FOOTBALL NASCAR Look for Is Facing a Run on Desperate Qbs with Reality Top Picks HARLOTTE, N.C
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MORE ONLINE Go to www.journaltimes. com/sports for complete coverage on: SPORTS Coronavirus affecting TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020 | racinesportszone.com | SECTION C sports AUA TO R CING FOOTBALL NASCAR Look for is facing a run on desperate QBs with reality top picks HARLOTTE, N.C. — The virtual racing has been BARRY WILNER Ccute and kept everyone Associated Press entertained but NASCAR needs Talk about drafts. What is a to get back to the real thing, mock draft, really? Make believe. quickly, for the financial and The upcoming NFL remote mental health of the sport. draft beginning Thursday night NASCAR — really, almost has a touch of irony to it. The all levels of professional racing producers of said mock drafts — is not built to rarely are even remotely accu- withstand a shut- rate. down of any sort. That said, here’s one view Team owners are of what might happen in the on their own to opening round. This mock figure out how to draft does not include trades, pay the bills. If of which there could be sev- JENNA someone wants eral. Sticking with the existing FRYER to race, they grid, the Colts, Steelers, Bears, find whatever Rams, Bills and Texans don’t sponsorship they have a selection. can and try to spread it over the longest season in sports at 1. Cincinnati nearly 11 months. Bengals can’t possibly bungle NASCAR does have a 10- this pick, right? year, $8.2 billion television deal Last time they with Fox and NBC Sports, but took franchise the teams get just 25% of that quarterback with money and the checks come top overall se- only after a race is completed. lection, in 2003, There hasn’t been a race JOURNAL TIMES FILE PHOTO it worked out since March 8. Tony Azarian walks through Horlick’s fieldhouse following a game in November 1976. Azarian, who pretty well with died in April 2000, was the inspirational leader on a team that appeared in the first WIAA football Eight events have postponed Carson Palmer. Burrow so far because of the coronavi- championship game. JOE BURROW, rus pandemic. QB, LSU A lot of sponsors are with- holding payments until their 2. Washington logos are again shown at the Best player in this draft is track. Chase Young. Redskins will get Here is the desperate truth: His vibrant spirit lots of offers, especially from Nobody is making any money teams seeking QB. If they aren’t right now and the longer NA- tempted enough, they go with SCAR is shuttered, the deeper chalk ... the financial hit will be for an CHASE YOUNG, EDGE/LB, industry already battling a slew has staying power OHIO STATE of challenges. Every metric worth caring 3. Detroit about has been in nearly a de- 20 years after his hole to address the issue and Lions will get even more pres- cade-long decline. Team own- was killed when the rest of it sure to deal this spot with two ers bought themselves some se- tragic death, Tony collapsed. highly regarded curity three years ago via char- It was a tragic end for quarterbacks ters with NASCAR, but they are Azarian’s voice is a man who had so much available. Guess sold at market rate. The market, more to give. Twenty four what: Matthew FYI, hasn’t been so great. still being heard years earlier, he had been Stafford comes NASCAR has already made an overachieving 5-foot-8, off major in- pay cuts and a round of staff nthony D’Alie fre- 150-pound nose guard for a jury, has gotten layoffs. It’s a privately owned quently drives down Horlick High School football beaten down company primarily by Jim Highway 32 from his team that appeared in the first through years, A Tagovailoa France and his niece Lesa Rochester home en route to public schools state champi- and has difficult France Kennedy. The family last D’Alie Masonry, onship game in Wisconsin. family issues. So whether they October paid $2 billion to swal- his longtime He was also a state qualifier in trade it or keep it ... low its publicly-owned sister business in wrestling. TUA TAGOVAILOA, QB, AL- company, International Speed- Racine. As he Azarian went on to start ABAMA way Corp., in a move NASCAR nears Five Mile PHOTO COURTESY OF ED MORELLI four years at nose guard and President Steve Phelps has Road by the A pair of Tony Azarian’s was an All-American wrestler 4. New York Giants argued proved the France com- railroad over- wrestling shoes hangs in the for UW-Whitewater, where So many needs, but hard to see mitment to the 72-year-old he graduated magna cum PETER pass, he inev- basement of Ed Morelli’s home Giants ignoring stud linebacker stock car series. JACKEL itably thinks in Racine. Morelli and Azarian laude. Afterward, kids be- with winning credentials to build What the Frances do and of a cherished coached football and wrestling came his top priority. defense around. how they choose to spend their friend who together for several years in He and wife, Vannette, ISAIAH SIMMONS, LB, money is of no say to the car tragically died in that area 20 area youth leagues. became the parents of four CLEMSON owners, who must figure out years ago this month. sons and two daughters as he how long they can keep the Rather than his eyes moist- when Azarian, a contractor worked tirelessly to expand 5. Miami lights on at the shop without ening with tears, though, for his family’s well-known the family business his late Dolphins supposedly were any income. They can exist on D’Alie can’t longtime business, drove to a father, Sam, had started. And tanking for Tua borrowed time or they can fold. help but smile site near Highway 32 and Five he became heavily involved in last year, yet won Some team owners are still at the power- Mile Road to cap off a sewer coaching youth football and enough games paying employees, others have ful memories lateral. At 3:50 p.m., he called wrestling in the community. to fall to fifth in issued pay cuts. And some his buddy left his secretary from his mobile If there was a piece of equip- the order. That organizations have gone with behind, mem- phone to inform her that one ment a boy’s family couldn’t doesn’t mean layoffs and furloughs. ories that res- side of the hole had collapsed. afford, Azarian quietly took they will ignore In the end, no member of the onate with so It was the last time anyone care of it. a passer here. NASCAR industry will not be many people would hear his voice. Anthony Alan Azarian, just JUSTIN HER- D’Alie Herbert affected. two decades Just after 4 p.m., the ve- a month away from his 41st BERT, QB, OR- Teams, primarily based in after his death. Tony Azarian hicle Azarian had been using birthday when he died, suc- EGON the greater Charlotte area, are packed his nearly 41 years on — it was D’Alie’s green 1998 ceeded in just abut everything shuttered under North Car- this earth with achievement GMC truck — had been found he took on. He was a star. And 6. Los Angeles Chargers olina’s stay-at-home order and goodwill and his spirit is at the site with its engine that’s why D’Alie can’t help Having missed out on top and local politicians have rec- alive and well with just about running. The horrifying truth but smile when he thinks of three QBs, Chargers are dumb- ognized the urgency in their anyone with whom he crossed would become known within Azarian every time he passes founded. They will attempt to paths during his life’s journey. a couple of hours: Azarian Please see FRYER, Page C3 It was on April 15, 2000 had gone into the 10-foot- Please see JACKEL, Page C3 Please see DRAFT, Page C3 The Journal Times Advertising Staff is here to help! Most of our staff is working remotely at this time, but please give us a call at 262-631-1711 if there is anything we can do to assist you or your business! You can also complete the form at We’re here to JournalTimes.com/forms/contact/advertise and someone will respond to you shortly. M 1 help THE JOURNAL TIMES SPORTS TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2020 | C3 “It was during the dog days of that this is your’s.’ That rock will house?’m” recalled the younger Jackel the season when it’s easy to just go wherever I go.” Tony, 36. “He said, ‘It’s not From C1 go through the motions in prac- There’s also a pair of white about what I accomplished, it’s tice,” he said. “I remember we Nike wrestling shoes that Mo- about what you kids accomplish. that site. were scrimmaging and he broke relli keeps hung in his basement, You are the ones who are im- “I just have a good laugh be- through and made a tackle for a where he works out. portant!’ cause of all the good times that loss. He got up and jumped and “It gives me a reminder of “I will always remember that. he and I had together,” D’Alie yelled. Tony,” Morelli said. He was so inspired and dedi- said. “He was always that intense. cated to the sport of wrestling When the leaders on the team His message lives on that he would make connections The Spirit of ‘76 care that much and you know it When Azarian died, he left everywhere we went.