mitchell is the father of Utah Jazz star @ @ @ @ @ positive for the coronavirus , joining teammate Rudy Gobert as the first known cases among @ @ @ @ @ .
The Jazz played the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 4 and Mitchell @ @ @ @ @ He was tested for the virus Thursday .
Mitchell Sr. returned to Florida on March @ @ @ @ @ at work at the Mets ’ spring training complex through Wednesday , in close contact @ @ @ @ @ While the Mets dodged a potential team-wide brush with the virus that has disrupted the @ @ @ @ @ have yet to make their plans known for the rest of the spring .
General @ @ @ @ @ scheduled to address the media Saturday .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
PORT ST. LUCIE — The Mets got some good news Friday night, when they learned Donovan Mitchell Sr., their director of player relations and community outreach, tested negative for the coronavirus.
Mitchell is the father of Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell, who tested positive for the coronavirus, joining teammate Rudy Gobert as the first known cases among pro athletes in the U.S.
The Jazz played the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 4 and Mitchell Sr. attended the game. He was tested for the virus Thursday.
Mitchell Sr. returned to Florida on March 5 and had been regularly at work at the Mets’ spring training complex through Wednesday, in close contact with players and fans.
While the Mets dodged a potential team-wide brush with the virus that has disrupted the entire sports world, they have yet to make their plans known for the rest of the spring. General manager Brodie Van Wagenen is scheduled to address the media Saturday.


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Hofstra coach ‘choked up’ about missed NCAA Tournament

His character gets praised first .
Then his off-court development .
Basketball ...

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
The sound was difficult to interpret. Mostly, it sounded like phone static. Then, it sounded like Joe Mihalich again.
“Excuse me, I’m sorry,” the Hofstra basketball coach said. “I’m just choked up.”
That was just a couple of hours after the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament.
It had been less than two days since Hofstra secured its first ticket to March Madness in 19 years. It had been 13 years since the 63-year-old Mihalich had been to the Big Dance as coach of Niagara. It had come following a pair of heartbreaking conference title game losses since 2016, which left the Pride one win shy of heaven.
Mihalich remained composed discussing his frustration, confusion and disappointment. Then, talk turned to his seniors and his voice began trembling.
Mihalich thought of Desure Buie, the team’s undersized fifth-year guard and leading scorer. The first in his family to graduate college and the father to daughter Jada, Buie has exceeded all expectations on the court and in the classroom. The coach thought of Eli Pemberton, the four-year starter who appeared in the second-most games (128) in school history and is the school’s ninth all-time leading scorer. The guard shed tears when Mihalich called him Thursday afternoon, knowing their shared dream was over.
“Those kids, if anyone deserves to be in the NCAA Tournament, it’s Desure Buie and Elijah Pemberton and they’re not gonna get to do it. Ugh,” Mihalich said. “It’s a tough thing to deal with. But we have no choice. We’re gonna deal with this. Part of life is dealing with setbacks and disappointment and bad breaks, but we feel like we got robbed of something we earned and something we deserved.”
Pemberton was driving when a “ding” stole his attention, he said. He looked down at his phone, read the devastating alert and pulled over, as he attempted to process the shock.
“As happy as we were, we got shot down that fast. Other than my grandmother passing away and some of my friends passing away, it might be one of the hardest days of my life,” Pemberton said. “I don’t know how to explain this feeling. I just feel like I’ve been stabbed in the heart. Every time I think about Long Island, I start choking up. I just feel so bad for Long Island. They deserved this after 19 years. This was everything to me and my team.”
Even with the rapid succession of cancellations, suspensions and postponements of various sports due to the spread of the coronavirus, the Pride didn’t expect their dream season to end without a buzzer.
“We were all surprised,” Buie said. “I didn’t agree with them cancelling it. I thought they should’ve postponed it for a while, but I don’t know. Who am I? They must know more about this.”
There is no one who will ever know if Hofstra — widely projected to be a 14th-seed — could have become a bracket-busting Cinderella.
“You never know what could have happen. That’s why it hurts. Who could we have possibly upset?” Buie said. “You’ve been dreaming about this your whole life. I was just looking forward to Selection Sunday, seeing Hofstra on TV. That would be surreal.
“I was so excited to play. I was hoping to create something for myself, to get some people to notice who I was, and show who I am as a player and a person. For us seniors, we don’t get another shot at it. I don’t know what’s next. That’s the scary part. I hope I get to play somewhere and have a long career.”
The future arrived prematurely. Mihalich just hopes the past will be defined by more than one excruciating day.
“My message to the guys when I got through all the emotional stuff was, ‘Look, your last game this year, you were on the big stage, you climbed up a ladder, cut down the net, hugged each other, you were champions your last game. That’s how you walked off the floor,’ ” Mihalich said. “You’re gonna be one of the teams that ended the season a champion. Enjoy that. Make that be your last memory.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--MMA, boxing face obstacles to holding cards amid coronavirus fears

Two upcoming boxing events scheduled for the Hulu Theater at ...

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
It seems only natural that combat sports aren’t going down to the coronavirus without a fight.
While all the major sports leagues and tournaments around the country have essentially ceased operations in light of the coronavirus pandemic, the world of mixed martial arts and boxing are exploring options to go through with most of their upcoming events.
Concerns about spreading the virus caused Bellator 241 to be postponed on Friday just hours before the mixed martial arts event was to take place at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. All fighters and officials were paid, unlike most combat events that depend on gate receipts and television revenue to pay the fighters.
Also two major boxing shows set for Saturday and Tuesday at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden were postponed for health and safety reasons. But while all other sports leagues might be on hiatus up to six weeks or more, promoters from the UFC, Top Rank, and Premier Boxing Champions are scrambling to preserve their upcoming cards, including UFC 249, which is set for April 18 at Barclays Center.
The UFC is going ahead with UFC Fight Night 170 in Brazil on Saturday in an empty arena with only fighters, cornermen, referees, judges and the broadcast team from ESPN and ESPN+. Kevin Lee and Charles Oliveira will meet in the main event.
A March 21 UFC event in London is still scheduled, while UFC events initially slated for Columbus on March 28 and Portland on April 11 will be moved to the UFC Apex Facility in Las Vegas and will not be open to fans. The 130,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility houses UFC Studio shows like Dana White’s Contender Series.
As of now, there’s every indication the UFC will do all it can to preserve UFC 249 at Barclays Center, where Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0) and Tony Ferguson (25-3) will meet in a mega-fight for the lightweight championship. Gatherings of more than 500 have been banned by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. While the ban could last up to six months, there is hope the world will be a safer place in 30 days. If UFC 249 is canceled, it would mark the fifth time a Khabib-Ferguson matchup will have been scrapped.
Meanwhile, Top Rank is also looking into staging its upcoming boxing events in studio-like conditions. Top Rank boss Bob Arum has talked with UFC president Dana White about utilizing the Apex facility, but also could hold the bouts in other small venues around Las Vegas without a live audience. The UFC and Top Rank have a partnership with ESPN and ESPN+ and are eager to supply programming at a time when the other major sports are idle. The major problem is the availability of timely testing procedures for COVID-19.
“Getting a studio setting just to show the fights on television, that’s not ideal, but we’re preparing to do it,” Arum told The Post. “But without testing it’s no good. We’ve got to be able to test the guys.Unless we have tests to where we can get answers in a couple of days or two days or the same day we’re nowhere.”
Premier Boxing Champions postponed a boxing card set for Saturday at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md., but hasn’t made decisions on future events. That includes a show to be televised on Showtime on March 28 from Las Vegas, another on April 11 on Fox from Minneapolis and another card on April 18 from Phoenix. California-based Promoter Tom Brown said ticket sales have ceased for the events. He spent much of Friday on the phone speaking with doctors and commissioners trying to brainstorm on how to continue the shows without an audience.
The central problem remains: How can fighters and the personnel who will be working those shows be tested?
“We want everyone that’s going to be in that room to be tested,” Brown told The Post, “whether it’s the TV crew, the ambulance drivers, the commission, the referee or the time keeper. We want everyone tested because if someone does come out of that arena with the virus everyone has to be quarantined.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Why ‘devastated’ Rutgers could reach new heights next year

The three Rutgers captains looked at each other and smiled ...

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
Posted in the Rutgers locker room was the scheduled date — March 15, 2020 — of Selection Sunday. Scarlet Knights coach Steve Pikiell didn’t like to talk about the NCAA Tournament publicly, but internally, that was the mission from the time the team convened for summer workouts.
Thursday afternoon, as Rutgers’ flight from Indianapolis landed in Newark, its hope of snapping the school’s NCAA Tournament drought that stretches to 1991 vanished after the NCAA canceled March Madness due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“It was everything we’ve been talking about since June,” Pikiell told The Post in a phone interview. “Then they found on the internet it’s over. Tough day. Crazy day.
“They’re devastated. I mean, they worked hard on a goal all season long and they achieved it.”
Rutgers was in Indianapolis preparing for its Big Ten Tournament opener against Michigan on Thursday when that tournament was called off 14 minutes before tip-off. At the time, Pikiell figured the NCAA Tournament wasn’t in jeopardy. It just would take place without fans. He figured it would be a thrilling experience anyway.
“I told my guys it’s going to be the most watched NCAA Tournament [ever], because people can’t go to the games,” Pikiell said. “But I still thought it would be played.”
Instead, this memorable season, in which the Scarlet Knights won 20 games for the first time in 16 years, went an astonishing 18-1 at home at the boisterous and frequently packed RAC and beat four ranked teams, ended prematurely. Picked to finish 12th in the 14-team Big Ten, Rutgers was eighth in arguably the best conference in the country. After a three-game losing streak put their tournament hopes in danger, the Scarlet Knights rebounded by manhandling Maryland at home and winning at Purdue. The Big Ten Tournament was about seeding for the big tournament, not about NCAA Tournament survival.
“We’ve been playing good basketball. I think we could’ve made a run,” said Pikiell, who agreed to a contract extension through 2025-26 in late February, at the tail end of his fourth season at Rutgers. “We played against every style, we played in every different kind of venue, tough programs. We were confident going into the Big Ten Tournament and confident going into the NCAA Tournament.”
Pikiell took the glass half-full approach, as is his way. He thought about a bright future, for himself, his staff, the program and its fans. Rutgers was ranked sixth in the country in defensive efficiency and was 13th in rebounds per game at 40.16.
Next season’s team can be even better. Of Pikiell’s top eight scorers, seven are slated to return. All-Big Ten third team selection Geo Baker will be a senior. Standout wing Ron Harper Jr. will be a junior, as will athletically gifted guard Montez Mathis and physical forward Myles Johnson. And the Scarlet Knights are in the final three, along with Arizona State and Auburn, for four-star big man Cliff Omoruyi of Roselle (N.J.) Catholic, and recently received a verbal commitment from four-star junior guard Jaden Jones of Missouri.
Clearly, the Scarlet Knights are headed in a very good direction.
“I love the kids we brought in already, I love the kids who signed NLIs. Our kids keep getting better,” Pikiell said. “We’re young as a program and better days are ahead. I’m excited about the future, I really am, and I want to continue building this program as we’ve been building it from day one.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Third person at Mar-a-Lago with Trump tests positive for coronavirus

A third person who visited President Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort last weekend has tested positive for the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ Affaires Ambassador Nestor Forster , who sat at Trump ’ s table during dinner at @ @ @ @ @ has tested positive , the Brazilian Embassy said late Friday .
Another Brazilian official — @ @ @ @ @ o President Jair Bolsonaro — had tested positive on Wednesday after posing for a photo @ @ @ @ @ him on Saturday night .
Bolsonaro and his contingent also met with Vice President Mike @ @ @ @ @ daughter and senior advisor Ivanka Trump , and personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani .
An unnamed @ @ @ @ @ luncheon at the resort on Sunday has also tested positive .
President Trump said earlier @ @ @ @ @ ” he will “ likely ” take a coronavirus test .
“ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump said of his own testing plans , noting that he had no symptoms @

A third person who visited President Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort last weekend has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Acting Brazil Charge d’Affaires Ambassador Nestor Forster, who sat at Trump’s table during dinner at the resort Saturday night, has tested positive, the Brazilian Embassy said late Friday.
Another Brazilian official — Fabio Wajngarten, communications secretary for President Jair Bolsonaro — had tested positive on Wednesday after posing for a photo with Trump and dining with him on Saturday night.
Bolsonaro and his contingent also met with Vice President Mike Pence, Trump’s daughter and senior advisor Ivanka Trump,and personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani.
An unnamed attendee at a Trump fundraising luncheon at the resort on Sunday has also tested positive.
President Trump said earlier Friday that “fairly soon” he will “likely” take a coronavirus test.
“We’re working on a schedule,” Trump said of his own testing plans, noting that he had no symptoms.
Bolsonaro himself has tested negative.


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Rangers sign first-round pick K’Andre Miller

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic .
The future looks brighter for the Rangers , even with the coronavirus currently halting this NHL season .
The Rangers signed 2018 first-round selection K ’ Andre Miller to a three-year entry-level contract on Friday according to the USA Today Network .
The Wisconsin Badgers ’ star recently completed his sophomore season where he scored seven goals and tallied 11 assists as a top-line defenseman .
Miller was acquired with the 22nd pick when the Rangers moved up in the NHL draft by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senators .
Miller ’ s contract will begin in the 2020-21 season , according to the report .
His deal has an average annual value of $ 1.275 million with a cap hit of $ 925,000 as long as he ’ s in the NHL , according to Cap Friendly .
Discussions between the Rangers and Miller ’ s representation had taken place recent weeks once Wisconsin ’ s season ended in the Big Ten Tournament — an opening round sweep by Ohio State .
The 6-foot-4 , 205-pound Miller is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the blue line as a strong defensive presence .
He is still relatively new to the position .
The 22-year-old started as a forward in high school .
Miller adjusted quickly to being a defenseman after forgoing signing with the Rangers initially to attend the University of Wisconsin , where he had 17 assists and was twice named the Hockey Commissioners Association Rookie of the Month .
Team USA selected Miller to play at the 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
The future looks brighter for the Rangers, even with the coronavirus currently halting this NHL season.
The Rangers signed 2018 first-round selection K’Andre Miller to a three-year entry-level contract on Friday, according to lohud.com. The Wisconsin Badgers star recently completed his sophomore season where he scored seven goals and tallied 11 assists as a top-line defenseman.
Miller was acquired with the 22nd pick when the Rangers moved up in the NHL draft by trading a 26th and 48th pick to the Senators.
Miller’s contract will begin in the 2020-21 season, according to the report. His deal has an average annual value of $1.275 million with a cap hit of $925,000 as long as he’s in the NHL, according to Cap Friendly.
Discussions between the Rangers and Miller’s representation had taken place recent weeks once Wisconsin’s season ended in the Big Ten Tournament — an opening-round sweep by Ohio State.
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Miller is a smooth skater with the ability to patrol the blue line as a strong defensive presence. He is still relatively new to the position. The 22-year-old started as a forward in high school.
Miller adjusted quickly to being a defenseman after forgoing signing with the Rangers initially to attend the University of Wisconsin, where he had 17 assists and was twice named the Hockey Commissioners Association Rookie of the Month. Team USA selected Miller to play at the 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--House easily passes sweeping coronavirus aid package

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic .
The House easily passed a bipartisan coronavirus aid package early Saturday morning after intense negotiating between Democrats and the Trump administration .
The bill passed 363-40 , with 40 Republicans voting against it .
The “ Families First Coronavirus Response Act ” would secure free tests for all Americans — even the uninsured — and mandatory two weeks of paid sick leave for those affected by the health crisis .
The sweeping package also provides up to three months of paid family and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brace for workers who could be laid off during the pandemic .
“ [ The legislation ] is focused directly on providing America ’ s families , who must be our first priority , ” Nancy Pelosi said before the vote .
“ The three most important parts of this bill are testing , testing testing.
” President Trump had until Friday night opposed the legislation , arguing earlier in the day that he wanted more sacrifices from Democrats — namely , for a payroll tax cut be included in the bill .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the evening , saying he “ fully ” supported the package in a series of tweets urging both parties to vote in favor .
“ This Bill will follow my direction for free CoronaVirus tests , and paid sick leave for our impacted American workers , Trump tweeted .
“ I have directed the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Labor to issue regulations that will provide flexibility so that in no way will Small Businesses be hurt.
” The Senate is expected to take up the legislation next week .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
The House easily passed a bipartisan coronavirus aid package early Saturday morning after intense negotiating between Democrats and the Trump administration.
The bill passed 363-40, with 40 Republicans voting against it.
The “Families First Coronavirus Response Act” would secure free tests for all Americans — even the uninsured — and mandatory two weeks of paid sick leave for those affected by the health crisis.
The sweeping package also provides up to three months of paid family and medical leave and strengthened unemployment insurance to brace for workers who could be laid off during the pandemic.
“[The legislation] is focused directly on providing America’s families, who must be our first priority,” Nancy Pelosi said before the vote. “The three most important parts of this bill are testing, testing testing.”
President Trump had until Friday night opposed the legislation, arguing earlier in the day that he wanted more sacrifices from Democrats — namely, for a payroll tax cut be included in the bill.
But the president came around later in the evening, saying he “fully” supported the package in a series of tweets urging both parties to vote in favor.
“This Bill will follow my direction for free CoronaVirus tests, and paid sick leave for our impacted American workers, Trump tweeted.
“I have directed the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Labor to issue regulations that will provide flexibility so that in no way will Small Businesses be hurt.”
The Senate is expected to take up the legislation next week.
With Post Wires.


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Boston Marathon, NASCAR among latest coronavirus sports postponements

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic .
The Masters joined a long list of sporting events that have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic when it was postponed Friday amid fears of spreading COVID-19 at a large public gathering .
Here ’ s what else has been canceled , postponed or adjusted as of Friday : • After originally planning for upcoming races to be held without spectators , NASCAR officially decided to postpone the race events at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend and the Homestead-Miami Speedway next weekend .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ NASCAR wrote its decision was “ in the best interest of the safety and well-being of our fans competitors , officials and everyone associated with our sport.
” • The Premier League suspended its season until April 3 at the earliest following an emergency meeting Friday .
The decision came after other high-profile soccer leagues , such as Champions League and Europa League announced their suspensions of play .
• The 124th running of the Boston Marathon was postponed from April 20 to Sept. 14 due to the virus outbreak .
• The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of April , beginning with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg , which had been set to take place Friday in Florida .
• The Kentucky Derby , which is scheduled for its 146th running on May 2 , is set to run as planned , but organizers released a statement saying they are monitoring the situation .
• In college athletics , the ACC and Big Ten have enforced a conference-wide suspension of activities until April 6 .
Baylor has halted all activities until March 23 , while Notre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USC have done the same indefinitely .
• The United States Tennis Association suspended all events , including Adult and Junior Tournaments , League Tennis and Junior Team Tennis , through April 20 .
In a statement , the USTA expressed its goal to “ reschedule events where possible following this suspension period.
” • Two days after the NBA suspended its season indefinitely , USA Basketball canceled all its further events as well .
Those events include the 2020 Nike Hoop Summit and the 2020 Red Bull USA Basketball 3x Nationals .

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
The Masters joined a long list of sporting events that have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic when it was postponed Friday amid fears of spreading COVID-19 at a large public gathering.
Here’s what else has been canceled, postponed or adjusted as of Friday:


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--HUD Secretary Ben Carson coughs into hand at coronavirus news conference

The tweets came fast and furious after HUD Secretary Ben Carson committed a coronavirus etiquette faux pas at a White @ @ @ @ @ former neurosurgeon stepped up to the podium to make a few remarks .
But he @ @ @ @ @ out — “ Thank you , Mr. Vice President ” — before he coughs into @ @ @ @ @ face and then touches the podium .
Moments earlier , President Trump and Vice President @ @ @ @ @ the same microphone .
“ Even my 4 year old baby cousin knows better than @ @ @ @ @ her hands instead of her elbow at least # bencarson , ” @ quesada_Kayla posted @ @ @ @ @ Ben Carson does is cough into his hand .
Nice , ” wrote @ mikereinholz777 @ @ @ @ @ “ Ben Carson just now showing us how NOT to cough !
”

A Cabinet-level cough on video set off a Twitter storm.
The tweets came fast and furious after HUD Secretary Ben Carson committed a coronavirus etiquette faux pas at a White House news conference.
The former neurosurgeon stepped up to the podium to make a few remarks. But he only gets a few words out — “Thank you, Mr. Vice President” — before he coughs into his hand, touches his face and then touches the podium.
Moments earlier, President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence had spoken into the same microphone.
The Twitterati weren’t kind to Carson.
“Even my 4 year old baby cousin knows better than to cough and sneeze into her hands instead of her elbow at least #bencarson,” @quesada_Kayla posted.
“The first thing Ben Carson does is cough into his hand. Nice,” wrote @mikereinholz777.
@TomDangora wrote: “Ben Carson just now showing us how NOT to cough!”


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--France imposes widespread shut down to stop coronavirus spread

The Eiffel Tower , the Louvre museum and the Moulin Rouge cabaret have closed their doors — and the rest @ @ @ @ @ do the same starting Sunday .
France is imposing a shutdown of all restaurants , @ @ @ @ @ shops , and encouraging its citizens to stay home as much as possible , in @ @ @ @ @ rapid spread of the new coronavirus .
It has banned all gatherings of more than @ @ @ @ @ schools closed and asked companies to allow workers to stay home .
The nation is @ @ @ @ @ countries , including its neighbors Italy and Spain , as Europe ’ s infection numbers @ @ @ @ @ has reported nearly 4,500 infections and 91 deaths — half of whom were people under @ @ @ @ @ was detected in the country Feb. 28 .
Nevertheless , nationwide municipal elections will be @ @ @ @ @ measures to keep people at a safe distance and to sanitize surfaces were ordered , @ @ @ @ @ bring their own pen to sign the voting register .

The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre museum and the Moulin Rouge cabaret have closed their doors — and the rest of France is expected to do the same starting Sunday.
France is imposing a shutdown of all restaurants, cafes, theaters and nonessential shops, and encouraging its citizens to stay home as much as possible, in an attempt to stop the rapid spread of the new coronavirus. It has banned all gatherings of more than 100 people, ordered all schools closed and asked companies to allow workers to stay home.
The nation is following similar moves as other countries, including its neighbors Italy and Spain, as Europe’s infection numbers continue to spike. France has reported nearly 4,500 infections and 91 deaths — half of whom were people under 50 — since the virus was detected in the country Feb. 28.
Nevertheless, nationwide municipal elections will be held on Sunday. Special measures to keep people at a safe distance and to sanitize surfaces were ordered, and voters were advised to bring their own pen to sign the voting register.
Post wire services


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Scores co-founder, mob informant, accused of sexually abusing kids

A former strip club kingpin who went from doing business ...

The co-founder of famed Manhattan strip club Scores — who later turned FBI informant, helping to lock up dozens of mobsters — sexually abused two Brooklyn kids decades ago, according to court papers.
Michael Blutrich, now 70, was a coach and benefactor of the Shorefront YM-YWHA of Brighton-Manhattan Beach in the 1980s, when he allegedly befriended and then violated the kids, plying them with cash, expensive clothes and jewelry, they charged in Brooklyn Supreme Court lawsuits against the nonprofit.
One victim was 11 when he met Blutrich in 1982, an encounter which led to at least 500 incidents of abuse over the course of seven years — some of which the alleged pedophile videotaped, according to the litigation filed under the state’s Child Victims Act, which opened a one-year window in which to litigate old sexual-abuse claims.
Blutrich was a closeted Park Avenue lawyer in the early 1990s when he used money stolen in an insurance scam to launch the jiggle joint beloved by radio host Howard Stern.
The business ushered Blutrich, a one-time law partner of Andrew Cuomo, into dealings with the mob. By 1996 the feds came calling, recruiting Blutrich to secretly record the mafiosos and ultimately leading to the conviction of John “Junior” Gotti, among others.
He eventually earned a 25-year prison sentence in the $400 million insurance scheme, but his sentence was cut by a third in consideration of his work as a mob rat and he was released in 2013.
Shorefront did not respond to a message. Blutrich could not be reached.


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Bronx teacher sues after fracturing arm during tug of war

It ’ s all fun and field day games until someone breaks an arm .
A Bronx teacher fractured her @ @ @ @ @ playing tug of war at the Mott Hall V School field day activities when the @ @ @ @ @ a Bronx Supreme Court lawsuit .
The rope , and other equipment for the Soundview @ @ @ @ @ , was provided by We Got Games With A Message Inc. , said educator Mattie @ @ @ @ @ the company and the city for negligence .
Neville is seeking unspecified damages .
Lonnie @ @ @ @ @ Got Games , declined comment .
The city said it would review the lawsuit .

It’s all fun and field day games until someone breaks an arm.
A Bronx teacher fractured her left arm June 2019 while playing tug of war at the Mott Hall V School field day activities when the rope snapped, according to a Bronx Supreme Court lawsuit.
The rope, and other equipment for the Soundview school’s field day, was provided by We Got Games With A Message Inc., said educator Mattie Neville, who is suing the company and the city for negligence.
Neville is seeking unspecified damages. Lonnie Brown, who runs We Got Games, declined comment. The city said it would review the lawsuit.


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Panicked Americans confused about travel ban pack Europe’s airports

President Donald Trump says he will suspend all travel from ...

Throngs of frantic Americans — many of them in college — crowded airports across Europe, scrambling to get on flights headed for the US before President Trump’s travel ban went into effect at midnight Friday.
The president’s move to stymie the deadly coronavirus left many abroad panicked and confused, even though the ban applies only to non-US citizens who in the past two weeks have been in the 26 European countries that have open borders.
Caught up in the confusion was a Brown University student from Albany, who waited dejectedly to board the last leg of her trip from France to New York.
Abby, who declined to give her last name, couldn’t hide how disappointed she was that her semester at the Université de Paris had been cancelled because of the ban.
The first call came at 3 a.m. Thursday from the program’s director, who told her that if she wanted to leave France she needed to go by Friday. An hour later, another call from the school — telling her she didn’t need to rush home but the program was being shut down anyway.
“It’s been a crazy 24 hours,” said Abby, 20. “I was stunned. …. My mother was going to come visit. But the school told us get out as soon as you can.”
Virtually the same thing happened to four college students in a study-abroad program in London. The young men were on a getaway to Lisbon when they ran into hat designers Teressa Foglia and Tyler Hays Wild. Their story broke Foglia’s heart.
Out of the blue, they received an email telling them classes had been cancelled and the deadline to get out of Europe was Friday.
Their conversation made it crystal clear just how worried they were, said Foglia, a native New Yorker.
“One said something like, ‘I don’t even know how I can afford a plane ticket,'” she said. “Another said, ‘Where am I going to live? So we go back. Then what?'”
Foglia, 32, had a healthy dose of anxiety herself Thursday, waking up at 3 a.m. to 112 texts and 40 missed calls from relatives and friends begging her to get back home. Then, for three or four hours, swapping emails with the US Embassy in Barcelona and dialing airlines to find a flight that didn’t take 52 hours or cost $5,000. And, frankly, spending the rest of the time simply trying to decide whether to go or stay.
By mid-morning Friday, Foglia and Wild had booked a Saturday afternoon flight to London, where they’ll hang out with friends until they catch a British Airways jet to Los Angeles. The hat designers, who own shops in Brooklyn and Malibu, are going to put the $800 refund from Norwegian Airlines for their original return flights toward the $1,200 for their one-way tickets to California.
“We didn’t want to be around hundreds and hundreds of people, especially with no one being screened,” she said of the couple’s decision not to leave Friday. “It’s going to get worse now.”
Americans, though, will be screened once they’re back on US soil, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Everyone is being funneled through 11 airports nationwide, where they’ll be asked about their medical history and current condition. They’ll also be advised to home-quarantine according to CDC best practices.
Foglia, clearly flummoxed by Trump’s decision, added: “When was the last time the president flew commercial? Why would you just tell people: ‘Sit tight, Americans?'”
Like Abby, Sasha Velour was at Heathrow. And she, too, didn’t want to come home — at least not so soon. The drag performer — who won Season 9 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” — had played a sold-out show at the London Palladium and was all set to play Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam and across Scandinavia. The ban put the kibosh on everything.
“It’s heartbreaking because we’ve been planning and investing in this for almost a year,” said Velour, 32, of her “Smoke & Mirrors” production. “I was getting to visit these places for the first time in my life. I’m sad but I know I made the right decision.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Warner Bros. halts ‘The Batman’ production because of coronavirus

Batman is in for a dark night .
Warner Bros. has temporarily suspended production of “ The Batman ” — the reboot which stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne — to try to prevent the spread of coronavirus , according to news outlets .
“ Warner Bros. Pictures feature production of The Batman will be on a two-week hiatus starting today .
The studio will continue to monitor the situation closely , ” the company said in a statement , reported Deadline Friday .
Production of the superhero flick began in London in January , but was about to change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reporter .
The studio also halted the filming of an Elvis Presley in Australia after star Tom Hanks and his wife , Rita Wilson , tested positive for the disease , Deadline reported .
Warner Bros. , however , is moving forward with the filming of other movies , including “ The Matrix ” reboot in Berlin ; Will Smith ’ s “ King Richard ” in Los Angeles ; and “ Fantastic Beasts , ” the new installation in the “ Harry Potter ” spinoff series .
“ The Batman ” joins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movies delayed due to the COVID-19 .

Batman is in for a dark night.
Warner Bros. has temporarily suspended production of “The Batman” — the reboot which stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne — to try to prevent the spread of coronavirus, according to news outlets.
“Warner Bros. Pictures feature production of The Batman will be on a two-week hiatus starting today. The studio will continue to monitor the situation closely,” the company said in a statement, reported Deadline Friday.
Production of the superhero flick began in London in January, but was about to change locations to Liverpool, reported The Hollywood Reporter.
The studio also halted the filming of an Elvis Presley in Australia after star Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, tested positive for the disease, Deadline reported.
Warner Bros., however, is moving forward with the filming of other movies, including “The Matrix” reboot in Berlin; Will Smith’s “King Richard” in Los Angeles; and “Fantastic Beasts,” the new installation in the “Harry Potter” spinoff series.
“The Batman” joins a growing list of TV shows and movies delayed due to the COVID-19.


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Mets letting players decide how they’ll handle coronavirus hiatus

PORT ST. LUCIE — Baseball activities were conducted Saturday at the Mets ’ spring-training complex , in a limited scope , and will likely continue throughout the duration of the sport ’ s shutdown because of the coronavirus .
On Saturday , general manager Brodie Van Wagenen indicated he was still trying to determine how many players might remain to work out under club guidance .
But after a morning meeting with players and staff , Van Wagenen said the organization is not applying pressure in any direction .
Players and staff members have the option to remain , go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the layoff .
Van Wagenen said players received treatment Saturday , worked out in the weight room and participated in some baseball activities .
Live batting practice ( in which batters hit against pitchers throwing at full speed ) is not occurring , according to the GM .
Multiple sources indicated many Mets players will likely remain at the spring training site to continue workouts .
MLB on Thursday canceled the remainder of the spring training schedule due to the outbreak of COVID-19 .
“ We are operating right now that this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on a conference call .
“ This is not about preparing for competition today as much as it is making sure players are considering their own circumstances , because naturally each player has a very different circumstance from one another and we ’ re encouraging players to be thoughtful and measured in considering their personal and family situations and then we can accommodate them from a baseball standpoint as we have a better handle on players ’ individual decision-making.
” Several Mets players own residences within a manageable distance from camp , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the club , at least on a part-time basis , isn ’ t a significant issue .
Jacob deGrom , for instance , resides about two hours away in central Florida and can commute two or three days a week if he chooses to work out .
Noah Syndergaard owns a residence within 45 minutes of Clover Park and can adopt the same routine .
If players who reside in other countries decide to leave , Van Wagenen said the club will actively monitor travel guidelines to ensure they will be allowed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sport reopens .
MLB has indicated the start of the regular season will be delayed “ at least two weeks , ” but many industry insiders expect the layoff to last much longer .
“ At this point our focus remains on today ’ s activities , ” Van Wagenen said .
“ We spoke with players this morning and outlined the message that we want them to have , which is to focus on their own safety , health and that of their families .
We will build a schedule of how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility [ Sunday ] , but right now we have the players to stay in close communication with us on their plans , and those who are traveling home we will be working with them on accommodations.
” Van Wagenen indicated Donovan Mitchell Sr. , the team ’ s director of player relations and community outreach , has been the only member of the on-site staff tested for the coronavirus .
Mitchell was tested after his son , Donovan Mitchell Jr. — a star player for the Utah Jazz — contracted the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together within the previous week .
Mitchell Sr. ’ s test was negative .
“ There was a sigh of relief to a degree of our players and staff here , ” Van Wagenen said .
“ But we ’ ll continue to monitor and work with our health and performance and medical professionals as well as state and local authorities to make sure all of our people here on site are as safe as possible .
”

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.
PORT ST. LUCIE — Baseball activities were conducted Saturday at the Mets’ spring-training complex, in a limited scope, and will likely continue throughout the duration of the sport’s shutdown because of the coronavirus.
On Saturday, general manager Brodie Van Wagenen indicated he was still trying to determine how many players might remain to work out under club guidance. But after a morning meeting with players and staff, Van Wagenen said the organization is not applying pressure in any direction. Players and staff members have the option to remain, go home or return to New York during the layoff.
Van Wagenen said players received treatment Saturday, worked out in the weight room and participated in some baseball activities. Live batting practice (in which batters hit against pitchers throwing at full speed) is not occurring, according to the GM.
Multiple sources indicated many Mets players will likely remain at the spring training site to continue workouts. MLB on Thursday canceled the remainder of the spring training schedule due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
“We are operating right now that this is bigger than baseball,” Van Wagenen said on a conference call. “This is not about preparing for competition today as much as it is making sure players are considering their own circumstances, because naturally each player has a very different circumstance from one another and we’re encouraging players to be thoughtful and measured in considering their personal and family situations and then we can accommodate them from a baseball standpoint as we have a better handle on players’ individual decision-making.”
Several Mets players own residences within a manageable distance from camp, so staying home and working out with the club, at least on a part-time basis, isn’t a significant issue. Jacob deGrom, for instance, resides about two hours away in central Florida and can commute two or three days a week if he chooses to work out. Noah Syndergaard owns a residence within 45 minutes of Clover Park and can adopt the same routine. If players who reside in other countries decide to leave, Van Wagenen said the club will actively monitor travel guidelines to ensure they will be allowed to return in a timely manner once the sport reopens.
MLB has indicated the start of the regular season will be delayed “at least two weeks,” but many industry insiders expect the layoff to last much longer.
“At this point our focus remains on today’s activities,” Van Wagenen said. “We spoke with players this morning and outlined the message that we want them to have, which is to focus on their own safety, health and that of their families. We will build a schedule of how many players intend to be at the facility [Sunday], but right now we have the players to stay in close communication with us on their plans, and those who are traveling home we will be working with them on accommodations.”
Van Wagenen indicated Donovan Mitchell Sr., the team’s director of player relations and community outreach, has been the only member of the on-site staff tested for the coronavirus. Mitchell was tested after his son, Donovan Mitchell Jr. — a star player for the Utah Jazz — contracted the virus. The father and son had been together within the previous week. Mitchell Sr.’s test was negative.
“There was a sigh of relief to a degree of our players and staff here,” Van Wagenen said. “But we’ll continue to monitor and work with our health and performance and medical professionals as well as state and local authorities to make sure all of our people here on site are as safe as possible.”


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Jumaane Williams fights slum lords — despite being one himself

Jumaane Williams may have to add a new name to his annual list of slumlords — his own .
The NYC public advocate , a big supporter of tenants rights , has allowed his property in Canarsie to deteriorate and rack up city violations , unpaid water and utility bills , lawsuits and complaints .
He ’ s owned the two-family house at 1392 E. 98th St. since 2005 , records show , and once lived at the address .
Williams , who once worked as a professional tenant advocate , neglected to register the address with the city Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was cited by the agency in November for failure to file .
Mayor de Blasio was busted for the same thing in 2013 for his Brooklyn house .
The oversight carries a civil penalty of up to $ 500 .
The property also has delinquent water and sewer charges , and as of this week the elected official owed $ 1,194.53 to the city ’ s Department of Environmental Protection , an agency spokesman confirmed .
The money pit has also been repeatedly fined by the Department of Sanitation , racking up five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 100 ticket was issued on Sept. 4 , 2012 for improper disposal of bedding .
Another $ 100 citation on Oct. 28 , 2011 was for having recyclable materials in the ( non-recyclable ) trash .
An uncleared icy sidewalk in 2014 cost another c-note .
Even if a tenant was fault for these violations , the property owner is on the hook for the fines , a rep for DSNY told The Post .
Williams has also been sued three times by National Grid in Brooklyn Civil Court over his alleged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eventually , the utility showed up and locked the devices , its attorneys at P. Schneider & Associates told The Post .
“ The gas meter is the property of National Grid .
It is located in locked premises and National Grid has attempted to get its property back , but has been unable to obtain access to get the meter , ” one 2015 suit reads .
“ There is no customer on record for this meter and no one is paying for service on this meter.
” Though Williams reported rental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locals on the block say it ’ s been at least a year anyone has lived at the address .
The mail has stopped coming , and the house itself is falling apart .
The Post observed torn mesh windows , peeling paint , missing shingles , rotted wood , and bags of garbage piling up on the front lawn — at least one of which was filled with bottles of Seagrams gin .
One ex-tenant said Williams was not a good landlord .
“ He was an a–hole .
He was never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rent and that ’ s it , ” Andre Thompson , who lived in the house from 2009 to 2012 , told The Post .
“ If it breaks , you got ta fix it .
He won ’ t come or send no one.
” Thompson said the situation ultimately got so bad , he stopped paying rent , forcing Williams to initiate eviction proceedings in December 2010 .
The house also went into foreclosure after Williams stopped making payments on a $ 300,000-plus mortgage .
The case is still pending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face of Williams ’ public career as a tenant advocate , whose office regularly releases a list of the city ’ s worst landlords .
In the past Williams , who once declared “ tenants ’ rights are human rights , ” has also advocated for renewing city rent control laws .
While in the City Council , he chaired the housing and buildings committee .
“ Keeping up with the thousands of laws and regulations as a property owner in this city can be difficult .
Perhaps he was too busy making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good landlord himself , ” Jay Martin , the Executive Director of the Community Housing Improvement Program , a landlords interest group , told The Post .

Jumaane Williams may have to add a new name to his annual list of slumlords — his own.
The NYC public advocate, a big supporter of tenants rights, has allowed his property in Canarsie to deteriorate and rack up city violations, unpaid water and utility bills, lawsuits and complaints.
He’s owned the two-family house at 1392 E. 98th St. since 2005, records show, and once lived at the address.
Williams, who once worked as a professional tenant advocate, neglected to register the address with the city Department of Housing Preservation and Development. He was cited by the agency in November for failure to file. Mayor de Blasio was busted for the same thing in 2013 for his Brooklyn house. The oversight carries a civil penalty of up to $500.
The property also has delinquent water and sewer charges, and as of this week the elected official owed $1,194.53 to the city’s Department of Environmental Protection, an agency spokesman confirmed.
The money pit has also been repeatedly fined by the Department of Sanitation, racking up five violations between 2010 and 2014. One $100 ticket was issued on Sept. 4, 2012 for improper disposal of bedding. Another $100 citation on Oct. 28, 2011 was for having recyclable materials in the (non-recyclable) trash. An uncleared icy sidewalk in 2014 cost another c-note.
Even if a tenant was fault for these violations, the property owner is on the hook for the fines, a rep for DSNY told The Post.
“He was an a–hole. He was never there. He just come to collect the rent and that’s it.” - Former tenant Andre Thompson
Williams has also been sued three times by National Grid in Brooklyn Civil Court over his alleged refusal to hand over gas meters. Eventually, the utility showed up and locked the devices, its attorneys at P. Schneider & Associates told The Post.
“The gas meter is the property of National Grid. It is located in locked premises and National Grid has attempted to get its property back, but has been unable to obtain access to get the meter,” one 2015 suit reads. “There is no customer on record for this meter and no one is paying for service on this meter.”
Though Williams reported rental income from the property in 2018, locals on the block say it’s been at least a year anyone has lived at the address. The mail has stopped coming, and the house itself is falling apart. The Post observed torn mesh windows, peeling paint, missing shingles, rotted wood, and bags of garbage piling up on the front lawn — at least one of which was filled with bottles of Seagrams gin.
One ex-tenant said Williams was not a good landlord.
“He was an a–hole. He was never there. He just come to collect the rent and that’s it,” Andre Thompson, who lived in the house from 2009 to 2012, told The Post. “If it breaks, you gotta fix it. He won’t come or send no one.” Thompson said the situation ultimately got so bad, he stopped paying rent, forcing Williams to initiate eviction proceedings in December 2010.
The house also went into foreclosure after Williams stopped making payments on a $300,000-plus mortgage. The case is still pending.
The housing headaches fly in the face of Williams’ public career as a tenant advocate, whose office regularly releases a list of the city’s worst landlords. In the past Williams, who once declared “tenants’ rights are human rights,” has also advocated for renewing city rent control laws. While in the City Council, he chaired the housing and buildings committee.
“Keeping up with the thousands of laws and regulations as a property owner in this city can be difficult. Perhaps he was too busy making lists of bad landlords to be a good landlord himself,” Jay Martin, the Executive Director of the Community Housing Improvement Program, a landlords interest group, told The Post.
“As reported extensively by The New York Post … these issues are related to a property that has long been tied up in foreclosure proceedings. These issues will be resolved in the foreclosure process,” said Williams’ attorney Alice Nicholson.
Additional reporting by Georgett Roberts


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Navy vet shot himself after doc cut off opioid prescription, mom claims

Three US military veterans killed themselves within five days of ...

The mother of a decorated Navy vet who committed suicide in the parking lot of a VA Hospital last year is seeking $8.25 million from the beleaguered agency — alleging her son became suicidal when a VA-affiliated doc cut off his opioid prescription.
Gary Pressley, 28, shot himself outside the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center in Dublin, Georgia, on April 5, several months after his pain management specialist nixed his Hydrocodone supply over a payment dispute with the VA, according to the claim.
As a result, Pressley “experienced excruciating pain, the horrible side effects of withdrawal and lost all hope,” according to the wrongful death claim Rhonda Machelle Wilson filed last month.
Pressley joined the Navy in 2008 and was honorably discharged four years later, after a motorcycle accident left him disabled with a fractured hip, pelvis and chronic lower back pain, the claim says.
Pressley found relief through his pain management doctor, Ana Maria Platon. But she stopped treating him and other vets in early 2019, because the VA owed her “hundreds of thousands of dollars and purposefully failed to reimburse her,” the claim says.
Wilson also alleges that staff at the Carl Vinson Medical Center failed to look for Pressley after his sister, Lisa Johnson, informed a VA operator her suicidal brother was in the parking lot with a loaded gun.
His body was discovered three hours later inside his car with heavy metal music blaring on the radio and a note beside him that read, “This is what happens by punishing already suffering people muahahaha.” On the back it said “Thank you for the release,” the claim says.
A disturbing photo of his slouched and lifeless corpse included in the claim provided to The Post shows him in a blood-soaked collared shirt and sunglasses.
Platon and the VA did not respond to requests seeking comment.


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Video shows moment teens jump into Hudson River before disappearing

Haunting footage obtained by The Post Saturday shows the moment a 13-year-old boy jumps into the Hudson River to join his pal , both of whom have not been seen since .
The five-second clip from Friday begins as one of the teenagers , identified by family and friends as 13-year-old Isaiah Moronta , lands in the water and is seen struggling in the surf .
The other teen , Manny Flores , stands on the Spuyten Duyvil Bridge , and looks down at his friend , as a pal behind the camera laughs .
The two have not been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were found Saturday , as police divers continued their desperate search .
“ I had gotten a call from one of the parents telling me that my son jumped from the bridge , that ’ s all I heard .
I hung up and called his phone , I have a tracker on him , and I saw that he was in the Hudson , ” Isaiah ’ s mother , Yvelise Beltry , 35 , said Saturday .
“ When I called the phone his father picked up , crying .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came here they told me he was trying to save another kid , ” she continued .
“ They took their clothes off and my son Isaiah went in first , he came out , and the other kid went in , but he was struggling , and my son went in to save him , and the current took them away , ” she added .
Still , the distraught mom clung to hope .
“ He ’ s somewhere , he ’ s somewhere…he ’ s with his friend , ” @ @ @

Haunting footage obtained by The Post Saturday shows the moment a 13-year-old boy jumps into the Hudson River to join his pal, both of whom have not been seen since.
The five-second clip from Friday afternoon begins as one of the teenagers, identified by family and friends as 13-year-old Isaiah Moronta, struggles in the water.
The other boy, Manny Flores, is on the Spuyten Duyvil Bridge, looking down at Isaiah as he surveys his own jump, as the clip ends.
Items belonging to one were found Saturday, as a half dozen police divers searched the water.
Family of both boys anxiously huddled as they watched.
“I had gotten a call from one of the parents telling me that my son jumped from the bridge, that’s all I heard. I hung up and called his phone, I have a tracker on him, and I saw that he was in the Hudson,” Isaiah’s mother, Yvelise Beltry, 35, said.
“When I called the phone his father picked up, crying. I came right over here. When I came here they told me he was trying to save another kid,” she continued.
“They took their clothes off and my son Isaiah went in first, he came out, and the other kid went in, but he was struggling, and my son went in to save him, and the current took them away,” she added.
The distraught mom clung to hope.
“He’s somewhere, he’s somewhere…he’s with his friend,” she said.


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Bronx school aide sends ‘scantily clad’ selfies to student

A Bronx special education student got an eyeful when a school aide sent him “ scantily clad ” selfies on @ @ @ @ @ newly revealed probe .
In the month that Amanda Corso worked at PS 811 as @ @ @ @ @ , she sent four to five selfies to the student including one in which she @ @ @ @ @ and another “ showing her buttocks ” in a mirror , the student told probers @ @ @ @ @ Special Commissioner of Investigation .
The unidentified student said he deleted the photos , but @ @ @ @ @ another student , according to the May 2019 report obtained by The Post .
Corso @ @ @ @ @ sent the boy the photos , the report says .
Corso , 19 , was @ @ @ @ @ , which began in April 2018 .
The Department of Education said Corso was fired @ @ @ @ @ could not be reached for comment .

A Bronx special education student got an eyeful when a school aide sent him “scantily clad” selfies on Snapchat, according to a newly revealed probe.
In the month that Amanda Corso worked at PS 811 as a substitute paraprofessional in 2018, she sent four to five selfies to the student including one in which she wore a bra and thong and another “showing her buttocks” in a mirror, the student told probers from the office of the Special Commissioner of Investigation.
The unidentified student said he deleted the photos, but not before sending them to another student, according to the May 2019 report obtained by The Post.
Corso admitted to investigators that she sent the boy the photos, the report says.
Corso, 19, was reassigned during the SCI investigation, which began in April 2018. The Department of Education said Corso was fired in September 2018. She could not be reached for comment.
Additional reporting by Susan Edelman


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--‘America’s Got Talent’ stops filming over coronavirus fears

The notorious germaphobe was photographed on Tuesday in Pasadena , Calif. , ...

Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
“America’s Got Talent” has halted filming amid the coronavirus pandemic — as judge Heidi Klum awaits a test for the virus, The Post can reveal.
The TV hit — NBC’s highest-rated summer show — was filming auditions in Los Angeles up until Friday.
The cast and crew filmed on Friday without an audience, with only an essential crew.
However, out of an abundance of caution, the show is being closed down, sources have confirmed.
Show stars Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara and Heidi Klum have been on set — but Klum left the show on Tuesday after falling ill.
Insiders said she first thought she had food poisoning, but speaking to fans over Instagram from her bed on Friday, the supermodel said:
“It all started with a chill, feeling feverish, cough, runny nose.
“I’m just not feeling good so that’s why I’ve stayed home to not infect any other people.”
Klum explained her confusion surrounding her symptoms and the difficulty she’s had in being tested for COVID-19.
“I just hope it’s a cold. I’d love to do the coronavirus test but there just isn’t one here,” Klum explained.
“I tried with two different doctors and I just can’t get one. Stay safe everyone. Stay home if you don’t feel good.”
Meanwhile, Mandel — a self-confessed germaphobe — was pictured arriving on set in a hazmat suit.
A source on set said: “The absolute priority is the care and well-being of the crew and everybody working on the show, and their families.”
Producers Freemantle were unavailable for comment.
A Freemantle source said the measures were taken to minimize the risk of exposure across their remaining productions.
Staffers have also been encouraged to work remotely.
“AGT” was just a few days short of wrapping the Season 15 audition rounds. The source said production on “Family Feud” is also being suspended, while “American Idol” is on a scheduled production hiatus, adding the producers will decide further measures in the coming weeks.


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Tim Cluess rewarded Iona’s faith by being true to himself

Rick Pitino is back in college basketball and he will ...

We knew for years, of course. You bet we did. Sure, we were a little biased because he was one of our own. But that didn’t mean we were wrong about Tim Cluess. Someone was going to give him a shot. Someone was going to give him a job, a big job, and he was going to win an awful lot of basketball games for them. We knew. Hell yes, we did.
The Cluess brothers were basketball icons for us kids growing up in West Hempstead. They weren’t just role models, they were royalty. Long Island was a basketball-obsessed colony in the 1970s and ’80s, and in West Hempstead if you rode your bike past the Cluess house, one of them would always be there and they always had time for you. Gods did answer letters in those days.
Hank, Greg and Kevin starred at St. John’s; the latter two both died impossibly young, Greg at 26 from lymphoma in 1976, Kevin from leukemia in 1986 at 33. Their kid brother, Tim, played a bit at St. John’s, transferred to Hofstra, became a Nassau County cop for a bit. But basketball was forever in his blood. Basketball would be his deliverance. We always knew that. We just waited for someone else to figure it out, too. Someone with a job to offer.
Ten years ago, Iona finally made that happen. Tim Cluess was 51. In modern basketball, 51 looks like a typo for a first-year coach. The problem, of course, is too many coaches get those jobs before they’re ready; Cluess had already put in 14 years at St. Mary’s High, and one in junior college, and another four at Division II LIU-Post.
Ready? By the time he hit Iona, he was ready to burst. And that’s what happened. Cluess coached at Iona for nine years. Six times, the Gaels won the MAAC and made the NCAA Tournament, an impossible number in a league defined by epic parity. Two other teams made the NIT. His first, 2011, was the runner-up in the CIT.
Four years ago, after capping another terrific run to the MAAC title, Cluess told me: “We bring players here who want to have the opportunity to play in games like that one, and who are willing to pay the price to make that happen. We know how hard it is to win a league like this.”
He didn’t coach this year. At the start of the season, he took ill, and his situation was described often as “serious, not life threatening.” Friday, he made official what everyone sadly knew was imminent, stepping down from the head coaching job. He leaves, arguably, as the greatest coach in the history of the MAAC, a place where an awful lot of fine careers were launched.
“Every day I coach,” he told me once, “is a gift.”
Much of his coaching philosophy was learned at the knee of a legendary Long Island powerhouse of a man named Frank Morris. The elder two Cluess brothers had played for Jack Curran at Molloy, but the younger two stayed closer to home, at St. Agnes of Rockville Centre where Morris ruled with style and grace for over a quarter century starting in 1961.
Back in the day, that only upped Cluess’ standing among us neighborhood kids. For many of us, St. Agnes was better than the Knicks — they played frantic, fullcourt, fast-break basketball at a time when so many high school coaches swore by the four corners. You could always tell a St. Agnes player at a park or playground because they were wearing a T-shirt or shorts stenciled with “12-7-4,” Morris’ motto — 12 months a year, seven days a week, four hours a day.
If you watched the Iona Gaels those nine glorious years, what you saw was the St. Agnes Stags in their full glory.
“It’s important to me,” Cluess said, “to let people know that this kind of basketball, and commitment, it goes back a long way.”
I wanted St. John’s to hire him last spring, and I wasn’t alone. He was by far the most popular choice among alumni eager to see the Johnnies bring a member of its royal family home again. That never happened. Sadly, it seems that one worked out for the best for both parties. So Cluess retires a Gael. At a school that has given us Jim Valvano and Pat Kennedy and Kevin Willard — and, as of Saturday, Rick Pitino — his name belongs on top of the list.
“If you love basketball,” Cluess said in 2017, “and you coach it the right way, you’ll get a chance to change lives. Every day.”
Of course, we always believed that, back in the day. We always knew. Thankfully, eventually, so did Iona.


newyorkpost--2020-03-14--Retired FDNY fire marshal, desperate for experimental coronavirus med, learns he is not a candidate

Retired FDNY fire marshal, desperate for experimental coronavirus med, learns he is not a candidate for treatment

Chinese doctors racing to find an effective treatment for the ...

A beloved retired FDNY fire marshal, in a race against time after being diagnosed with the coronavirus, learned Saturday night that he was not a candidate for an experimental drug he’d hoped could save his life, his family tells The Post.
John Knox, 84, of Rockaway, Queens, is in isolation at Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital in Oceanside, according to his son, Zachary.
Knox started getting sick last month and checked into South Nassau Feb. 26 after feeling dizzy and experiencing bouts of coughing and vomiting.
Doctors didn’t test Knox for the coronavirus until March 9 because had not traveled to any high-risk areas or been in contact with anyone who had, his son said.
The bad news came back Friday. Knox has been heavily sedated and on the ventilator for 10 days due to breathing issues, his son said.
“My father was a strapping young man who every kid in the neighborhood looked up to. He was a role model for everyone,” Zachary Knox told the Post. “Our biggest concern is that there is enough time to find something to save him.”
After reading a story in The Post, the Knox family had hoped to get their loved one an unapproved drug called Remdesivir, made by Gilead Sciences, which has been used in experiments to combat the Ebola virus.
But a family friend told The Post Saturday night that due to his acute kidney failure, he is not considered a candidate for treatment.
Knox was a member with the FDNY from 1960 to 1998, serving as a fire marshal for 34 of those years. Prior to that, he was in the NYPD for two years and served in Korea with the Marines.
Knox had been going to the gym up until a few weeks ago.
“That’s why it’s so disconcerting to see him lying in a hospital bed,” his heartbroken son said. “It’s extremely upsetting for all of us who love him to watch him laying there helpless.”
Knox is positioned face down in a special bed in order to breathe easier.
Son Zachary said his dad was so “proud” to be an FDNY investigator, that he always wore his fire marshal ring and the family had to “wrestle the ring off his finger” when he was admitted to the hospital.
Knox, who remained in isolation Saturday, also has a wife, three daughters and six grandkids.
The family, who had had been visiting up until Friday, have now been tested for the coronavirus and are self-quarantined while awaiting the results of the test.