The Tri-City Americans introduced co-owner Stu Barnes as their new head coach on Saturday. Barnes, 50, had been on staff with the Seattle Kraken, the 
NHL expansion franchise, as a pro scout. . . . Barnes began his three-season WHL playing career with the New Westminster Bruins in 1987-88 and made the journey south when the franchise relocated to Kennewick, Wash. His pro career included 1,136 regular-season NHL games over 16 seasons, the last four with the Dallas Stars. . . . He later spent six seasons (2008-12, 2017-19) as an assistant coach with the Stars. He joined the Kraken’s scouting staff in 2019. . . . Barnes has owned a piece of the Americans since April 2005, along with Bob Tory, the governor and general manager, Olaf Kolzig and Dennis Loman. . . . Barnes replaces Kelly Buchberger, whose contract wasn’t renewed after three seasons. He now is an assistant coach with the Laval Rocket, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens. . . . The Americans’ announcement on Saturday didn’t include any other pieces of their coaching staff. Don Nachbaur’s name remains on the team’s website as associate coach. Nachbaur, the third-winningest head coach in WHL regular-season history, joined the Americans in February. . . .
It was late in September 1986 when Barnes was involved in what turned into 
one of the most lop-sided trades in WHL history. . . . The New Westminster Bruins had loaned G Mike Gibson to the Regina Pats and he was in training camp with them when general manager/head coach Doug Sauter acquired his rights for, as the Regina Leader-Post reported, “16-year-old forward Steve Barnes of Edmonton.” . . . Yes, it was Stu Barnes, who was playing with the AJHL’s St. Albert Saints at the time. He put up 41 goals and 34 assists in 75 games in 1986-87, and was named the league’s rookie of the year. . . . In 1987-88, he had 101 points, including 37 goals, in 71 games with the Bruins, and was the WHL’s rookie of the year. He then totalled 285 points, 111 of them goals, in 133 regular-season games over two seasons with the Americans. In 1988-89, Barnes was saluted as the winner of the Four Broncos Trophy as the WHL’s player of the year. . . . Add it all up and you get 386 points, including 148 goals, in 204 games with the Bruins/Americans. . . . He also won gold with Canada at the 1990 IIHF World Junior Championship. . . . Gibson, in his 18-year-old season at the time of the trade, went 5-5-0, 4.91, .839 with the Pats. The following season, he made 24 appearances with the Portland Winterhawks, going 9-12-0, 5.97, .868.
It was good to have football back with us, thanks to the CFL and TSN, but if you were watching it was also a reminder that on these pandemic days no one knows how not to wear facemasks like football coaches.
J.R. Richard, a 6-foot-8 fireballing right-hander in his time with the Houston Astros, died this week at 71 of complications related to COVID-19. . . . Dusty Baker, now the Astros’ manager, had to get in the batter’s box and face Richard during their playing days. Baker remembers some teammates who discovered aches and pains — something like the Flin Flon Flu in junior hockey back in the day — rather than face Richard. As Baker put it: “There was something called J.R.-itis, which was an incurable disease when you’re scared of J.R. Richard. He was the toughest guy I ever faced. It was like J.R. was only throwing from about 50 feet.”
Is this photo of Olympic decathlon champion Damian Warner the sports photo of year, or what? The photo credit goes to Javier Soriano / AFP via Getty Images.
Kirk Cousins, the starting quarterback for the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, is from Holland, Mich. He has served as a spokesperson for Holland Hospital and has helped its sports medicine program since 2017. However, that relationship has come to an end with Cousins having refused to get vaccinated. . . . “While we acknowledge that each person is entitled to their own viewpoints,” the hospital said in a statement, “those who speak on our behalf must support messages that align with the hospital’s position on matters of vital importance to individual and community health. For this reason, Holland Hospital will discontinue using Kirk Cousins as our spokesperson for now.” . . . Mike Zimmer of the Vikings is one of the NFL head coaches who has spoken out vehemently against players who haven’t gotten vaccinated. This relationship will be worth watching as the NFL season moves along. . . . Cousins was on the NFL’s COVID-19 list for a few days after being identified as a close contact of a teammate who tested positive. No matter. He still won’t get vaccinated.
Steve Simmons, in the Toronto Sun — “I keep looking this up but I can’t find where Kirk Cousins or Carson Wentz got their medical degrees.”
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Here’s Simmons, again — “At 37, the Canadian treasure named Joey Votto has an OPS of .915 in Cincinnati — his best in years — with 22 home runs, the most he’s hit in four years. Fifteen years in the big leagues and Votto’s career OPS is .936 with a career on-base percentage of .417, which is a few points better than what Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is doing this season.”
The Beaverton — Dr. Hinshaw says Alberta is going to have to live with COVID-19 by dying of COVID-19.
Kyle Griffin, MSNBC, Saturday, 9:30 a.m. — The U.S. is now averaging more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases a day for the first time since February.
CBC News — COVID-19 outbreak continues in Tokyo as Olympics draw to a close.
The New York Yankees put 1B Anthony Rizzo on the MLB COVID-19 list on Sunday morning, the 12th of their players to end up on that list this season. Pitchers Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery, along with C Gary Sanchez, were placed on the list last week. . . . Rizzo had been acquired from the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline. His vaccination status isn’t known, although while with the Cubs in June he said he wasn’t vaccinated and that he was “taking some more time to see the data.” . . . Here’s Sam Fels of Deadspin: “Rizzo’s appearance on the COVID list certainly raises eyebrows, if not cause a couple of nodding heads. Rizzo was one of the more outspoken non-gassed players when he was with the Cubs. His positive test certainly puts all of his arguments about not getting vaxxed then — putting his health first, protecting his family, research — in an even dumber light than it looked at the time.”
Rolling Stone — “Lynyrd Skynyrd cancel tour dates after Rickey Medlocke tests positive for Covid-19. . . . Lynyrd Skynyrd were scheduled to headline Monday’s Concert for Legends at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, sharing a bill with Brad Paisley and Jimmie Allen at the high-profile gig. However, that date — and three more shows on their itinerary — was canceled due to Medlocke’s positive test.”
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Rolling Stone — “Following their triumphant performance at Lollapalooza, Limp Bizkit have canceled the remainder of their August concerts due to safety concerns related to Covid-19. . . . The cancellation impacts the remaining eight shows on the band’s Limited Last Minute Post Pandemic Popup Party, which was scheduled to conclude August 24th in Los Angeles.”
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New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival — “As a result of the current exponential growth of new COVID cases in New Orleans and the region and the ongoing public health emergency, we must sadly announce that the 2021 edition of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival scheduled to take place Oct. 8-17 won’t occur as planned. . . . Next year’s dates are April 29-May 8.”
If you are interested in being a living kidney donor, more information is available here:
Living Kidney Donor Program
St. Paul’s Hospital
6A Providence Building
1081 Burrard Street
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6
Tel: 604-806-9027
Toll free: 1-877-922-9822
Fax: 604-806-9873
Email: donornurse@providencehealth.bc.ca
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Vancouver General Hospital Living Donor Program – Kidney
Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre
Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street
Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9
604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182
kidneydonornurse@vch.ca
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Or, for more information, visit right here.
JUST NOTES: Nathan Deck has joined the SJHL’s Weyburn Red Wings as an assistant coach. Deck, 31, played 277 WHL regular-season games over six seasons (2005-11) with the Vancouver Giants (six) and Prince Albert Raiders (271).
statement released on Saturday, the Rivermen explained: “After discussions with each player, the Rivermen made the tough decision not to play. There are a variety of reasons behind the decision, including educational commitments and the mental and physical health implications of both the 14 days of isolation followed by a five-week strictly controlled season.” . . . The Wenatchee Wild aren’t involved this season because the U.S.-Canada border is closed to non-essential travel. . . . The BCHL is planning to have its 16 remaining teams play out of pods in Alberni Valley, Chilliwack, Coquitlam, Penticton and Vernon.
TAKING NOTE 