Monday, April 13 through Sunday, April 19, 2020
Issue No. 324
Sports Prep Star -- Bryce Monroe
Archbishop Riordan-S.F. -- Basketball -- Senior
When SportStars Magazine launched a NorCal boys basketball Player of the Year fan vote on March 31, Bryce Monroe was not among the nine voting options. But after a relentless write-in campaign got him added, the Sam Houston State-bound guard landed more than 23,000 of the 73,000-plus votes over a 10-day span. It earned the first-team All-NorCal Monroe the honor of People's Choice Player of the Year. On the court, Monroe delivered a monster senior season that saw him average 20.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. All while playing in the Bay Area’s toughest league (West Catholic) and section playoff field (Central Coast Section Open Division).
Photo credit: David Gershon. Reprinted courtesy Sportstars Magazine .
In House!
The 2019 Fall/Winter edition of the Ultimate Sports Guide , a San Francisco Bay Area sports reference publication published twice a year for avid Bay Area and Northern California sports fans, is in the house. The Ultimate Sports Guide is distributed free of charge or may be ordered via subscription. Each seasonal edition provides professional and collegiate team coverage through commentary, photo essays and player profiles. To order, visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net or send $5 to: Ultimate Sports Guide ,
P.O. Box 4515, Berkeley, CA 94704. Write theultimatesportsguide@gmail.com
or call (510) 845-2035. Cover photo: Rich Yee .  

Where The Bay Comes To Play!
Through June 14, 2020
The BEST Bay Area sports photos from
Michael Zagaris, Ed Jay, Rich Yee, Darren Yamashita,
Ron Sellers, Alex Ho, Rob Edwards, Kenneth Wong, Timothy Reynolds and Larry Rosa  
"It's an ocean planet. As the oceans go, so goes the planet."
-- Bill Carvalho, Wild Planet founder and president

Wild Planet Foods has been honored with TWO awards by Whole Foods Market -- Global Supplier of the Year AND Environmental Stewardship! The annual awards recognize suppliers who embody Whole Foods Market's mission and values through a proven commitment to quality, environmental stewardship, organic integrity, innovation,
and partnership.

More Awards and Counting!
Prevention   -- 100 Cleanest Packaged Food Awards
Men's Health  -- 125 Best Foods for Men
Prevention  -- Eat Clean Best Packaged Foods
Every Day with Rachael Ray  -- Brand New Buy
Better Homes and Gardens  -- Catch of the Day
Clean Eating  -- Clean Choice Awards
Natural Health  -- 3rd Annual Good Food Awards
Runner's World  -- Good Catch

For more information, visit   www.wildplanetfoods.com
Who Am I?
In my first 49ers home game, I only recorded one tackle. By the end of the 2019 season, I had recorded 47 tackles and led the team in tackles for a loss, with 16.5. (Answer below.) Concept and photo by Darren Yamashita.
Hither the NFL?
With a capacity of 65,000, the Las Vegas Raiders' Allegiant Stadium will feature a translucent roof, sliding doors that open to a view of the Strip and a large exterior video screen. The field will be on a tray, allowing the Raiders to roll in natural grass for their games. Photo by Ed Jay.
Andy Dolich

Are You Ready For Some Football?!!!
The ongoing construction of Allegiant (Raiders) and SoFi (Rams/Chargers) stadiums seem to be flying in the face of sound judgement and public health for the workers and citizens who live near both venues.

In the case of Las Vegas, the public is putting up $750 million dollars for this domed stadium nicknamed the “Death Star,” not exactly an uplifting moniker given the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Allegiant is an airline dependent on Vegas tourism -- good luck with that.

Mark Davis is charging fans seat license fees which run as high as $75,000, with season tickets ranging from $650 to $4,500. Vegas is a city of working-class people who have been decimated by layoffs and terminations in the past two months. The Raiders have announced that they have sold most of their tickets. What about the thousands of season tix and suites that the now closed Casinos have paid for? Is this stadium benefiting the essential daily lives of Las Vegans at this time?

Larger story seems to be the NFL tip-toeing around Covid-19, hoping that their season can be played in some full season form or fashion. Commissioner Roger Goodell seems tone deaf to what citizens in the 32 NFL cities will experience in the next few months, especially those without gainful employment.

Far be it from me to know how Professional Sports are going to bring millions of fans back to arenas and stadiums, especially in the NFL where ten stadiums either have fixed or retractable domes.

Fixed Domes -- Las Vegas Raiders/Allegiant; Detroit Lions/Ford Field; New Orleans Saints/Mercedes-Benz Superdome; Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers/So/Fi Stadium (Inglewood, CA); Minneapolis Vikings/U.S. Bank Stadium, Atlanta Falcons/Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Retractable Roofs – Arizona Cardinals/University of Phoenix Stadium; Houston Texans/NRG Stadium; Indianapolis Colts/Lucas Oil Stadium; Dallas Cowboys/ AT&T Stadium

It seems that Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman and Governor Steve Sisolak are turning a blind eye. Why are they betraying the health of their constituents? The governor’s executive order says construction can continue if social distancing is maintained. Not with a thousand or more workers on the project it can't.

“Hello this is (insert NFL star/player's name here). The NFL has received the green light from Federal, State, local authorities, CDC, WHO, the Presidents' Covid-19 Task Force, Fox, NBC, CBS and the NFL Network that we are ready for some football at the start of the 2020 season. It’s 100% safe to bring your family of seven, including grandparents, kids and grand kids into the largest Petri Dishes in North America right after you have tailgated in the parking lot for a few hours with a bunch of people you don’t know.”

Are you ready for some football?

* * * * *
Andy Dolich has over five decades of leadership in the sports industry, including executive positions in the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, pro soccer and lacrosse. Presently Dolich is COO of the Fan Controlled Football League (FCFL) and teaches sports business at Stanford's School of Continuing Studies.
Dolich is also co-author of the new book:
Golden Gate Fields
Out of respect to the Covid-19 virus epidemic, Golden Gate Fields will remain closed for the immediate future.
Test Your Sports Knowledge!
The photos below involve local sports teams and different scenarios are provided. You guess which is correct. (Answers below)
Oakland Raiders running back Josh Jacobs...
Oakland Raiders beat Los Angeles Chargers, 26-24, on Thursday Night Football, Nov. 7. 2019. Photo by Ed Jay.

a. scored the Raiders only rushing touchdown of the game
b. teamed up with QB Derek Carr for a 20-yard touchdown
c. fumbled a team record five times, recovering each one
d. completed an option-pass good for six yards
San Jose Sharks forward Stefan Noesen...
San Jose Sharks 4, Anaheim Ducks 2, Jan. 27, 2020
Photo by Rich Yee

a. scored the Sharks' first goal of the game
b. believes being born in Plano, TX has advanced his hockey career
c. scored the Sharks' third goal of the game
d. failed in a hat-trick bid when his hockey stick splintered   
San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Shea Salinas...
San Jose Earthquakes 3, Colorado Rapids 1, July 27, 2019
Photo by Alex Ho

a. was issued a red card and left the pitch shortly after scoring
b. found the net in the 83 rd minute 
c. has his shot on goal saved by Rapids goalkeeper Clint Irwin
d. scored his 50th MLS career goal in his 12th season
Answers
Oakland Raiders -- a

Josh Jacobs (#28), a Raiders first round draft pick in 2019 (#24), was a sensation in his first year. After just eight games Jacobs set the Raiders rookie record for rushing yards with 740 yards in a season. In the game against the Los Angeles Chargers Jacobs carried 16 times for 71 yards and scored the only rushing touchdown. To view a game album, visit our Facebook Page . Photo by Ed Jay.

San Jose Sharks -- a & c

Plano, Texas-born (not a NHL hotbed) forward Stefan Noesen scored two goals in the Sharks 4-2 defeat of the visiting Anaheim Ducks on Jan. 27. (Noesen scored the first and third goals.) Before the 2019-20 season was suspended, Noesen was credited with seven goals. To view a game album, visit our Facebook Page . Photo by Rich Yee.

San Jose Earthquakes -- b

Shea Salinas, the Earthquakes' talented midfielder, scored in the 83rd minute against the Rapids and is a long-time team member. Salinas was originally selected in the second round (No. 15 overall) of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft and after one season was taken by the Philadelphia Union in the 2009 MLS Expansion Draft. He returned to San Jose in a 2011 trade which sent allocation money to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. In 2019 Salinas set new single-season career high with six goals and added three assists. Salinas has 19 career goals. To view an annotated game photo album, visit our Facebook Page . Photo by Alex Ho.

Have a comment or photo with text to share? Send to:
theultimatesportsgude@gmail.com
Nick Bosa!
Nicholas (Nick) John Bosa is a defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers and played college football at Ohio State . Bosa was drafted second overall by the 49ers in the 2019 NFL Draft. He was named the 2019 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by many organizations. To view an annotated game photo album, visit our  Facebook Page . Concept and photo by Darren Yamashita .

WEEKLY SPORTS CALENDAR
Monday, April 13 through Sunday, April 19, 2020
All games for major and minor league sports, including collegiate and high school teams,
have been cancelled .
Enjoy the
  Ultimate Sports Guide  website!

Under the ultra-skilled leadership of Cal graduate Ricky Liu, a team of talented Cal students assembled the elegant  Ultimate Sports Guide  website for your readers. Ricky's team included Natalie Leung, Yafei Liang and Kasey Woo. Visit  www.ultimatesportsguide.net
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The vast majority of student-athletes dreaming of athletic stardom won't make it to the pros. Yet, the discipline and skills they've developed while balancing a sport and academics make them ideally s uited for satisfying careers elsewhere. In  20 Secrets to Success for NCAA Student-Athletes Who Won't Go Pro , the authors draw on personal experience, interviews, expert opinion, and industry data to provide a game plan for student-athletes through key transitions at each stage of their careers, from high school through college and beyond. Modeled on Stephen Covey's   The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People , this book provides a much-needed strategy for achieving career success. Readable and concise, it will be a valuable tool for students, parents, and sports administrators. To order,  click here.
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P.O. Box 4515
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-845-2035