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>>> IT IS NOW TIME FOR THE
WEEKLY WITH NEWS 6 MORNING
ANCHOR JUSTIN WARMOTH.
>> ANCHOR: GOOD MORNING.
I‘M JUSTIN WARMOTH.
SPORTS NOT BEING PLAYED RIGHT
NOW.
THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
BASICALLY SUSPENDING ALL
SPORTING ACTIVITIES FROM THE
MAJOR LEAGUE LEVEL DOWN TO
LITTLE LEAGUE.
AND WE‘LL BRING IN SPORTS
DIRECTOR JAMIE SEH*ETO GIVE US
SPORTS TALK.
I THINK WE NEED SOME SPORTS
TALK.
JAMIE, I JUST WANT TO START OFF
BY ASKING YOU WHAT IT HAS BEEN
LIKE OVER THE LAST MONTH OR SO
COVERING SPORTS IN A TIME LIKE
THIS.
>> OBVIOUSLY IT IS VERY
DIFFERENT.
IN THE SPRING WE TALK PLAYOFFS
AND ORLANDO PRIDE SOCCER AND
ALL THIS TO GET ROLLING RIGHT
NOW SO WE‘VE HAD TO ADJUST WITH
THE DAY-TO-DAY INFORMATION
COMING OUT FROM ALL THE LEAGUES.
THE NFL TO THE NBA TO MAJOR
LEAGUE BASEBALL.
THE UPDATES TO THEIR FANS ABOUT
WHEN, MAYBE, THEY CAN START
PLAYING AGAIN AND ALSO THE NFL
IS ALWAYS A WEALTH OF STORIES
IN THE OFF SEASON ANYWAY.
THE TAMPA BAY BUCK NIECER
KEEPING US BUSY, BUT THIS
REALLY HAS CHANGED WHAT WE DO.
SO INSTEAD OF GAMES WE‘RE GOING
IN HOUSE AND DOING INTERVIEWS
VIA SKYPE AND ZOOM.
VIRTUALLY.
TRYING TO KEEP TAPTABS ON WHAT
IS GOING ON.
UCF FOOTBALL WITH QUARTERBACK
DYLAN GABRIEL AND STILL TRYING
TO DELIVER THE BEST SPORTS NEWS
WE CAN BUT IT IS DIFFERENT WITH
NO GAMES BEING PLAYED.
BUT SPORTS FANS ARE ITCHING TO
KNOW WHEN THINGS WILL COME BACK.
NO ONE KNOWS BUT THE LEAGUES
ARE PROVIDING UPDATES ABOUT
WHERE THEY‘RE AT AND WHAT THEIR
THINKING IS.
>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THOSE
UPDATES HERE IN A SECOND.
BUT I DO WANT TO KIND OF ASK
YOU ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS.
WHEN IT COMES TO HIGH SCHOOL
SPORTS.
SO MANY SENIORS HAVE THEIR
SEASONS AND A LOT OF THEIR
CAREERS ARE REALLY JUST CUT
SHORT AND STOPPED RIGHT IN THE
MIDDLE OF IT.
ESPECIALLY THE SPRING SPORTS.
SO YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO
REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE
A PROPER SENDOFF.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOU GUYS
HAVE BEEN DOING?
>> SURE.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO,@THE END
OF MARCH, ONE OF THE ATHLETIC
DIRECTORS IN THE AREA, CHRIS
KLEIN FROM EAST RIVER HIGH
SCHOOL REACHED OUT TO US AND
SAID HEY, HAVE YOU NOTICED WHAT
ESPNESPORTS HAS BEEN DOING?
SENIOR NIGHT TRIBUTES.
WOULDN‘T IT BE GREAT IF YOU DID
THAT FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA
ATHLETES?
AND I THOUGHT WHY DIDN‘T I
THINK OF THAT?
WE TOOK THAT BY THE HORNS AND
WE‘VE BEEN TALKING.
WHAT I DID, ACTUALLY, WAS REACH
OUT TO ALMOST EVERY ATHLETIC
DIRECTOR I COULD IN THE CENTRAL
FLORIDA AREA AND SPREAD OUT
OVER ALL THE COUNTIES THAT WE
COVER AND I DID THAT IN A
MATTER OF 2 DAYS TO SAY HEY, IF
YOU HAVE AN ATHLETE OR TEEN
THAT YOU THINK DESERVES SOME
RECOGNITION, THEY‘RE SENIORS,
JUST SO WE CAN HONOR THEM SO
THEY‘RE MOST LIKELY NOT GOING
TO GET THEIR SENIOR NIGHT WHICH
IS A BIG HIGHLIGHT OF THE
SPORTS SEASON, THEY‘RE MOST
LIKELY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO
CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON
AND, YOU KNOW, SENIOR YEAR IS
ALWAYS THE BEST IN HIGH SCHOOL.
SO WE GOT TREMENDOUS RESPONSE
FROM COACHS AND PARENTS AND
ATHLETES RECOMMENDING ALL THESE
SENIORS WHO DESERVE SOME
RECOGNITION.
I THINK ALL SENIOR ATHLETES
DESERVE SOME RECOGNITION.
WE JUST DON‘T HAVE THE DAYS TO
RECOGNIZE THEM ALL.
WHAT I‘VE BEEN DOING IS A
FEATURE CALLED SENIOR SALUTE
WHERE WE AMASS BIOGRAPHIES AND
TEENS WITH SENIOR ATHLETES AND
DO AN INTERVIEW WITH AN ATHLETE
OR 2 OVER SKYPE.
AND IT HAS BEEN REALLY
UPLIFTING FOR ME TO MEET THESE
KIDS BECAUSE THEIR ATTITUDE,
DESPITE THEIR SPRING SEASON
BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM, IS
THERE A SUCH A POSITIVE
ATTITUDE AND SOME OF THESE
TEAMS PROBABLY WOULD HAVE WON
STATE CHAMP YENSHIPS THIS
SEASON.
THEY‘LL NOT HAVE THAT CHANCE
AND THEY REMAIN POSITIVE AND
ONE THING THAT‘S BEEN UNIVERSAL
IS THEY ALWAYS THANK THE PEOPLE
THAT HAVE SUPPORTED THEM ALONG
THE WAY.
FROM THE COACHES, THEIR
PARENTS, TEACHERS AND FANS AND
THESE HAVE BEEN GREAT KIDS AND
WE DO IT EVERY MONDAY,
WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AND IT‘S
BEEN SO POPULAR.
I WAS INITIALLY GOING TO DO IT
IN JUST APRIL BUT NOW THROUGH
THE REST OF MAY, TOO.
>> AND IT GIVES ME CHILLS BEING
SOMEONE WHO DID PLAY A HIGH
SCHOOL SPORT.
PLAYED BASEBALL.
AND IT DID MEAN SO MUCH.
THE SENIOR YEAR WAS SOMETHING
THAT EVERYONE FROM THE TIME
YOU‘RE 10 YEARS OLD AND PLAYING
WITH KIDS YOU‘LL GRADUATE WITH
IN HIGH SCHOOL.
TO KNOW THAT IS THE FINAL YEAR
TO PLAY WITH THEM AND BE AROUND
THAT CAMARADERIE, IT IS REALLY
INSPIRING TO HEAR THAT.
THE RESPONSE FROM SOME OF THE
PEOPLE.
IT MUST BE SO DIFFICULT TO FIND
THE TEAM OR THE PLAYER, TO
HIGHLIGHT EVERY WEEK, IS THERE
A CHECK LIST YOU‘VE BEEN GOING
THROUGH FOR THIS?
HOW DID YOU MAKE THOSE TOUGH
DECISIONS?
>> IT IS TOUGH BECAUSE THE
RESPONSE IS SO GREAT BUT WE‘VE
GONE BY THE MOTTO LEAVE NO
SENIOR BEHIND.
WE‘LL TRY OUR HARDEST TO
SQUEEZE THEM IN.
WE‘RE PRETTY MUCH ALL BOOKED UP
THROUGH THE END OF MAY NOW WITH
THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN SO
POSITIVE.
SO TOWARDS THE END OF THE
MONTH, IF WE GET MORE?
RIGHT NOW IT IS EVERY MONDAY
AND WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY, WE
MAY INCLUDE TUESDAY AND
THURSDAY TO THE END OF NEXT
MONTH AND YOU TALKED ABOUT YOUR
EXPERIENCE AS AN ATHLETE AND
WAITING FOR SENIOR YEAR AND YOU
START PLAYING THE SPORT WITH
YOUR FRIEND AND WHEN YOU‘RE 10
YEARS OLD AND YOU GUYS ARE
PLAYING IT ALL THROUGHOUT YOUR
CAREER, IT‘S THAT FINAL PUSH
AND THAT IS WHAT KIDS BRING UP
A LOT, TOO, THEY‘VE BEEN
PLAYING WITH THEIR FRIEND FOR
SO LONG AND CAN‘T SEE IT TO
COMPLETION.
SO WE GIVE THEM A CHANCE, KIND
OF TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS
TO THEM TO REPRESENT THEIR
SCHOOL AND REPRESENT THEIR
COMMUNITY AND HOW MUCH THEIR
TEAMMATES, FRIEND AND ALL THE
SUPPORTERS HAVE MEANT TO THEM.
>> WELL, JAMIE, YOU AND RYAN
HAVE BEEN DOING SUCH A
FANTASTIC JOB TO HIGHLIGHT THAT
AND IT IS AWESOME TO SEE.
I CAN‘T WAIT TO SEE MORE DOWN
THE WAY.
AND YOU DID MENTION THEY‘D BE
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PLAYOFF
RUN AND TRYING TO DO THEIR PART
TO GET THE WORD OUT AND HELP
THE COMMUNITY.
CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT THE
PLAYERS AND THE ORGANIZATION IN
SXWRNL WHAT THEY‘RE DOING
THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC?
>> I‘VE BEEN REALLY BLESSED TO
COVER THE ORLANDO MAGIC.
I ALWAYS WANT TOD COVER THE NBA
AND CAN‘T THINK OF A BETTER
TEAM THAN THE ORLANDO MAGIC
BECAUSE OF HOW
COMMUNITY-ORIENTED THE
FRANCHISE IS.
IT‘S HAD SO MUCH WITH EVERYONE
COMING ABOUT EARLY MARCH AND
THE FIRST PEOPLE TO STEP UP WAS
THE OWNERS.
THE DEBOSS FAMILY PLEDGING 2
MILLION TO MAKE SURE THE AMWAY
CENTER EMPLOYEES WERE TAKEN
CARE OF THAT WERE EMPLOYED BY
THE MAGIC.
AND THEN THE PLAYERS ALSO
CONTRIBUTED INTO THAT FUND TO
HELP THE FAMILIES OF THE AMWAY
CENTER.
AND NEXT THE YOUNG FORWARD IS
SO INVOLVED WITH HIS CHURCH AND
THE MINISTRIES IS DOING A FOOD
DRIVE TO FEED ORANGE COUNTY
KIDS AND THE DEPENDING ON THE
MEALS COMING FROM SCHOOL AND
SINCE SCHOOL IS OUT AND THEY
MIGHT GO HUNGRY SO JUMP
MINISTRIES WITH JONATHAN
ISAAC‘S HELP HAS BEEN FEEDING
KIDS EVERY DAY.
AND THE TEAMMATE CHIPPED IN
MONETARILY TO HELP JONATHAN
WITH THAT PROJECT.
THEN THERE IS THE SECOND
HARVEST FOOD BANK AND JUST
CHIPPED IN ANOTHER 50,000
DOLLARS TO HELP OUT THAT FOOD
BANK.
THE MAGIC TEAM OF BROADCASTERS
ARE DOING A VIRTUAL FOOD DRIVE
THIS MONTH TO ASK FOR A
MONETARY DO INATIONS TO SECOND
HARVEST AND THE CHRISTIAN
SERVICE CENTER.
THESE ARE THE BROADCASTERS AND
THEY‘RE GREAT FRIENDS THESE
GUYS AND THEY‘RE CHIPPING IN
AND ASKING MAGIC FANS TO HELP
THEM DOT SAME AND ISSUING A
PHOTO CHALLENGE AND SUBMIT
PHOTOS AND VIDEOS.
GO ON THE MAGIC WEBSITE TO FIND
OUT HOW TO DO IT AND THE BEST
GET A FREE TREAT DOWN THE ROAD.
AND STEVE CLIFFORD, THE HEAD
COACH, HE DONATED THAT MONEY TO
THE PROGRAM THAT HELPS WITH
FISCAL RELIEF FOR FAMILIES THAT
HAVE BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACTED
ECONOMICALLY BY THE SHUTDOWNS
GOING ON.
IT‘S BEEN TOP TO BOTTOM THE
MAGIC ARE REALLY STEPPING OUT
AND JUSTIN, YOU BEING FROM THE
COMMUNITY AND HAVE SEEN WHAT
THE MAGIC HAVE DONE.
THEY DONATE OVER A MILLION
DOLLARS TO OUR COMMUNITY EVERY
SINGLE YEAR ANYWAY FROM THE
ORLANDO MAGIC YOUTH FOUNDATION.
IT‘S NOT A SURPRISEMENT A
BLESSING TO HAVE THE TEAM IN
THE COMMUNITY.
>> THEY ALSO EMPLOYED ME AT THE
TENDER AGE OF 6 TO BE A BALL
BOY AND IF THEY CAN DO THAT,
THEY CAN DO ANYTHING.
WE NEED TO TAKE A
I’m Alphonso, and there’s more to me than HIV.
>> IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PANDEMIC, WE MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PLAYOFF
SERIES.
THE NBA PLAYOFFS HAPPENING
RIGHT NOW NORMALLY.
DO YOU THINK THAT WHEN AND IF
IT COMES BACK THEY‘LL JUMP BACK
INTO THE PLAYOFFS?
>> I THINK THE COMMISSIONER OF
THE NBA, ADAM SILVER, HAS DONE
A REALLY GOOD JOB BEING
TRANSPARENT AND NBA IS AT?
THINGS AREN‘T BEING LEAKED.
PLANS ARE NOT BEING LEAKED FROM
HIS OFFICE AND WHENEVER HE
SPOKE PUBLICLY ABOUT THE
POSSIBLE RETURN OF THE NBA, HE
SAID WE‘RE NOT IN ANY POSITION
TO MAKE DECISIONS YET AND WE
WON‘T BE UNTIL AT LEAST THE END
OF APRIL.
BUT HE ALSO ADDED THAT DOESN‘T
NECESSARILY MEAN WE‘RE READY TO
ANNOUNCE ANYTHING WHEN WE MOVE
FORWARD AT THE BEGINNING OF MAY.
I JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, TIME
BEING OF THE ESSENCE, IF THEY
RETURN, I THINK THEY GO INTO
THE PLAYOFFS USING THE 16 TEAMS
THAT ARE ABOVE THE LINE RIGHT
NOW.
THIS IS A FRIGHTENING SITUATION.
IT IS AN UNCERTAIN SITUATION.
THERE ARE TEAMS SO WELL OUT OF
THE PLAYOFFS AND WHAT IS THEIR
INCENT TESTIFY COME BACK AND
PLAY?
IF IT IS A CASE -- WE HEARD
SPECULATION THAT MAYBE THERE
ARE TWO ISOLATED CITIES
WHERELET TWO CONFERENCES SPLIT
UP.
WESTERN CONFERENCE TO ONE AND
EASTERN TO ANOTHER AND IT IS A
CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT.
BUT WHAT IS THE INCENTIVE FOR
THE TEAM LIKE THE KNICKS TO
COME BACK AND GET ON PLANES, TO
TRAVEL, BE QUARANTINED IN
HOTELS AND THEN GO TO WORK?
SO I THINK, JUST MY PERSONAL
OPINION, SHOULD IT COME BACK, I
THINK THEY DIVE RIGHT INTO THE
PLAYOFFS, BUT AGAIN, ADAM
SILVER HAS GIVEN NO INDICATION.
JUST STORIES FLOATING AROUND.
IT IS REALLY OBVIOUSLY A VERY
SMART LEAGUE AND I‘M SURE
THEY‘RE GOING THROUGH A LOT OF
SCENARIOSE.
THEY‘RE JUST NOT READY TO
ANNOUNCE ANYTHING YET AND I
THINK MAYBE THE BEGINNING OF
MAY WE HEAR IDEAS BUT SO MUCH
UNCERTAINTY ON HOW EVERYTHING
WILL PLAY OUT.
>> SOME COMMISSIONERS ARE QUIET
ABOUT WHEN THEY‘LL PLAY OUT AND
OBVIOUSLY AWAITING WORDS FROM
OFFICIALS BUT THE PGA TOUR SET
DATES ALREADY.
DID YOU FIND THAT SURPRISING
AND DO YOU THINK GOLF WILL BE
THE FIRST SPORT BACK?
>> I DO THINK THAT BECAUSE GA
DID ANNOUNCE THE PLAN TO RESUME
IN JUNE WITH NO SPECTATORS.
I THINK THEY‘RE THE EXAMPLE
OTHERS WILL FOLLOW.
I SEE NEXT IN LINE, HONESTLY,
AFTER THE PGA TOUR, I THINK
NASCAR CAN FOLLOW SUIT BECAUSE,
YOU KNOW, THERE IS NOT BODY TO
BODY CONTACT.
YOU CAN SOCIALLY DISTANCE.
ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, CREWS, A
DRIVER‘S CREW, ARE WORKING IN
CLOSE CONTACT.
THERE HAS TO BE A LOT OF
PERSONNEL AT THE TRACK FOR
EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
SO YOU‘RE GETTING THEM AT
TRACKS AND SOME ARE STILL SHUT
DOWN.
MOST STATES ARE STILL SHUT DOWN.
BUT YOU COULD SEE A STATE LIKE
FLORIDA OPENING UP TO SOME OF
THE SPORTING EVENTS BECAUSE
GOVERNOR DESANTIS LEFT THAT
OPEN.
BUT I THINK THE PGA TOUR WILL
BE THE EXAMPLE OTHERS FOLLOW
AND MAYBE NASCAR IS NEXT AND
THEN PERSONALLY THE ONE LEAGUE
THAT FOLLOWS AFTER THAT IS
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL AND THEY
WANT TO PLAY AS MANY GAMES AS
THEY CAN.
I DON‘T KNOW IF THEY CAN RESUME
THAT, BUT I THINK MAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALL IS THE FIRST
PRO-LEAGUE TO GET BACK GOING.
>> THEY FLIRTED WHY IDEAS AND
LIKE PLAYING IN A BUBBLE IN
ARIZONA.
NO OUTSIDE FAMILY OR CONTACT
AND REALLY BASICALLY BEING IN
QUARANTINE FOR 4 MONTHS AND
THAT WAS THE SPECULATION FOR
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL AND OF
COURSE THEY‘RE WORKING ON IDEAS
AND TRYING TO COME UP WITH THE
SOLUTION.
BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE RAISE
CONCERNS, TOO.
YES.
THE PLAYERS ARE OF GREAT HEALTH
AND YOUNG AND DOESN‘T
NECESSARILY AFFECT THEM AS IT
WOULD AN OLDER GENERATION.
BUT YOU HAVE UMPIRES AND PEOPLE
THAT ARE PART OF THE GAME.
>> AND CORONAVIRUS DOES NOT
DISCRIMINATE BASED ON AGE.
WE HEARD CASES OF YOUNG PEOPLE
COMING DOWN WITH IT AND DYING.
SO JUST BECAUSE ATHLETES ARE IN
GREAT SHAPE AND IN THEIR 20S
DOESN‘T MEAN SOMETHING CAN‘T
HAPPEN TO THEM.
AND THERE IS THE THREAT OF
CONTAGE AND SPREADING IT TO
OTHER PEOPLE.
SO IT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE A
CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT FOR
THESE TO GET BACK TOGETHER AND
DEPEND OG WHAT KIND OF
MEDICATIONS.
HIS A VACCINE BEEN DISCOVERED.
BECAUSE YOU HEAR ONCE IT IS
DISCOVERED IT TAKES A YEAR TO
14 MINUTINGS TO GET ON THE
SHELVES AND YOU REALLY HAVE TO
EXPLORE THAT AND BE CAREFUL AND
SCREEN EVERY PLAYER AND EVERY
INDIVIDUAL BASICALLY EVERY DAY
AND I DON‘T KNOW.
TELL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL DOES AND
IF WE SPLIT UP AND QUARANTINE
FOR THIS AMOUNT OF TIME.
WHAT DO THE PLAYERS THINK ABOUT
THAT?
HOW ARE THEY FEELING?
WHAT IS GOING THROUGH THE
PSYCHE?
ARE THEY UP FOR DOING THAT?
ARE THEY UP FOR LEAVING THEIR
FAMILIES DURING THIS TIME TO GO
PLAY BASEBALL?
DO THEY FEEL 100% SECURE.
I DON‘T THINK THE AGE FACTOR
MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THIS
BECAUSE IT COULD AFFECT ANYBODY
NEGATIVELY.
AND WE JUST DON‘T WANT TO TAKE
THAT CHANCE.
>> AS IT STANDS NOW THERE IS
OPTIMISM FOR THE FALL.
AGAIN, THERE IS JUST SO MUCH WE
DON‘T KNOW BUT OPTIMISM COLLEGE
FOOTBALL WILL BE BACK AND IT
COULD SET UP FOR QUITE THE FALL
WHEN IT COMES TO SORTING IN THE
UNITED STATES.
>> THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION.
I JUST THINK WE‘VE HEARD ABOUT
THE SECOND WAVE THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY COME.
I THINK THINGS WILL BE A LOT
DIFFERENT.
IF THEY DEEM IT SAFE ENOUGH TO
START PLAYING GAMES AGAIN,
MAYBE THEY DON‘T OPEN IT UP FOR
FANS RIGHT AWAY IF AT ALL THIS
YEAR.
IT‘S GOING TO REALLY HURT
COLLEGE SPORTS BECAUSE A
PROGRAM LIKE UCF, YES.
THEY GET MONEY AND TELEVISION
REVENUE, BUT THEY GET
COMPLIMENTED FROM THE REVENUE
FROM TICKET SALES AND
CONCESSIONS AND EVERYTHING LIKE
THAT.
THE NFL SAID WE‘RE OPTIMISTIC
AND IT‘S ALL SYSTEMS GO TO KICK
OFF AS SCHEDULED AT THE
BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER.
I‘LL WAIT AND SEE IF THAT
HAPPENS BECAUSE THERE IS SO
MUCH UNKNOWN.
WE DON‘T KNOW WHAT NEXT WEEK IS
GOING TO BE LIKE, NEXT MONTH.
BUT IT IS GOING TO LOOK VASTLY
DIFFERENT AND ECONOMICS OF
SPORTS WILL BE CHANGED BY THIS,
TOO.
>> JAMIE SEH, WE APPRECIATE IT
AND TO YOUR POINT, WE MISS
SPORTS BUT MAKE SURE IT‘S A
SAFE APPROACH.
FOR MORE PHYSICALSINGER ON
ANYTHING SPORTS RELATED, JUST
HEAD TO CLICKORLANDO.COM/SPORTS.
I‘M JUSTIN WARM