Last Week around the Leagues

by Fran Stuchbury
Published on October 18, 2022 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)

This past week the XFL and Indoor Football League announced a player personnel partnership, fallout from the Sally Yates Report continued with Merritt Paulson stepping away as CEO of the NWSL's Portland Thorns and MLS' Portland Timbers, and Tampa Bay Rowdies midfielder Laurence Wyke saw his USL-issued, 12-game suspension overturned. Highlights from this week come from the Canadian Football League, National Women's Soccer League, United Soccer League Championship, Canadian Premier League, NBA G League, American Hockey League, North American Hockey League, Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

FOOTBALL

XFL

The XFL and the Indoor Football League (IFL) announced a wide-ranging player personnel partnership. The partnership provides the framework for transferring players between leagues and the opportunity for players released from XFL teams to be transferred to IFL squads. The two leagues will also work together in scheduling joint tryouts and sharing video and game films. "Our partnership with the IFL is a win across the board," said Doug Whaley, XFL SVP Player Personnel. "Not only will the League have access to a consistent pool of highly competitive players who are in game shape, but it will also provide the opportunity for some of our players to continue their development and extend their professional careers. ‚¬Â

Canadian Football League

CFL Plays of the Week

United States Football League

Following a remarkably successful first season for the United States Football League (USFL), the USFL has signed a partnership with HUB Football, the preeminent audition stage for players looking to work their way into professional football. The brainchild of NFL agent Don Yee, The CAMP presented by HUB Football has to-date run events for 606 athletes in HUB Football CAMPs in San Diego and Los Angeles, with 154 (25.4%) signing professional contracts following their participation. The USFL held its first draft in February 2022, and 52 former HUB Football CAMP participants were selected and signed, including quarterback J'Mar Smith, who guided the Birmingham Stallions to the 2022 USFL Championship crown. Another 18 HUB alums were signed during the USFL's successful inaugural season.

Indoor Football League

The Indoor Football League is proud to announce its 2023 regular season schedule. The 18-week, 105-game schedule kicks off on Friday, March 17th and concludes on Saturday, July 15th. The season will feature 14 teams, split evenly between the Eastern and Western Conferences. The Western Conference will consist of the Arizona Rattlers, Bay Area Panthers, Duke City Gladiators, Northern Arizona Wranglers, San Diego Strike Force, Tucson Sugar Skulls and the Vegas Knight Hawks. The Eastern Conference will feature the Frisco Fighters, Green Bay Blizzard, Iowa Barnstormers, Massachusetts Pirates, Quad City Steamwheelers, Sioux Falls Storm and new expansion team for 2023, the Tulsa Oilers. Each IFL team will play a fifteen-game schedule over eighteen weeks. Eight teams will qualify for the playoffs. The 2023 IFL Postseason Schedule will be released at a later date.

SOCCER

National Women's Soccer League

Statement from Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns FC Owner Merritt Paulson. The Portland Thorns were created to be a beacon of what is possible in women's sports. A successful team is built on trust, equality and accountability, and today I am holding myself accountable for not doing enough. I owe Sinead and Mana, the Thorns players and the NWSL my tireless effort to actively make sure what happened in 2015 never happens again. As you know, I removed myself from Thorns decision-making, yet, in order for the organization to move forward and unite, I feel that another step is necessary. Effective immediately, I am removing myself as CEO of the Portland Thorns and Portland Timbers, and announcing a global search for a CEO of the organization.

Merritt Paulson steps away as CEO of Timbers, Thorns amid scandal

San Diego Wave defeated the Chicago Red Stars in the club's first-ever home playoff game at Snapdragon Stadium.

Here is the game winning goal by Kansas City Current Kate Del Fava in their 2-1 playoff victory over the Houston Dash

USL Championship

The USL Championship announced that its investigation into allegations of racially discriminatory behavior following the USL Championship match between Monterey Bay F.C. and the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Oct. 2 found that Rowdies defender Laurence Wyke violated the league's zero-tolerance policy related to any form of harassment or discrimination on or off the field. As a result, the USL Championship has issued a 12-game suspension and an undisclosed fine to Wyke.

Tampa Bay plans to appeal the suspension, claiming that there is no evidence of Laurence Wyke doing such a thing.

Accoring to the Tampa Bay Times, an Independent Disciplinary Panel unanimously overturned Wyke's suspension, citing a lack of evidence.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC forward Michee Ngalina was voted the Championship Player of the Week presented by Konami eFootball. Ngalina scored the first hat trick of his USL Championship career in a 4-1 road victory over El Paso Locomotive FC last week as Switchbacks FC secured the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

Canadian Premier League

Top 10 Canadian Premier League Goals of 2022

BASKETBALL

BIG3

The BIG3 announced CBS is returning as the league's primary broadcast partner for the BIG3's sixth season. CBS will air more than 20 hours of live weekend games in the summer of 2023, when the league returns to its original touring model with games in 10 different cities. "After the success of last season, it's cool to continue to blow this league up with CBS," said Ice Cube, BIG3 CEO and co-founder. "CBS has been more than an amazing partner by showcasing 2 to 3 BIG3 games every weekend on the number one network. They believe in the league and use their unprecedented reach to bring the BIG3 to new heights on the worldwide stage of sports. ‚¬Â

NBA G League

The Salt Lake City Stars announced the new appointments of Scott Morrison as the team's head coach and Marquis Newman as the general manager of the official NBA G League affiliate of the Utah Jazz among its basketball operations staff for the 2022-23 season. Morrison, a former Boston Celtics assistant coach, served as the head coach of the Perth Wildcats of Australia's National Basketball League last season. Morrison becomes the Stars' fourth head coach since the team relocated to Salt Lake City in 2016.

The Indiana Pacers announced that they have signed Trevelin Queen to a two-way contract that would see Queen split time between the Pacers and the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Queen was the NBA G League's Most Valuable Player during the 2021-22 season while helping lead Rio Grande Valley to a NBA G League title. Along the way, Queen was also NBA G League Finals MVP, All-NBA G League Defensive Team and All-NBA G League First Team. Queen averaged 25.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 3.3 steals in 19 regular season games with the Vipers.

NBA G League 2022-23 Season: A Whole Different League!

BASEBALL

International League

The Chicago Cubs named infielder Matt Mervis the Buck O'Neil Cubs Minor League Player of the Year for the 2022 season. In his second professional season, Mervis hit .309 (158-for-512) over three different levels this year. He clubbed 40 doubles and 36 home runs while driving in 119 runs, the most by a single player in Minor League Baseball since 2019. Mervis' 36 home runs were the most by a Cubs minor leaguer in a season since Kris Bryant's 43 in 2014. The 24-year-old started the year with High-A South Bend where he hit .350 (35-for-100) in 27 games before getting promoted to Double-A Tennessee on May 17. In 53 games with the Smokies, Mervis hit .300 (61-for-203), earning a promotion to his third level in the system. He joined Iowa's roster on July 22, where he played 57 games. At his final level in the 2022 campaign, the left-handed hitter hit .297 (62-for-209) with 15 doubles, one triple, 15 home runs and 39 runs batted in.

Carolina League

Stadium Journey has released their annual ballpark rankings and has once again named Pelicans Ballpark as the top rated Gameday Experience for Low-A baseball. This marks the fourth consecutive year that the Myrtle Beach Pelicans have held the top spot in their classification. Per the Stadium Journey article, the Low-A division of Minor League Baseball consists of the Carolina League, the Florida League, and the California League. Stadium Journey writers have visited all of these ballparks, and have presented their 2022 rankings based on their FANFARE ranking system. They note that there were several ties, with many being broken by any existing crowd scores. The Pelicans received a FANFARE rating of 4.71 and a Crowd Score rating of 4.57.

HOCKEY

American Hockey League

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Syracuse Crunch have jointly announced a five-year affiliation extension that will allow Tampa Bay's top prospects to continue to develop their talents in Syracuse through the 2026-27 season. "We're delighted to extend our partnership with the Tampa Bay Lightning for another five seasons," Crunch Owner Howard Dolgon said. "From their ownership to their hockey operations, coaching staff and business personnel, we believe they're the finest organization in all of sports and it's an honor for the Crunch and the Syracuse community to be associated with them. ‚¬Â

We've had a memorable decade. Here's to five more years with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Coachella Firebirds won the first game in franchise history by defeating the Calgary Wranglers by the score of 6-5 in Calgary. Kole Lind (x2), Andrew Poturalski, Michal Kempny, Max McCormick, and Jesper Froden all scored while Joey Daccord stopped 25 in the team's inaugural victory.

Goal after goal after GOAL!! First game and first win in Firebirds history!!!

Coachella Valley Firebirds win Inaugural Game

North American Hockey League

NAHL Top Plays - Oct. 3-9, 2022

Western Hockey League

More than 115 WHL Alumni are featured on Opening Day rosters as the National Hockey League prepares to open its 2022-23 regular season in North America Tuesday night. Each of the 32 NHL Clubs feature at least one former WHL player, with both the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights boasting nine WHL Alumni on their respective active rosters ahead of the start of the 2022-23 season.

WHL Top 10

Ontario Hockey League

OHL Plays of the Week

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

The National Hockey League (NHL) has unveiled the rosters of its 32 franchises for the start of the 2022-2023 regular season. Among the starting lineups, there are 85 players who made their way through the QMJHL before making the jump to the NHL. These former QMJHLers are currently on the active roster of their respective teams, or on their injured reserve list. The Boston Bruins have a total of seven players from the QMJHL in their lineup, the highest number of alumni on any NHL team. Just behind Boston are the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators, who each have six players that hail from the Q.

Top 5 - Week 3

Did we miss anything newsworthy or downright fun? Have a nomination for next week's column? Contact us today and let us know.

National Women's Soccer League Stories from October 18, 2022

• Kansas City Current to Host Semifinal Watch Party at KC Live Block on Sunday - Kansas City Current
• Thorns FC Players Select Three Local Charities to Benefit from Semifinal Ticket Proceeds - Portland Thorns FC
• 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.