Last Week around the Leagues
by Fran Stuchbury
December 21, 2021 - United States Football League (USFL)
This past week NBC announced it will join FOX as a television partner for the United States Football League this spring, San Diego Wave FC selected Stanford defender Naomi Girma with the first pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft, Laura Schmidlein made ECHL history as the first woman on-ice official, and the Washington Mystics won the WNBA Draft Lottery. Highlights from this week are from the United States Football League, National Women's Soccer League, Major League Soccer, ECHL, American Hockey League, North American Hockey League, Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, United States Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Women's National Basketball Association. NBA G League, National Lacrosse League, Premier Lacrosse League, Major League Rugby and American Ultimate Disc League.
FOOTBALL
United States Football League
The new USFL is an American football league, owned by FOX Sports, that will deliver high-quality, innovative professional football played in the spring and early summer. The USFL announced that NBC would join FOX Sports as the league's official broadcast and streaming partners. The two networks will carry all 43 games for the league. FOX Sports will carry 22 of the 43 games, with 12 broadcast on FOX and 10 on FS1. NBC Sports will be the home of the other 21 games, with eight on NBC, nine on USA Network and four on Peacock.
The USFL is set up for success in a unique way... Plus NBC is an official brodcaster.
Canadian Football League
The Ottawa REDBLACKS and OSEG are proud to announce that Shawn Burke will become the second general manager in franchise history. A native of Guelph, Burke comes to Ottawa after nearly 15 years with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, most recently serving as Senior Director of Player Personnel and Co-Manager of Football Operations for 2021's Grey Cup runners-up.
The 58th annual Canadian Football League (CFL) All-Stars have been named in recognition of the 2021 season's best performers. The 27 All-Stars were selected by 50 voters comprising members of the Football Reporters of Canada and the league's head coaches.
SOCCER
National Women's Soccer League
The National Women's Soccer League welcomed 50 new athletes to the league as players around the world heard their names called in the 2022 NWSL Draft presented by Ally. Headlined by Stanford University defender Naomi Girma, who was selected by expansion side San Diego Wave FC with the No. 1 overall pick, the NWSL's newest draft class features players from a record 40 different universities and five countries.
Naomi Girma is the top pick for the NWSL San Diego Wave F.C.
Lori Lindsey & Kaylyn Kyle join CBS Sports HQ to recap the 2022 NWSL Expansion Draft!
San Diego Wave Fútbol Club unveiled their official team crest and colors that will serve as marks representing the newest franchise of the National Women's Soccer League on a global scale and instantly becomes one of the most bold logos in professional sports. The crest, encased in a shield, is a symbol of strength, for the city and team, to proudly stand behind. A powerful wave, cresting in the rich blues of the Pacific Ocean, sits front and center as the iconic mark of Wave FC.
San Diego Wave FC Unveils Official Team Crest and Colors
Watch as the new San Diego Wave FC debuts its crest and colors, and hear from forward Alex Morgan and defender Abby Dahlkemper about the excitement and challenges that lie ahead.
OL Reign announced that Seattle's Lumen Field will be the new home of the club beginning with the 2022 NWSL season. Lumen Field, which opened up in 2002, also serves as the home of the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders. In August 2021, OL Reign played its first match in Lumen Field- a doubleheader with the Seattle Sounders against the clubs' shared rivals in Portland. A NWSL-record 27,278 fans attended OL Reign's 2-1 victory over the Thorns.
Lumen Field will serve as the new home of the club beginning in 2022.
Major League Soccer
ESPN said the 2021 MLS Cup between New York City FC and the Portland Timbers on ABC averaged 1.14 million viewers, peaking at 1.6 million viewers, delivering the fifth-most watched audience for an MLS Cup on a Disney-owned network since 2009.
The picks are in. Charlotte FC have officially chosen their five draft picks. Three of them will stay at the Club, while the other two will be traded to other teams. Let's dive into who the Club selected and the reasonings behind them.
The Queen City's newest professional sports team added some new faces in the expansion draft.
A longtime assistant coach of the LA Galaxy, the Philadelphia Union and the United States Men's National Team, Noonan has earned a head coaching position with the Orange and Blue after nine years of domestic coaching experience. Noonan has been an assistant coach at the Philadelphia Union for the past four seasons, appointed in January 2018 to coach alongside Jim Curtin.
Major League Soccer announced the complete regular season schedule, including broadcast details for the 2022 MLS season. The inaugural campaign of the league's 28th club, Charlotte FC, Nashville SC's opening of the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States, rivalries renewed and the most extensive slate of national broadcasts in league history headline the 2022 regular season match calendar. As previously announced, to best align with the 2022 international soccer calendar, the MLS regular season will begin earlier than ever before, kicking off on Saturday, Feb. 26 and running through Decision Day, the regular season finale, on Sunday, Oct. 9.
Not easy to score a free kick, but some players in MLS make it look like it is. Watch some of the best free kicks in MLS this year.
United Soccer League Championship
The Charleston Battery have named Conor Casey head coach. Casey becomes just the sixth head coach in the club's thirty-year history. He takes the helm of the Battery ahead of the 2022 season after an illustrious career as both a player and coach across all levels of professional soccer. Following his successful playing career, Casey returned to his hometown club, the Colorado Rapids, in 2017 as an assistant coach. In 2019, Casey was named interim head coach of the MLS club after an 0-7-2 start and led the team to a 7-7-4 record thereafter, including a 7-game unbeaten run.
Canadian Premier League
The Canadian Premier League announced the 2021 Award Winners that celebrated the 2021 nominees following the League's successful 2021 season with Pacific FC being crowned 2021 Champions at an event held in Toronto on December 14, 2021. All awards take into account the nominees' performance for the full Canadian Premier League 2021 season from June 26 to December 5, 2021.
HOCKEY
ECHL
"I knew I wanted hockey to be in my life still & officiating was a great way to keep it there. ¬Â This past Saturday, Laura Schmidlein made ECHL history as the first woman on-ice official! We had the chance to catch up with Laura before the action
Plays of the Week
American Hockey League
The Rockford IceHogs' Collin Delia becomes the 16th goaltender in AHL history to be credited with scoring a goal.
Syracuse Crunch forward Jimmy Huntington talks about his love of hockey and his path to the pros growing up in Quebec.
North American Hockey League
Top Plays of the Week
Western Hockey League
Top 10 Plays of the Week
Miss our live coverage of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft? Get caught up now!
Ontario Hockey League
OHL Plays of the Week
United States Hockey League
Lincoln Stars Griffin Jurecki scored early in the first period as fans tossed stuffed animals and teddy bears on the ice to be donated to Community Action of Lancaster and Saunders counties with the help of KIBZ 104.1FM The Blaze!
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Justin Gedron first goal as a member of the Victoriaville Tigres
BASKETBALL
Women's National Basketball Association
The Washington Mystics today won the 21st annual WNBA Draft Lottery and earned the top pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm to be held in April 2022. Washington, which won the WNBA Draft Lottery presented by State Farm for the first time in franchise history, entered the Lottery with the third-most chances to land the top pick (178 out of 1,000). The Indiana Fever, which had the most chances to win the top pick (442 out of 1,000), will have the second selection. The Atlanta Dream will select third after having the second-most chances to land the top pick (276). The Dallas Wings, which had 104 chances to receive the first pick, will choose fourth.
The Washington Mystics secure the top pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft. The Indiana Fever earn the No.2 pick while the Atlanta Dream and Dallas Wings earn No. 3 and 4 respectively.
Hear from Natasha Cloud and Coach Mike Thibault on what it means for the Washington Mystics to receive the No.1 pick in the WNBA Draft Lottery.
NBA G League
2-time NBA All-Star Isaiah Thomas joins The Weekly G Episode 6 to talk about his decision to join the Grand Rapids Gold, his goal of working back towards an NBA contract, and more!
The TOP 10 PLAYS of the Showcase Cup!
BIG3
Triplets Joe Johnson won the Too Hard to Guard award. Joe Johnson wasted no time getting hot in the 2021 season. In week one Iso Joe had 27 points and 12 rebounds, which secured him the first of four Microsoft Player of the Week awards. Johnson averaged a league high 22.8 points per game this season, with a season high of 34 in week two against Power. Weeks one and two were the first steps in Iso Joe becoming the winner of the Too Hard to Guard award in the BIG3. Johnson joins Al Harrington and Will Bynum as winners of the "Too Hard To Guard" award.
LACROSSE
National Lacrosse League
Tony Malcom fires home the first-ever home goal for the Albany FireWolves in their new city.
This NLL goalie fight was INSANE!
Toronto Rock Rob Hellyer often makes ridiculous plays to get to the goal and this one is no exception, watch those legs go!
Premier Lacrosse League
The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) powered by Ticketmaster has announced a new player compensation structure. The new structure will pave the way for free agency in the 2023 offseason, empowering players to explore opportunities to maximize earning potential and playing time. Players can negotiate contracts of one, two, three, and four years with one of the league's clubs.
The best 50 players in the PLL ranked
BASEBALL
High-A East League
The Winston-Salem Dash announced that Brian DeAngelis will serve as the organization's next President and General Manager. DeAngelis, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has guided teams to industry-leading results over the course of several years in leadership roles around Minor League Baseball. "I am extremely grateful to serve Winston-Salem as the Dash's new President and General Manager. Billy Prim and his staff have been more than welcoming, and I am excited to bring the Dash to new levels as part of this great community," said DeAngelis.
OTHER SPORTS
Major League Rugby
The Seattle Seawolves' top 5 moments from the 2021 season.
American Ultimate Disc League
The TOP 10 BLOCKS from the 2021 AUDL season!
Did we miss anything newsworthy or downright fun? Have a nomination for next week's column? Contact us today and let us know.
United States Football League Stories from December 21, 2021
- Last Week around the Leagues - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
