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Saturday, May 15, 2021
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Pac-12 picks MGM executive as next commissioner
George Kliavkoff to
be the conference’s
next commissioner,
replacing Larry Scott
By RALPH D. RUSSO
AP College Football Writer
SaN FraNCISCO — the
Pac-12 hired George Kliavkoff to
be the conference’s next commis-
sioner on thursday, May 13, replac-
ing Larry Scott with another college
sports outsider and charging him
with rebuilding the league’s foot-
ball brand.
Kliavkoff has been the president
of MGM Sports & Entertainment in
Las Vegas since 2018.
Michael H. Schill, the university thoughtfully challenged us to envi-
of Oregon president and chairman sion what is possible for the Pac-12.
of the five-member search commit- What is possible for the coming era
tee, called Kliavkoff “a highly of new technologies and media.”
experienced and pioneering sports,
the Pac-12 university presidents
entertainment and digital
conducted a secretive nearly
media executive.”
four-month search with the
Kliavkoff has previously
executive search firm Turn-
worked with Major League
keyZrG.
Baseball advance Media
Some familiar names in
and Hearst Entertainment
college sports were among
& Syndication, and was
those speculated to be up for
also the chief digital officer
consideration by the Pac-12:
with NBC universal Cable.
Kliavkoff
former NCaa execu-
“He is very much a new
tive and NFL quarterback
prototype for sports commissioner,” Oliver Luck, Ohio State athletic
Schill said. “He is the sort of person director Gene Smith, and texas
we need for this decade and the ad Chris del Conte, to name a few.
Instead, the Pac-12’s next
decades beyond. Even without
serving a day in the job, George has commissioner — much like its last
— comes to the conference with no
previous experience as an adminis-
trator in college sports.
“With today’s announcement, I
believe that I am transitioning from
the best job in entertainment to the
best job in sports,” Kliavkoff said
in a video conference with report-
ers. “I made this jump because I’m
passionate about the mission of the
Pac-12 Conference, to drive finan-
cial results, to protect and expand
scholarships and support the other
educational goals of our member
institutions.”
Kliavkoff said he has three prior-
ities when he formally takes over as
commissioner in July.
“First, we will protect and
support our student-athletes.
Second, we will make decisions to
optimize revenue for our member
institutions, including renegotiating
our media distribution deals. and
third, we will do everything we can
at the conference level to make our
teams more competitive in reve-
nue-generating sports, especially
football,” he said.
Kliavkoff said he supports
expansion of the College Football
Playoff and the implementation of
consistent name, image and likeness
guidelines across NCaa sports.
“We think that both CFP expan-
sion and NIL legislation are good
for college sports fans, good for
our student-athletes, and can be
See Pac-12, Page B2
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
McCullough
shares player
of the year
honors
East Oregonian
La GraNdE — Postseason honors
continue to roll in for Eastern Oregon
university’s Max McCullough.
the same week the redshirt senior
learned he was named academic all-dis-
trict honorees by the
College Sports Informa-
tion directors of america,
Eastern’s all-time leading
scorer was named Cascade
Collegiate Conference
co-player of the spring,
the league announced on
thursday, May 13.
Jeske
McCullough, who
shared the honor with
Bushnell university’s
Stevie Schlabach, has
been part of a Mountie
squad that has gone 85-43
in five years. He currently
stands as the EOu career
leader in points scored and McCullough
is the only player in history
to eclipse 2,000 career points at 2,061. this
spring, McCullough averaged 21.1 points
(third in the CCC) and 5.2 rebounds per
game. He also handed out 104 assists (first
in the CCC) to go with 32 steals.
the league also announced that South-
ern Oregon university’s tez allen grabbed
defensive player of the spring honors, while
Warner Pacific University’s Isaac Etter was
named the newcomer of the spring and
Corban university’s Kendall Moore earned
freshman of the spring honors. Corban head
coach taylor Kelly was named coach of the
spring.
Eastern Oregon’s Justin Jeske was an
honorable mention selection.
Jeske, a redshirt sophomore, started all
20 games for the Mountaineers during the
spring season. He averaged 28 minutes per
game and nearly averaged a double-double.
He was the team leader in rebounds at 8.4
per contest and ranked third in the CCC.
He was fifth on the team in scoring at 10.7
points per game, while shooting 65% from
the floor. Jeske’s field goal percentage was
third highest in the league. He also tallied
40 assists, 26 steals, and had 10 blocked
shots.
Kathy Aney/East Oregonian, File
Pendleton’s Sam Jennings throws the javelin during the Pendleton Invite on April 16, 2021. Jennings took first with a throw of
177-9½.
PERFECTING HIS CRAFT
Pendleton’s Sam
Jennings invests
in the future with
new javelin
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
P
ENdLEtON — a man’s work
is only as good as his tools.
For Pendleton javelin
thrower Sam Jennings, an
upgrade is needed for him to continue to
improve his craft.
a junior, Jennings has thrown a
school record 198 feet, 11 inches this
spring, and is ranked first in Oregon and
eighth in the nation.
If he is going to throw 200 feet and
beyond, he and Pendleton throwing
coach Nicole Bowden know he needs
better equipment.
Pendleton High School has a collec-
tion of javelins, some of which may or
may not have been used in the first Happy
Canyon Pageant, but they do not perform
for a thrower of Jennings’ ability.
“We have a lot of really old javelins
that are 10 or 15 years old,” Bowden said.
“We get them refurbished every 5 years
or so, but with him being so advanced,
he needs one with less flex. He can really
launch the school javelins, but it’s about
the core center balance, and a little less
flex. His release right now has a bounce
and is almost like a smile.”
Making his mark
Jennings, who finished fourth at state
as a freshman with a throw of 181-7,
bought a standard high school javelin at
the start of his sophomore year, but didn’t
get to use it much before COVId wiped
out his season.
at a home meet on april 30, Jennings
launched a throw of 198-11 to break
Geoff Herd’s school record of 186-10 set
in 2009.
“One of the biggest shocks, is I
thought it was a terrible throw,” Jennings
said. “My goal this year was 190. If I
throw 200, I’ll be the only junior in the
nation to throw that far.”
With 200 feet and beyond on his radar,
Jennings knew exactly which javelin he
wanted to get after seeking advice from
2019 state champion ty Hampton, who
now throws at university of Oregon.
See Jennings , Page B2
SPORTS SHORT
NCAA eyes host sites in states with anti-transgender laws
Associated Press
INdIaNaPOLIS — the
NCaa announced 20 potential
host sites for the early rounds of its
postseason baseball tournament
on Friday, May 14, including three
states that have passed laws requir-
ing athletes to compete in inter-
scholastic sports according to their
sex at birth.
the NCaa division I Base-
ball Committee unveiled the sites
for 16 NCaa regionals and eight
super regionals. Those include five
schools in states that have passed
the laws: arkansas, Southern Miss,
Mississippi State, tennessee and
Vanderbilt.
alabama, arkansas and tennes-
see are also potential host sites for
the NCaa’s softball tournament.
the NCaa Board of Gover-
nors issued a statement april 12
saying it “firmly and unequivocally
supports the opportunity for trans-
gender student-athletes to compete
in college sports.” the board said it
would continue monitoring those
situations.
NCaa spokeswoman Stacey
Osburn referred questions to the
board’s earlier statement and said
the NCaa had no further comment
on the issue.
Legislation requiring athletes to
compete in interscholastic sports
according to their sex at birth
has been introduced in dozens of
states this year, and governors have
signed bills in alabama, arkansas,
Mississippi, tennessee and West
Virginia. arkansas, Mississippi
and West Virginia laws also cover
college sports teams.
Human rights Council Presi-
dent alphonso david called for the
NCaa to refuse to hold champi-
onships in states that have enacted
the laws.
Jeff altier, the committee
chairman and the athletic direc-
tor at Stetson, said last month that
his committee had been given no
directive to exclude any school
from consideration for hosting a
regional.
Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press, File
A large flag is unfurled in the outfield before the second game of the
best-of-three championship series between Florida and Oklahoma in
the NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City on June 6,
2017.