FALCON POINTS

UFC provides blueprint for what sports might look like this year

Fred Faour
May 13, 2020, 6:55 am
Photo by Getty Images

The UFC 249 card is in the books, and we learned a lot about how sports will look this year if it exists.

There we no fans, nor will there likely be for a long time. But it was the process leading up to it that should provide some confidence for other events going forward.

The UFC tested over 1,200 times with 300 people. One fighter, Ronaldo Souza, tested positive, and his fight was called off. The rest, however, went off and watching it on TV, it looked like a normal card.

Dana White said the testing worked.

"It's not unexpected one person would test positive," he said. "The system works. And what's good about this is now we know Jacare tested positive, he's doing what he needs to do, and we're in a position to help him if he needs it."

The other sports where physical contact is necessary now have a blueprint: No fans, constant testing and as few people in the building as possible.

Sports like football, basketball and hockey are similar in that there is physical contact. But fighting limits it to the two combatants and the referee; that is impossible in the other sports.

Still, if they follow the UFC's example, games could conceivably be played. The real issue is what happens if several players on one team test positive? Is the entire team quarantined? Is the opponent they just played? The other issue is should tests be used for this when many people still don't have access?

Having said all that, the fights were a nice escape, something many of us could use right now.

White, for his part, has offered to share how they did things with other sports leaders. "We're willing to share our information with anybody," he told TMZ.

More sports will roll out over the next few weeks. NASCAR, Bundesliga soccer in Germany. The EPL could be back on June 1, but the league is still weighing whether or not it will. The choice is the same all of them will face - safety versus the need for normalcy.

"We want to get the seasons back going for the commercial reasons, for the moral reasons, for people to enjoy it," the head of the UK football police unit, Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts, told Sky Sports.

"But we have to remind ourselves that cannot be at the risk of putting a single further life at jeopardy."

The UFC has taken the first step. Now, others will follow. Let's hope it all works out.

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Houston's celebration has to wait

Rangers get walk-off win over Astros who continue to wait for playoff berth

Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images

After the big offensive showing to take the opener on Thursday, the Astros entered Friday's game at Globe Life Field against the Rangers just one win or Angels loss away from securing their spot in the playoffs. Here is how the game unfolded:

Final Score (10 innings): Rangers 5, Astros 4.

Record: 29-29, second in the AL West.

Winning pitcher: Brett Martin (1-1, 1.98 ERA).

Losing pitcher: Enoli Paredes (3-3, 3.05 ERA).

Urquidy goes seven while allowing two

The Rangers would strike first in Friday's game, getting a two-out solo home run against Jose Urquidy in the bottom of the second to grab the early 1-0 lead. Urquidy did relatively well on the night, though he would allow another solo homer in the bottom of the fifth. Those were the only two runs he allowed, working in and out of some trouble throughout the game on his way to finishing seven innings. His final line: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 2 HR, 98 P.

Houston grabs their first lead late

Unlike their hot night at the plate the night prior, it took the Astros until the fifth inning to get on the board. It came after Carlos Correa hit a leadoff single, then came all the way around to score on an RBI-triple by George Springer, making it a 1-1 tie at the time.

After the Rangers went back in front 2-1 in the bottom of the inning on their second solo homer of the night, Alex Bregman would tie it up again with a solo home run of his own, making it 2-2. Houston would get their first lead of the night in the top of the eighth, with Altuve working a leadoff walk before scoring later in the inning on an RBI-single by Yuli Gurriel.

Rangers get the walk-off to keep Houston waiting for playoff bid

After Urquidy, Blake Taylor would take over on the mound in the bottom of the eighth, retiring the Rangers in order for a scoreless inning to hold the one-run lead. Still 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Houston turned to their closer, Ryan Pressly. After two quick outs, he would allow a game-tying solo home run, making it 3-3 to postpone Houston's celebration at least another inning as the game headed to extras.

In the top of the tenth, Jose Altuve was placed on second as the free runner. He advanced to third on a groundout to start the inning, then scored on a sac fly by Alex Bregman, making it a 4-3 lead for Houston. Enoli Paredes would load the bases before Texas would tie the game on a sac fly in the bottom of the inning, keeping runners on second and third. Houston made the change to Brooks Raley to try and extend the game another inning, but instead, the Rangers would get the walk-off win, spoiling Houston's chance to clinch their playoff spot themselves with a win.

Up Next: The third game of this four-game set will get underway at 6:05 PM Central on Saturday. On the mound for Texas will be Kyle Gibson (2-6, 5.87 ERA), and, as of now, the Astros still have Lance McCullers Jr. (3-3, 4.24 ERA) listed as their starter.

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