Last Week around the Leagues
by Fran Stuchbury
May 24, 2022 - XFL (XFL)
This past week Disney and ESPN struck an exclusive multiyear deal to broadcast XFL games, Chicago Sky forward-center Candace Parker became the oldest player in WNBA history to record a triple double at the age of 36, and the ECHL's Savannah Ghost Pirates announced an NHL/AHL affiliation with the Vegas Golden Knights and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights. Highlights from this week come from the XFL, United States Football League, Canadian Football League, Indoor Football League, Fan Controlled Football, Women's National Basketball Association, NBA G League, NBL Canada, BIG3, ECHL, North American Hockey League, Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Major League National Soccer, Women's Soccer League, USL Championship, National Lacrosse League, Premier Lacrosse League, Texas League, Major League Rugby and American Ultimate Disc League.
FOOTBALL
XFL
The XFL announced a new, global multi-year agreement with The Walt Disney Company ("TWDC") and ESPN, which includes exclusive broadcast rights for all gameday content, tentpole events and more, for its upcoming 2023 season through 2027. Each season, all 43 games (40 regular season games, two playoffs, one championship) will be featured on a combination of ABC, ESPN networks and FX. Additionally, the agreement includes exclusive content rights across TWDC and ESPN's digital, social and direct-to-consumer outlets such as ESPN+. The XFL is excited to officially announce its 2023 season will kick off on Saturday, February 18, 2023.
XFL Owners Dany Garcia & Dwayne Johnson announce broadcast agreement with Walt Disney Company & ESPN
United States Football League
To provide more opportunity for "draftable grade" players to join teams pushing for the new league's first-ever playoffs, the United States Football League (USFL) today announced that game day active rosters will expand from 38 to 40 players starting with Week 6 games this weekend.
Head coach of the Michigan Panthers, Jeff Fisher gives Quarterback Josh Love another chance in the USFL as a backup, reflects on his career as a head coach in the NFL and a player and describes life at home with his dog.
Week 6 had no shortage of TD's on display. Watch every touchdown from the weekend.
Canadian Football League
The Alouettes have been knocking at the door in the East in recent years, but can their big off-season departures be balanced out by some talented additions in the Draft? Marshall Ferguson takes a look at Montreal heading into 2022.
Can the Calgary Stampeders return to a perennial favourite in the West? Marshall Ferguson takes a look at the 2022 version of the Stamps and assesses whether or not they're ready to compete for a Grey Cup once again.
Indoor Football League
IFL Plays of the Week Week 10
Fan Controlled Football
Top 5 Offensive Plays from Week 5
Not Top 5 Plays of Week 5
BASKETBALL
Women's National Basketball Association
Candace Parker becomes the oldest WNBA player to record TRIPLE-DOUBLE at the age of 36
Diana Taurasi With Her 50th 30 Point Game
NBA G League
Capital City Go-Go's Top 10 Plays of the 2021-22 Season
Stockton Kings Top 10 Plays of the 2021-22 Season
Motor City Cruise's Top 10 Plays of the 2021-22 Season
NBL Canada
Scoring ironman Joel Kindred of the KW Titans, the league's top scorer and among its most valued floor leaders, has been named NBL Canada Most Valuable Player. In 2022, the Raleigh, North Carolina, native average 21.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. Named NBL Canada Player of the Week on two occasions, he scored more than 20 points in 15 regular season games, including a run of five straight in March that included a season-high 34-point effort against the Sudbury Five on March 11. Kindred led the league in total points with 536.
MVP: Joel Kindred Wins 2021-22 Most Valuable Player Award - NBL Canada
BIG3
The BIG3 announced its fifth season will tip off on June 18, 2022 at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago, IL for 12 weeks of FIREBALL3 action. The regular season will include two weeks in Chicago and seven in Dallas before the playoffs and Championship Game. Following the Championship Game, the BIG3 will debut an All-Star Game at Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas. This announcement comes after the league's most competitive and successful Combine and just before the anticipated BIG3 Draft on Wednesday, May 25 in Los Angeles.
2022 BIG3 Combine Recap. Check out all the action and exclusive interviews from the BIG3 Combine in Las Vegas. Tune in to the BIG3 Draft on May 25th to find out who will be playing in the BIG3 in 2022.
HOCKEY
ECHL
The Savannah Ghost Pirates have announced an NHL/AHL affiliation with the Vegas Golden Knights and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights when they make their ECHL debut in October 2022. Rick Bennett has been named the first Head Coach for the Ghost Pirates. Rick Bennett,54, brings over 22 years of coaching experience to the Ghost Pirates and has spent the past 17 seasons at Union College (ECAC). Bennett has served has head coach at Union College since 2011, compiling a 168-126-41 record while leading the Dutchman to a NCAA National Championship in 2014, three ECAC regular season titles in 2012, 2014, 2017 and three ECAC Conference titles in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Prior to his head coaching career, Bennett also spent 11 seasons as an associate/assistant coach at Union College and Providence College.
The Savannah Ghost Pirates ECHL franchise announced its NHL and AHL affiliates, along with its first ever head coach, Rick Bennett.
Savannah Ghost Pirates announce new head coach and affiliate
The Allen Americans, and Owner Jack Gulati, announced the team has hired Chad Costello as the third coach in team history. Chad Costello played almost four full seasons in an Americans sweater. He was a part of two Kelly Cup Championship teams in 2015 and 2016. He is a three-time ECHL MVP (11-12, 16-17, 17-18), and Finals MVP in 2016.
American Hockey League
San Jose Sharks Interim General Manager and Barracuda General Manager Joe Will announced today that the San Jose Barracuda the Sharks top developmental affiliate in the American Hockey League have made several changes to their coaching staff. John McCarthy, a long-time member of the Sharks and Barracuda organization as a player and coach, will serve as the second head coach in the team's history. McCarthy, 35, has spent the last two seasons as a development coach for the Barracuda after serving as an assistant coach for part of the 2019-20 campaign following his retirement as a player for medical reasons.
North American Hockey League
Plays of the Week
Western Hockey League
WHL Top 10 Plays of Round Two
Ontario Hockey League
OHL Plays of the Second Round
United States Hockey League
The Youngstown Phantoms have named Ryan Ward as the sixth Head Coach in the program's history. Ward comes to Youngstown from the Tri-City Storm where he was the Director of Player Development for the USHL club and the Hockey Director of the Windy City Storm, Tri-City's youth hockey program. Ward also has experience as an Assistant Coach with the Soo Greyhounds (Ontario Hockey League) and the San Antonio Rampage (American Hockey League), along with stints in the National Hockey League with the New York Islanders, St Louis Blues, and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
QMJHL Plays of the first round
SOCCER
Major League Soccer
Clint Dempsey gets emotional thanking his family for all the sacrifices they made along the way during his National Soccer Hall of Fame speech.
National Women's Soccer League
Budweiser Player of the Week - Christen Press, Angel City FC - Week 3 - 2022 Season
Verizon Save of the Week - Phallon Tullis-Joyce, OL Reign - Week 3
San Diego Wave FC Alex Morgan Goal - sixth of the season leading the NWSL
United Soccer League Championship
The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week for Week 10 of the 2022 regular season with Orange County SC forward Milan Iloski voted the Championship Player of the Week presented by Konami eFootball after recording the first hat trick of his professional career in OCSC's 5-1 victory against FC Tulsa.
Major Arena Soccer League
SoccerSam Fantauzzo is hanging up his microphone and stepping away from soccer. Calling it "one of the hardest decisions of his life," Fantauzzo revealed that he has decided to sell the Rochester Lancers indoor soccer team. The Lancers brand, however, won't go away. Kayla Kent-Moreira will run the Lady Lancers. There are plans of bringing the Lancers men back in the National Premier Soccer League next year with new owners and long-time Lancers player and coach Doug Miller will continue to operate the Lancers Academy team in the United Premier Soccer League.
LACROSSE
National Lacrosse League
The Buffalo Bandits conquered the Toronto Rock in dramatic fashion in Game 2 of the East Conference Finals, propelling them to their 11th NLL Finals appearance. With another East Conference trophy added to the display case, Buffalo isn't satisfied until it claims its first championship since 2008. Buffalo will play the winner of the West Conference Final between San Diego and Colorado, which will be decided with a Game 3 next Saturday.
The Buffalo Bandits are Heading to the 2022 NLL Finals in Dramatic Fashion
They'll be talking about this performance for a looooong time. 4 goals for Dane Dobbie, and a game-winner that'll be replayed for years to come.
Premier Lacrosse League
The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) powered by Ticketmaster has announced that the Championship Series will return in February 2023. As part of a refreshed model, the top four teams from the preceding PLL regular season standings will qualify for the tournament. Highlighted by the PLL's mission of trailblazing the future of professional sports, including its broader push for inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games in LA, the Championship Series will be played in Sixes-format. Qualifying teams will travel a 12-man roster to the 2023 tournament to compete in round robin play, finishing with a single-elimination playoff.
The PLL is Expanding with the Championship Series - State of the League
BASEBALL
Texas League
The Final Out in Today's Combined No-Hitter by the Missions!!
Two No-Hitters in three games for the San Antonio Missions! Ryan Lillie, Michel Baez, Osvaldo Hernandez, and Mason Fox toss the 16th 9.0 inning no-no in Missions history!
Top 10 Plays of the Week
Appalachian League
The Appalachian League announced the addition of a "sudden death" extra-innings rule and the return of seven-inning games on Sunday's. The 2022 Appalachian League Championship Game will take place on August 8th. The team with the best overall winning percentage in each division will qualify for the post-season. Those two teams will meet in a one-game, winner-take-all championship. In even numbered years, the East Division qualifier will host the championship game, while in odd-numbered years, the West Division qualifier will host the championship game.
OTHER SPORTS
Major League Rugby
Joe Mano of the Utah Warriors earned the Rhino Rugby USA Try of the Week for an impressive break down the pitch for the try!
MLR Biggest Hits - Week 14
American Ultimate Disc League
The Top 10 plays from Week 3 of the 2022 AUDL regular season!
Did we miss anything newsworthy or downright fun? Have a nomination for next week's column? Contact us today and let us know.
XFL Stories from May 24, 2022
- XFL Partners with Nick Novak to Run Specialist Showcase - XFL
- 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.
