5-at-10: Olympics, Saban relents on Smith transfer, three weeks until college football, Rushmore of ESPN hosts

United States' Allison Schmitt, Leah Smith, Maya DiRado and Katie Ledecky, from left, hold up their gold medals during the women's 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay medals ceremony during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
United States' Allison Schmitt, Leah Smith, Maya DiRado and Katie Ledecky, from left, hold up their gold medals during the women's 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay medals ceremony during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Splash down

The Olympics on Wednesday were as much about what didn't happen as they were for what did.

Yes, Katie Ledecky continue here female Michael Phelps impression, anchoring the 4x200 freestyle relay.

But there was no medal race for Phelps. There was no upset for Australia, which played the game of its life to stay within 10 points of the U.S. men's basketball team. There was the close-but-no-cigar ending for the beach volleyball team that took Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross. (Seriously, as dominating as Phelps has been he has had some very close calls. Walsh-Jennings lost a set Wednesday for only the second time in the last three Olympics.) There was the missed conversion kick by Madison Hughes, the captain of the American rugby team, after a late score that left the U.S. defeat at five points; if he had made the conversion, even with the loss, the U.S. would have advanced.

Then there was also the weather, which with dark skies and heavy winds caused the cancellation of several water events, including 22 rowing events.

The changing weather also meant a night in the 60s, reminding us once again the IOC in its wisdom put the summer games in a place that is actually in winter. Today promises to be better as you can see here.

Among the big-name events today are Phelps going for his 22nd career gold when he races rival Ryan Lochte in the 200 meter individual medley, Simone Biles and the U.S. women gymnasts hitting the individual all-around competition and golf teeing off for the first time since 1904.

photo Alabama defensive back Maurice Smith (21) is playfully interviewed by teammate linebacker Reggie Ragland (19) during the media day for the NCAA Cotton Bowl college football game Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Alabama grants Smith a release

So with that the worm turned.

Nick Saban announced before meeting with a media collection Wednesday that Maurice Smith had been granted his release, and pending a clearance from the SEC to transfer within the conference, he could still wind up at Georgia.

The league would be under a ton of scrutiny if they deny Smith's request, especially after the coach at Georgia and the AD at LSU have come out supporting the in-conference transfers of graduate students.

This has been a PR nightmare for almost everyone involved. The turning sentiment among the public on the rigid and inane transfer rules of the relatively unpaid athletes who make it possible for the coaches to get better seven-figure jobs at different locales is taking root. The NCAA feels it. The power conferences feel it. And now, Nick Saban, the most powerful coach in all of college sports, is feeling it.

Saban relenting on anything - and mind you he has not nor likely will never admit he's wrong of course - with limited discussion is a paradigm shift.

Saban changes course about as quickly as an air craft carrier and barring an ice berg or dry land, about as frequently.

He embraces his process and practices more than anything, and it has allowed him to build the powerhouse program in the powerhouse conference of the powerhouse sport in all of college athletics. And when Smith's request to the Alabama appeals board included the details of his locker being trashed and his personal items being thrown into the trash, that's when this subject turned.

Never mind the fact that Smith had fulfilled his obligation to his coach and his program by graduating. Because certainly when Saban sat with the Smiths back in Texas four years ago and made his recruiting pitch, getting a degree was high on the list of goals, right?

And simply put, when Saban refused to address or denounce the locker and Smith's stuff - and granted the fact that the Alabama media has still not asked about any of the details involving Smith's locker is at best a poor attempt at reporting and at worst cowardice - it gave the story credibility and put the shadow of blame on the program.

And if we know one thing, the face of that program is Nick Saban, who has without a hint of mea culpa, made an about face. And that may be the best decision he's made in the entire process, because even someone as powerful as Saban is not perfect.

We're certainly not going to wait for an apology by any measure, but by relenting, Saban did what all his critics were calling for and gave Smith what he wanted.

It would be easy to bash Saban on this - and I did last week - but piling on now seems pointless. Smith's got his release; Saban was forced to change his stance, which is about as frequent as Leap Year.

In the end, Saban admitted his position was wrong by relenting, even if he likely will never admit to being wrong.

That's fine, because by the final-outcome natural measuring stick that covers all sports, the action speaks louder than the words and lack thereof.

photo Tennessee's Josh Smith makes a catch during a home game against South Carolina last November. Smith finished last season with 23 catches for 307 yards, and he'd like to be even more involved this year after moving from out wide to slot receiver.

Three weeks out

OK, we are three weeks away from the start of the football season for the Tennessee Vols and the UTC Mocs. As we pack our Hamilton County students into their new duds and stuff their backpacks with supplies, it's hard not to be distracted by the thought of actual football of two of the most followed local teams a mere 21 days from this one.

Let's take a look at the three national story lines in each level of Division I, and amazingly there is a fair amount of overlap:

1. Can anyone derail the powerhouse atop the rankings? For the Football Bowl Subdivision, Alabama is the baddest dude in the room, and everyone - including Alabama - knows it. The only team that has been more dominant over the last half-decade has been FCS steam-roller North Dakota State, which has won five consecutive national crowns. Is any program ready to stand on the tracks and tackle the train? On the FBS side, we think there are some contenders for sure but we'll take our chances with a playoff field of Alabama, FSU, UCLA and Oklahoma. As for the FCS, would you take NDSU or the field? We're leaning toward NDSU.

2. Is this the year UT/UTC take that monster next step? The Vols have a ton of returning talent; the Mocs do, too. The Vols have high hopes to compete for championships; the Mocs hope to keep their firm grip on the Southern Conference crown. UT has the benefit of welcoming back a very experienced and athletic quarterback in Josh Dobbs; the Mocs have an athletic quarterback who has limited experience in Alejandro Bennifield. Each program has limited questions and lofty expectations, so taking the next step - UT winning at least 10 games and getting to Atlanta; UTC being healthy and ready to make a serious run at the championship game. We think yes on each (provided they stay healthy).

3. Who will surprise? We mentioned UCLA as a playoff team because we think they have the most NFL-capable quarterback and return a ton of folks from injury and on defense. UCLA is preseason No. 24, so that counts right? UCLA is right behind Louisville in that preseason listing, and we think Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson is going to post obscene stats this year. For the FCS, UTC coach Russ Huesman was very high on Mercer on Wednesday's visit to Press Row, so that's good enough for us. And if Montana has its normal pieces and former Signal Mountain and Kentucky quarterback Reese Phillips plays like we believe he can, the Grizz will be in the title mix nationally.

This and that

- Here's another real example of the agony of defeat, and only look at the photos if your breakfast is well settled as this Armenian weightlifter suffered a horrific elbow injury during a lift. Wow. It's not quite the old Phil Hartman in the SNL skit, but it was pretty graphic.

- Speaking of the Olympics, here's an excellently well written commentary from TFP ace sports columnist Mark Wiedmer on the fun of these Games.

- OK, normally we don't follow much of TMZ's items around these parts. Apparently Scottie Pippen and his wife Larsa want the money Christian Laettner owes them. Here's the link, that claims Laettner owes the Pippens at least $600,000.

- After sitting earlier this week, Alex Rodriguez got a pinch-hit appearance in last night's game against Boston. He flew out to right in his first at-bat since Aug. 2

- Andre Rison, the former Pro Bowl receiver with the Atlanta Falcons, will turn himself in on an arrest warrant in Michigan for violating probation in a child support case. Rison also tested positive for marijuana, and he claimed he was taking marijuana candy to deal with his post-NFL pain. Who knew there was marijuana candy? Is that like a Whatchamacallit or something? Yeah, you could say that.

Today's question

Feel free to dish on any of the above, and offer college football questions or picks as well. (Yes, the mailbag is a good spot for those, too.)

John Saunders died Wednesday. He was 61.

Who's on the Rushmore of true ESPN employees? That means not for athletes/analysts or coaches turned commentators or even newspaper columnist who have become screaming yahoos in some divided screen set-up.

Who is on ESPN's Rushmore of true TV host-types?

Go, and remember the mailbag.

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