Turning an amateur athlete into a professional though the draft process is obviously full of uncertainty, but the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft on June 10 will be the most unpredictable in history. In an effort to survive the COVID-19 closures, MLB is cutting its draft from 40 rounds to only five rounds, while also […]
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LBUSD Closed For Summer, Evaluating 2020-21 Sports Plans
The Long Beach Unified School District announced last week that in-person graduation ceremonies are officially off for the class of 2020, and that summer school and other programs will not take place on physical campuses this summer, with a few limited exceptions. There had been some hope of a delayed in-person graduation ceremony, but with […]
PODCAST: Talking Baseball With Tai & Ricky Tiedemann
This week on the podcast Mike and JJ talk to the baseball player brothers Tai and Ricky Tiedemann. Tai also played football at Long Beach Poly, and is currently a minor league baseball player. Ricky is a senior at Lakewood and is about to get drafted. 08:30 Interview With The Brothers Tiedemann 28:00 Quarantine Recommendations […]
USA Soccer Developmental Academy Closure Changes Game
Long Beach youth soccer will be forever changed after the U.S. Soccer Federation terminated its nationwide developmental academy league this month because of the COVID-19 pandemic financial impact. “We know that suddenly discontinuing a program that has been with U.S. Soccer for many years is shocking, but these unprecedented times required taking action now,” the […]
Four Long Beach Players Sign To NFL Teams
With a few notable changes to its execution, the 2020 NFL Draft went on as scheduled last weekend. The event lacked the anticipated pomp and circumstance of being held live on the Las Vegas Strip, but the dreams realized over the weekend were every bit as real as in years past. From a local perspective, […]
LBUSD Steps Up Facilities Timelines During Shutdown
Schools are closed across the city of Long Beach, but the city’s largest landholder isn’t letting them sit idle. Anyone driving around town during the COVID-19 shutdown has probably noticed green construction tarps around several Long Beach Unified School District facilities. That’s because the district is using this rare time, when all of its campuses […]
PODCAST: Interview With CIF Southern Section Commissioner Rob Wigod
This week on the show we’re talking to CIF Southern Section commissioner Rob Wigod about how high school sports will be restarted and what that will look like. 01:00 “The 562 Classic” Is Back with 2012 Long Beach Poly Football vs. St. John Bosco 06:00 Interview With CIF Southern Section Commissioner Rob Wigod 44:20 Quarantine […]
FEATURE: Zimari Manning Facing Uncertainty After Historic Season
Photo courtesy Tarleton Athletics Zimari Manning has never taken the easy road on his football journey. The Wilson High product has always been a gifted wide receiver, but since his days as a Bruin he has had to work his way through injury, navigate the junior college ranks, and prove himself at the Division II […]
Long Beach High Schools Light Up Friday Night For Seniors
No one can magically give the Class of 2020 a hug from their parents after walking across the graduation stage. No one can give those parents the pictures from before prom. No one can turn everything around from strange to normal. However, the Long Beach Unified School District high schools will try to at least […]
LBUSD Picks New Superintendent, Weighs Graduation Options
The Long Beach Unified School District held a special Board of Education meeting last week to announce it had selected the district’s 13th superintendent: the historic choice of Dr. Jill Baker. Baker will become just the third superintendent of the LBUSD since 1992, and will replace Chris Steinhauser, who is retiring at the end of […]