We start this Friday mailbag with a tip of the optimistic fedora to the Twitter account of the Cincinnati Reds, who were no-hit last night by Cubs ace Jake Arrieta.
As many of you know, we're trying to focus on the positive around here about the 4-11 Atlanta Braves. Well, the Reds social media director has raised the bar.
After going without a hit in the 16-0 loss to the Cubs, the Reds' Twitter proudly proclaims, "Recap: Reds draw four walks vs. Cubs."
That's positively positive.
From Jomo
For mailbag - JG - So UTK football player Alexis Johnson plea bargained down to a misdemeanor that he agreed that HIT a female but did not choke her. What will this say about Butch Jones if he lets Johnson back on the team ? Especially with the "culture" of abuse to women that UTK is battling ?
Jomo -
That's an interesting discussion, and one that has multiple sides and question marks.
First, who all will be in on the decision-making process about Johnson? Certainly a legal opinion about perception would be needed since the lawsuit is still in the works. We can certainly see the plaintiffs' attorneys gladly referencing a possible Johnson re-instatement as another way the culture was permitted.
We all know that dropping charges in a matter such as this is not the same thing as being found innocent. Just like, in matters of the heart such as this, accusations are not the same as actual actions. These issues are layered and complicated, and made much more intricate by emotions and often by alcohol.
Those perceptions from the outside have to be taken into consideration for a program in the public scope like UT football. (That's true of almost all public institutions and enterprises, but especially clear of a state-run one that also counts on public donations to help the ends meet.)
As for what it says about Butch, you can make a hard argument that he's between a brick and a hard place. He has to be aware of and cultivator of his program's culture and perception, so welcoming Johnson back could damage that goal, especially from those looking on from the outside.
He also has to be mindful of his players, something each coach pledges to do during the recruiting process, and if all of these charges are dismissed - as they are expected to be in a few months - it becomes a fair question if Butch was fair to Johnson for not letting him back on the team for something that had all charges dismissed.
In truth, Butch will get heat from one side of the coin regardless of the decision he makes, and that's one of the reasons his annual compensation has multiple commas. If it were us, the first thing we'd do is enact the Steve Spurrier rule at South Carolina: If you hit a female you are done. That's not being charged with hitting a female. That's hitting a female. Would that potentially cost you a player or two? Maybe. It also would potentially land you a five-star or three down the road when you are in front of their mommas making your recruiting pitch.
In fact, college coaches are far too concerned with what they are losing when they dismiss a troubled player, no matter how talented, rather than what they are gaining long-term. (The players Saban has dismissed for conduct unbecoming has not slowed that train has it?)
As for the Spurrier rule at South Carolina, it would not be for the court to decide per se. It would be when I asked the player and the female. If the answer is yes, even in a matter as silly as a couple play-wrestling like Johnson's scenario, good-bye.
We continue to lower our expectations of those around us, and in turn lower the expectations for ourselves by proxy.
So, draw a line here. In this case and for all the cases after.
Tiger Woods looks over the site at Thompson's Station where he is expected to design a golf course. (Two Farms/The Tennessean)From Mike
Did I hear you on the radio say that today was the national day of the high five? That's awesome. Did you guys do a Rushmore of high 5s? If so I missed it, what made the list?
Thanks and I love the 5-at-10 and listening to Press Row
Mike -
That's right Mike, Thursday was the day of the high 5. We did not do a Rushmore, but we did discuss it.
In fact, we have in a previous Rushmore discussed the worst high 5s.
Here are the best and worst in honor of high 5 day:
Best - These friends here, the Washington Redskins receivers (known as the Fun Bunch) back in the 1980s with their group high 5; a stoned Brian Johnson getting the power treatment from Bender in "Breakfast Club" and any number of Barney's High Fives in "How I Met Your Mother."
Worst - Tiger and Stevie after Tiger's amazing chip on 16 at Augusta in 2005 (golfers have their own category, in truth); Rocky and Apollo on the beach in Rocky III; Buck Showalter getting left hanging after a home run (look it up); and George W. Bush and Nolan Ryan celebrating.
FILE - In this May 19, 2013 file photo, Prince performs at the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Prince, widely acclaimed as one of the most inventive and influential musicians of his era with hits including "Little Red Corvette," ''Let's Go Crazy" and "When Doves Cry," was found dead at his home on Thursday, April 21, 2016, in suburban Minneapolis, according to his publicist. He was 57. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) From Steve
Is Prince the greatest musician of his generation? And since you like Rushmores so much, is Prince's Super Bowl show on the Rushmore of the best sports musical performances. Thanks.
Steve -
He put on one of the greatest concerts we've ever seen at the Fox in the A-T-L. We think he was the most talented of his generation. He was amazing.
As for the sports musical performance, it's certainly in the discussion.
We'd put Whitney's Super Bowl national anthem after the start of the Gulf War on there and the U2 halftime show after the 9/11 attacks as well as the God Bless America singing at Yankee Stadium for the first time after 9/11 and then Prince at halftime of the Super Bowl. (And since his was the only one mentioned that did not have an overwhelming feeling of Patriotism, that screams how great it was.)
From Chas
OK, Fiver, your mathematical discourse leads me to ask two questions for Friday. First, explain Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. Second, is Schrodinger's cat in the box or dead or not?
Chas -
Well, as we dive deeper into today's subject matter, let's start with the variations of the theory of relativity.
First, our boy Al was out there man. Dude was the imagery of brilliance, from the actual to the stereotypical. Did you hear that Al wore the same clothes every day. Man, that screams genius. And smelly.
His general theory E=MC(squared), developed in 1905 and completely proven correct in February of this year, according to this, originally predicted that the things around Earth in space would be affected by the Earth's rotation, meaning all things - even in space - fall into the fundamental scientific law that for every action there's a reaction.
In a practical sense, Einstein also is the leaving, breathing, walking, talking Yoda. Think of the theory of relativity as the scientific force for more than a century. In fact, if you squint and try really hard, you can almost hear Al whisper, "Do or do not. There is no try."
His practical theory of relativity is don't marry your cousin. (Well, accept in Alabama. And this is a true story: The 5-at-10s were hitched in Alabama and got our marriage license in Fort Payne. On said application was the question, "Are you related?" which we thought would be a clear deal breaker. Nope. The next question was "If so, how?" So there's that.)
As for Erwin's cat, we lean toward the belief that the kitty is alive, although dead has an argument, too. While Bell's inequality does not overlap here, if the cat is actually dead does it make Pavlov's dog salivate? We say yes, as long as the bell rings. (Which of course, as Zuzu Bailey reminds us at the end of "It's a Wonderful Life, "Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.")
There endeth the lesson.
From Chuck
Have you formulated a mock draft after the trades? I know you love the draft after all. Thanks, and don't you do a contest for this?
Chuck -
Yes, we do have a contest. We ask five draft questions, and whomever gets the most points wins. This year, to make the draft even more special, Press Row will be broadcasting live from 3-6 p.m. next Thursday from Beef O'Brady's in Ooltewah. That's right, get your pre-draft Co-Cola with Press Row blaring in the background.
We'll go ahead and throw out the rules to the Feeling the Draft (with a draught) Draft Contest.
* Who will be Titans' first pick?
* Who will be the Falcons' first pick?
* How many SEC players go in round 1?
* How many quarterbacks are drafted in round 1?
* Who is the 31st pick of round 1, currently owned by Denver?
As far as a mock draft goes, we're not all the way through that yet, but here's our current best guess for the top 10:
1. Rams - Jared Goff, QB, Cal
2. Eagles - Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
3. Chargers - Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
4. Cowboys - Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State
5. Jacksonville - Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State
6. Baltimore - Ronnie Staley, OT, Notre Dame
7. San Francisco - Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
8. Cleveland - DeForest Bunker, DE, Oregon
9. Tampa Bay - Vernon Hargreaves III, DB, Florida
10. New York Giants - Myles Jack, LB, UCLA