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Happy Monday, everyone.
As we all know, sports have come to a standstill. There will still be news here and there, and we will deliver it as it comes. We also have some ideas for content to keep you talking (and arguing) about Alabama football, so keep an eye out for that. I’m going to keep the daily JP rolling, and it’s going to consist of just about anything that doesn’t involve COVID-19. That isn’t to say that your comments are restricted - we hope that this community can provide an outlet for folks to talk about anything they need or want to talk about - but I’m going to avoid writing about it in this particular space.
On days where sports news is insufficient, I’ll post memes or other funny things. We’re going to try to keep it light around here, a’ight?
Posted by Bri Downey on Saturday, March 14, 2020
A’ight.
We are in the midst of today’s Alabama’s takeover of SEC Network. The rest of the schedule:
7 a.m. - Alabama vs. LSU, gymnastics
8:30 a.m. - Kentucky vs. Alabama (Semifinal No. 2), softball
10:30 a.m. - Washington vs. Alabama, softball
12:30 p.m. - SEC Inside: Alabama men’s basketball
1 p.m. - No. 25 LSU vs. Alabama,, men’s basketball
3 p.m. - No. 4 Auburn vs. Alabama, men’s basketball
5 p.m. - Tennessee vs. No. 1 Alabama, football
8 p.m. - No. 14 Michigan vs. No. 13 Alabama, football
This is really nice of them, since they decided to play the 2019 Auburn and LSU games back to back on Saturday.
Damn, Cecil went there.
Nick would open McDonald’s and Kirby would immediately open McDowell’s. https://t.co/gScev8W3aS
— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) March 15, 2020
Yes, yes he would. He would also bring up Rocky Marciano any time someone talked about boxing.
Hey, in case you missed it, be sure to congratulate Florida State on their 2020 basketball national title!
I introduced a resolution today in the @FLSenate declaring the @FSUHoops Team National Champions. The cornovirus will continue to impact all areas of our life but this is Florida State’s year. Congratulations to our 2020 National Champions and Go Noles! #FSU pic.twitter.com/TWOswfSt5T
— Joe Gruters (@JoeGruters) March 13, 2020
That is sad and funny at the same time. I guess Florida’s senate hasn’t had anything better to do.
Derrick Henry is going to be a Tennessee Titan again, one way or the other.
The prevailing view is that Henry will be tagged and Conklin will hit the market. But if the Titans are able to pivot from negotiating with CAA on Tannehill to negotiating with CAA on Henry, maybe they can finalize something and then tag Conklin.
After the deep playoff run last season, it would have been a horrific PR hit for the Titans to break up that Tannehill-Henry backfield. They will have at least one more season together.
Of course, this comes on the heels of the new collective bargaining agreement.
One of the most obvious results of the CBA’s approval will be an extra playoff team in each conference starting in the 2020 season. With seven teams apiece qualifying for the postseason in the AFC and the NFC, only the No. 1 team in each conference will receive a first-round bye. The current six-team format awarded two first-round byes.
The NFL owners also have a window from 2021 through 2023 during which they can change the league’s current 16-game regular season to a 17-game schedule going forward. The expansion of the regular season would be accompanied by the reduction of the preseason schedule by one game.
As a football fan it’s tough to argue against more football, but further watering down the playoffs and creating a weird situation where only one team gets a bye makes no sense. If you’re going to do it, just go to eight and deal with the blowouts.
Last, Jeremy Gray of al.com has a nice collection of vintage photos, including one of Bear Bryant fishin’, while Creg Stephenson recounts the two previous shutdowns of football in the state.
That’s about it for today. Have a great week.
Roll Tide.