sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

The New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals kneel while holding a black ribbon to honor Black Lives Matter before playing an opening day baseball game at Nationals Park, Thursday, July 23, 2020, in Washington. before the start of the first inning of an opening day baseball game at Nationals Park, Thursday, July 23, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Sports

Gators in the MLB: Opening Day

By River Wells | July 28, 2020

Grab your peanuts and cracker jacks: America’s pastime is back.

Sports

Gainesville’s current COVID-19 situation makes it difficult to have fans in the fall

By Brendan Farrell | July 27, 2020

Football gamedays in the fall are an important part of Gainesville’s culture. The tailgating, the sea of orange and blue, the rowdy fans and the spectacle of watching football with 90,000 other fans are all part of the college football experience.

Sports

Gators face uphill challenge replacing receivers

By Brendan Farrell | July 25, 2020

There’s a scene from the movie “Moneyball” where then-Oakland Athletic general manager Billy Beane, portrayed by Brad Pitt, is sitting at a table with various scouts discussing how they can replace three key players in slugger Jason Giambi, outfielder Johnny Damon and reliever Jason Isringhausen.

Florida will welcome six teams by the Swamp, headlined by Alabama and Florida State.

Sports

What to Expect in a Season Without Fans

By Declan Walsh | July 22, 2020

A return to normalcy is often a slow trudge. In the wake of the world-stopping COVID-19 pandemic, our favorite activities and spectacles may return with restrictions.

Sports

10 best seasons by Gators pitchers since 2013: Part 2

By Brendan Farrell | July 18, 2020

Last week, I went over the bottom half of my list of the top 10 seasons by Gators pitchers. If you’re looking for familiar faces like Brady Singer and Alex Faedo or a refresher on my methodology, you can find that here.

Florida Women's Basketball coach Cam Newbauer added two new transfers to his 2020-21 squad

Sports

Gators Transfer Roundup: April to July

By Bryan Matamoros | July 15, 2020

Voluntary in-person athletics activities resumed on SEC campuses on June 8. However, NCAA regulations permit only strength and conditioning personnel to supervise these on-campus workouts.

Sports

10 Best Seasons by Gators Pitchers since 2013: Part 1

By Brendan Farrell | July 12, 2020

UF has become a pitching factory since manger Kevin O’Sullivan arrived in 2008.

Sports

Florida announces new home-and-home series with North Carolina State

By River Wells | July 9, 2020

The Gators have added another home-and-home series to their slew of non-conference Power 5 games in the upcoming seasons.

Florida Gators alternate white football helmet.

Sports

Former UF player charged with bank fraud

By River Wells | July 6, 2020

A former Florida football player has been indicted by a grand jury on bank fraud.

Sports

'I’m just grateful to be alive': The father of a UF athlete’s fight against coronavirus

By Noah Ram | July 6, 2020

The last memory Stuart Hall, the father of Gators soccer player Cameron Hall, had from April 6 to April 24 was watching the film “Creed.”

Sports

How bad was the Gators' running game in 2019?

By Brendan Farrell | July 4, 2020

There weren’t many aspects to criticize about the 2019 Gators. A second-straight double-digit win season, a win in a New Year’s Six bowl for the second year in a row and blowout wins over rivals Tennessee and Florida State is usually enough to please a fanbase.

Sports

Crawford Forgoes Senior Season To Pursue Professional Dream

By Zachary Huber | July 2, 2020

Most athletes dream of making it professionally. But, the percentage who make it are slim.

Sports

Austin Langworthy signs with Tigers

By Dylan O'Shea | July 1, 2020

Former Gators left fielder Austin Langworthy announced Tuesday on Twitter he’s signing with the Detroit Tigers in a deal worth $20,000

Sports

Gators’ aggressive 4th down decisions paid off in 2019

By Brendan Farrell | June 27, 2020

Going for it on fourth down is slowly becoming the latest trend in college football.

Sports

What We're Missing: The sports fan

By Dylan O'Shea | June 25, 2020

What’s your favorite sports moment?

Dortmund's goalkeeper Roman Buerki, right, saves as Leipzig's Timo Werner, center, tries to score past Dortmund's Lukasz Piszczek during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, June 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer, Pool)

Sports

What We’re Missing: UEFA Champions League

By Bryan Matamoros | June 23, 2020

The world’s most popular sport is gradually making its way back to TV screens across the globe.

FILE - In this June 26, 2019, file photo, Vanderbilt players celebrate winning Game 3 and the champinship of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals against Michigan in Omaha, Neb. If not for the coronavirus pandemic, there would have been a World Series championship series Omaha, Nebraska. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)

Sports

What We’re Missing: College World Series

By Tyler Nettuno | June 21, 2020

The months of April, May and June are more frenetic than any other times of the year when it comes to sports. From March Madness to the NBA and NHL playoffs, this time of year serves as the culmination for many different leagues, resulting in a cacophony of high stakes showdowns at a breakneck pace.

FILE - In this Oct. 16, 2019, file photo, Pittsburgh Penguins' Jake Guentzel celebrates after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche in Pittsburgh. Guentzel feared his season was over thanks to a shoulder injury in December. The "pause" caused by the pandemic has given him renewed optimism that he will be ready when the playoffs hopefully being this summer. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Sports

What We're Missing: Stanley Cup Playoffs

By Brendan Farrell | June 20, 2020

April is usually one of the most exciting months of the sports calendar. The beginning of the MLB season, the NFL Draft, the start of the NBA Playoffs, the Masters and so much more. But, year in, year out, nothing grabs my attention more than the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

FILE - In this Sept. 30, 2019, file photo, Baylor women's coach Kim Mulkey, center, talks with players during the NCAA college basketball team's practice in Waco, Texas. The NCAA Division I Council on Wednesday, June 17, 2020, approved a plan to allow college basketball players to start working with their coaches for the first time since the pandemic wiped out March Madness. The summer access period for men's and women's players will begin July 20. (Jerry Larson/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP, File)

Sports

What We’re Missing: NCAAW March Madness

By Payton Titus | June 19, 2020

I must admit that I haven’t always been a fervent fan of women’s college hoops or the WNBA — something as a female sports journalist I am reluctant and embarrassed by.

FILE - In this July 6, 2019, file photo, Sloane Stephens returns to Britain's Johanna Konta in a women's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London. Any World TeamTennis player or coach who tests positive for COVID-19 when arriving for the three-week 2020 season will be dropped from the league without pay. The health plan released Tuesday, June 16, 2020, by the WTT for its matches starting July 12 at The Greenbrier in West Virginia also calls for two daily temperature checks for spectators, no ball kids, a chair umpire aided by electronic line-calling instead of line judges, and no high-fives or handshakes between opponents. The rosters announced for the WTT's nine teams include Grand Slam title winners Kim Clijsters, Sloane Stephens, Sofia Kenin and the Bryan brothers. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)

Sports

What We’re Missing: Wimbledon

By Noah Ram | June 18, 2020

There are some bucket list experiences in the world of sport.