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MLB: No decision made on starting season

(AP Photo/John Raoux)

NEW YORK (AP) Putting all 30 teams in the Phoenix area this season and playing in empty ballparks was among the ideas discussed Monday by Major League Baseball and the players’ association.

The sides held a telephone call to talk about paths forward for a season delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, people familiar with the discussion told The Associated Press. They spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because no details were announced.

Ideas are still in the early stage, and the Arizona option would have many obstacles to overcome, the people said.

Bettman: Regular season might not finish
For the first time since halting play four weeks ago, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman raised the possibility Tuesday of not completing the regular season in order to squeeze in time to award the Stanley Cup. Bettman also acknowledged during an interview with NBCSN the league is considering having games played at neutral sites in the event not all teams will be allowed into their home rinks. (MORE)

Dayton's Toppin wins Wooden Award
BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) Obi Toppin of Dayton won the John R. Wooden Award as the nation’s outstanding college basketball player. Toppin, along with Saddiq Bey of Villanova, Luka Garza of Iowa, Myles Powell of Seton Hall and Peyton Pritchard of Oregon, also won positional awards from the Basketball Hall of Fame. (MORE)

3rd Avs player tests positive for virus
The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world: --- (MORE)

Miss. St. AD: Leach tweet inappropriate

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) Mississippi State coach Mike Leach is expected to participate in “listening sessions” with student and community groups and tour the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum after he tweeted an image of a noose last week.

Mississippi State athletic director John Cohen released a statement Tuesday that said, “No matter the context, for many Americans the image of a noose is never appropriate and that’s particularly true in the South and in Mississippi. Mississippi State University was disappointed in the use of such an image in a tweet by Coach Mike Leach.” (MORE)

Gundy eyes May 1 for Okla. St. to return

Oilers F Cave in coma after brain bleed
The Edmonton Oilers say forward Colby Cave is out of emergency surgery after suffering a brain bleed. The team posted on Twitter that doctors removed a colloid cyst that was causing pressure on Cave's brain Tuesday. (MORE)

Earnhardt Jr. headlines Hall nominees
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton and Carl Edwards were among the new nominees for NASCAR's next Hall of Fame class announced Tuesday under a revamped voting protocol. Voters for 11 years elected five members per class first from a list of 25 candidates; it was trimmed to 20 beginning with the 2015 class. (MORE)

Arizona freshman Mannion leaving for NBA

Qualified athletes to keep Olympic spots
About 6,500 athletes who already have earned their spots for the Tokyo Games are in for 2021 under redrawn qualifying regulations published Tuesday by the International Olympic Committee. The IOC released its rewritten roadmap for qualifying for the games, which were rescheduled due to the coronavirus. They'll be held July 23 through Aug. 8 next year. (MORE)