Your “Everything’s About Charlotte These Days” Thursday Evening Open Thread

NFL News:

• The NFL is saying the virtual period for offseason work will extend until June 26.
  • Teams can decide whether to end their virtual routines this Friday, or extend the two weeks.
    • Minicamps are still prohibited.
  • There is also speculation that the NFL might follow the XFL’s lead & have a team of replacement players available for any team that has players test positive for COVID-19.
    • The XFL had a ninth team of players available for teams to choose from; the NFL could have an unofficial 33rd team to help supplement a team that’s had to pick its practice squad clean.

• Another busy day in Charlotte:
  • The Panthers’ statue of Jerry Richardson is apparently gone for good.

    

    • Richardson has said he won’t sue over its removal, despite it being a contractual obligation of the sale.
      • There are allegations that a private settlement has been agreed upon between Richardson & current owner David Tepper.
    • His statue at Wofford, where he is a benefactor, will remain in place.
    • One unintended consequence of the statue’s removal: The entrance to the stadium’s north gate will be wider and easier to navigate for fans this fall during the “social distancing” era of COVID-19.
  • In a costs reduction, the Panthers fired 15 business employees.
    • Mostly sales & ticketing employees.
      • Some were “performance related“, although no details about that were available.
  • They also ended a sponsorship agreement with a security company over racially sensitive remarks the CEO made.
    • CPI Security CEO Kenneth Gill apparently responded to an email from the group Queen City Unity by saying to the head of the group that they should “spend time in a more productive way,” and that “a better use of time, would be to focus on the black on black crime and senseless killing of our young men by other young men.”

That’s good on Charlotte.

Good Charlotte is more tWBS.

Tonight’s … entertainment?:

• Top Rank Boxing on ESPN:
  • Magdaleno-Vicente (featherweights) – 7:00PM | ESPN / TSN
    • Jessie Magdaleno (27-1, 18 KOs) vs. Yenifel Vicente (36-4-2, 28 KOs) in a featherweight bout in Las Vegas.
• MLB Draft: Rounds 2-5 – 2:00PM | ESPN2 / TSN2
  • Round 2 through Round 5 of the 2020 MLB Draft.
  • A total of 125 picks are scheduled on Day 2; they should be at Round 4 by the time this post comes live.
• 2013 Blackhawks – Bruins Cup final | NBCSN
  • 5:00PM – Game 2
  • 7:00PM – Game 4
  • 9:00PM – Game 6
• Top Chef – 10:00PM | BRAVO / Food Network Canada
  • The remaining chef contestants are flown to Parma, Italy heading into the finale. For their challenge, they must feature in their dishes the two most famous products of the region: Prosciutto di Parma ham, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
    • They will serve their creations to a panel of Michelin stars chefs.
  • Finale next week.

You know what? That’s good enough.

That’s also it for me this week. You get a handful of Balls tomorrow, and something pre-taped from me on the weekend.