Jumbo Package: Mark Emmert’s “leadership” means throwing conferences under the bus...again.

Are you as cool as Nate Oats? No. No, you’re not.

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Even conceding that it’s going to be very hard to keep Kool-Aid off the field, it is almost certain that Jalyn Armour-Davis has already wrapped up the CB2 spot.

And he’s primed for a big year.

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Former Maryland commit, Kobe Prentice, may be back on the menu for ‘Bama recruiting. The Tide, which hasn’t received a commitment from a WR yet in the 2022 NSD class, has extended an offer to the fast-rising instate speedster.

How fast? He clocked a 4.38 at Alabama’s camp in June.

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Practically since his arrival, former Alabama standout PG Colin Sexton has been on the trade block in Cleveland. With the Finals winding down, and the NBA Draft approaching, there are again rumors that Sexton could be moved.

But does that trade even make sense? Interesting stuff here from Basketball News.

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Speaking of hoops, even though Alabama’s roster has not been solidified for the 2021-2022 season, pre-sale tickets for the Battle for Seattle have already hit Ticketmaster. The tilt will likely preseason No. 1 Gonzaga — featuring their top-overall recruit and likely No. 1 pick in 2022, and a 2021 finalist for player of the year, the reigning Karl Malone Award winner. The Bulldogs are going to be a load in the paint.

If you missed that news, here’s our coverage from earlier this spring.

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Here’s a nice story from the Athletic on what they consider to be a steal of the Second Round — SEC Player of the Year, Herb Jones, and his perfect fit for the Boston Celtics.

Soft paywall. But it’s just a buck a month.

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Living rent-free in the minds of countless Bucknuts. What a life. Never let this end.

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Much like Emmert and Co. did with the ‘Rona, the NCAA is trying to take a hands-off approach to NIL rights, and is expected to kick enforcement and rules over to the conferences.

I wondered how the NCAA was going to monitor and enforce these, or what standards it would set. And it appears the answer is that Mark has just said screw it, and leave it up to local commissioners. Because that worked soooo well before, given how many conference commissioners are damned liars or damned fools.

I suspect part of this comes from the NCAA’s weariness of having their teeth kicked in by Senate Commerce Committee and suffering a string of setbacks in federal court of-late. If Emmert can say that it’s handled locally by member-institutions, thus decentralizing the NIL scheme, a lot of the antitrust presumptions begin to tilt in his favor. Or so goes the thinking, surely.

But, reading some of Justice Gorsuch’s dicta and a lot of statements from Senators Murphy and Booker, I think this hail mary is batted down at the two-yard-line, and doesn’t even get close to crossing the goal.

All he’s done here is abdicate the leadership role that he and the NCAA are meant to provide — and in his case, is handsomely compensated for. Remember: The NCAA worked for 18 months on this “comprehensive plan” that has now amounted little more than “it’s your problem now, sucker.”

That wizened approach is worth $2.7 million a year apparently. Not just a clown; he’s the whole damned circus.

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Dabo Swinney knows where his bread is buttered. Before acquiring Venables and Elliot, it was a 9-win program prone to Clemsoning. Afterwards, the Tigers have been involved in all-but-one CFP field and have taken home two titles (one of which I am still extremely unhappy about.).

So, it’s no surprise that CU has made Brent Venables the highest paid assistant in the land — $2.5 million-per. That brings the trio of coaches to an obscene $13 million total.

That is one school hell-bent on not letting the band break up, isn’t it?

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Alabama has added yet another 2021 NCAA tourney team to its hellacious 2022 basketball schedule. Big Dick Rick and his Iona Gaels will meet Alabama (again) in the ESPN Tip-Off Tourney.

What a nasty, nasty schedule.

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FINALLY,

Completely unrelated to Alabama, or even football, comes this little tidbit. I included it because ours tends to be a traditionalist fan base, and I assume that a great many of you (like me), detest the clowntown rule changes that have transformed MLB into an almost-unrecognizable sport.

Stay off my lawn, and fix baseball.