Thursday tradition
OK, we're three weeks from round one of the NFL draft.
I love the draft. You know this.
As of right now, the NFL draft is full steam ahead.
Three weeks. And counting.
So while we're going to continue to discuss NFL matters because a) the NFL is the monolith of our country's entertainment realm, and b) it's the only major sports league generating anything close to actual news that is not Corona- or cancellation-related, Thursday is going to be NFL draft countdown day.
Dun-dun-DUUNNNNNNN.
OK, today let's start with universally excepted outcomes.
Burrow is going one, right? Right.
The Lions at three becomes the swing pick, right? Most likely. Almost every mock has Washington at 2 taking Chase Daniel, THE Ohio State pass rusher who most view as the best overall player in this class. If the Redskins follow that expected path, then Detroit's phone will become the Bat Line during a crime spree. But if the Redskins are looking to deal or looking at a QB, then all bets are off.
Speaking of that, the prop bets will be everywhere for this draft, right? Absolutely. The betting world is taking on more water than the S.S. Minnow. How desperate is the gambling world? Glad you asked. Here are the five most-bet on leagues during the Corona shutdown according to online betting site Bovada: 1) Club Friendlies (Soccer); 2) Pro League Moscow Table Tennis; 3) TT-Cup Table Tennis; 4) GO ESL Pro League Season 11 (Esports); 5) MLBL (Basketball in Russia).
This will be the most-watched draft ever, right? Without question, and it will likely be more watched than any two drafts added together.
Tua is headed to Miami, right? Yes, with this caveat. I do not believe the Dolphins can wait until 5 to get him, though.
And if they try that, well, that's on them. You do not deal that many talented players - Minkah Fitzpatrick and Laremy Tunesil are legit NFL stars friends - to get that much draft capital unless you are going to overhaul the franchise. And that starts at QB.
Now, if the Dolphins think there will be a limited season in 2020 and plan to Lose for Lawrence in the 2021 draft, well, there's that. But the time is now for Miami, and I believe Tua is going to be a star.
Finally, the NFL draft will take place, right? Goodness I hope so.
Do we overvalue sports in this country? Yeah, we probably do. But the doom and gloom of our everyday reality right now certainly could use the redirection and distraction that is actual sporting events.
And the draft looks to be the last thing on the horizon that is not contractual.
No, the draft is not traditional live action, but it is action, and it certainly brings with it the much-needed trait of the unknown.
I know what Adam Schefter, the great NFL news breaker at ESPN said about the NFL's decision to plow forward with the draft, said and he's right. "They're determined to put this on while there's carnage in the streets" Schefter said on an ESPN SportsCenter with SVP this week.
Again, he's right.
But I also believe this to be correct too: We need this and the distraction it brings.
At least I know I do.
NASCAR, the innovator?
Yes, for the first time in arguably a decade, NASCAR is on the front end of the sporting world in terms of innovating and crafting content the fans want.
Sure, our sports starvation has created a cavernous void, but the NASCAR iRacing surge has been surprising to almost everyone.
Including the executive VP of the program Steve Myers, who pulled up a chair on Press Row on Wednesday.
Redirecting the narrative of the entire sport - here's betting that Sunday's virtual race at 1 p.m. on Fox will draw more viewers than some of the actual races from last year - comes at a time when we couldn't need it more. Heck, for a sport that was teetering on fewer cars and potentially fewer races, Bristol expanded this weekend's card with a Saturday night spring race too.
Couple of key impressions from the Myers visit to Press Row:
> Expect gambling to soon be part of the iRacing equation;
> This, like this craptastic Corona, is going to keep expanding;
> I think there's a real chance that iRacing could replace one lower levels of racing, like say truck or ARCA.
Thoughts?
Playing through
I'll admit it, amid all of the cancellations and whispers of delays - The British Open appears to be the next on the chopping block - our conversation Wednesday about Tiger vs. Phil with Manning and Brady thrown in takes on an even bigger stature.
And it fills an ever-growing void.
(Side note: A little bit of an expanded part of Wednesday's 5-at-10 became an A2 column. Who knew? And gang, feel free to invite some newcomers to these parts, the more the merrier as we try to find our way back to what will be our new normal.)
It also got my big melon thinking - shut it Spy - "Who else could we invite in our golfing grudge match?"
As we mentioned Wednesday, Barkley needs to be involved, but he's so turrrrr-ible we'll really have to hunt for someone close to his 30 or so handicap.
Jordan needs to be involved too, and here's betting his betting would be enthralling.
Bill Murray needs an invite. I hear Mark Wahlberg is pretty good too. I would love to see how far a Mike Trout tee shot would actually travel.
What about the tennis rivalry of Nadal-Federer? What would the numbers draw for Trump vs. Obama?
This and that
- This is from semi-regular reader Allison, with the perfect comment of "This is the Michael Jordan of dogs." Oh. My. Word. Who says dogs can't fly? Again Wowser. (Or would it be Bow-Wowser?)
- Shin-Soo Choo may need to change his name to Shin so cool. The Rangers outfielder has pledged to give $1,000 to each of 191 Texas minor leaguers. Uh, the big-league club should at least match that, right?
- Speaking of Press Row, we also had Knoxville-area Congressman Tim Burchett on Wednesday's show, and his power quote came early. When asked what a fall without UT football would mean in Knoxville Burchett, who was the Knoxville mayor before heading to Washington, said "Economically, it would be like an atomic bomb going off." Wowser, and Knoxville is a way bigger burg with more economic diversity and avenues than say an Auburn or Tuscaloosa or Starkville or College Station.
- Speaking of the draft - I love the draft; you know this - here's a report that the Saints are trying to set up my nirvana experience. NFL draft room in a local brewery? Yes please.
- Speaking of the draft, part II - I love the draft; you know this - here's an interesting story from Pro Football Network on former Baylor School star and UTC quarterback Nick Tiano heading into the homestretch of draft preparation. And while the talk of Tua is fair and the debate about who will be the third QB drafted is intriguing, the cancellations of pro days and evals really hurt a guy like Tiano and his draft stock in my opinion.
- Some more NFL news with problem children: The Cowboys signed Aldon Smith, the former Missouri pass-rusher who is a bona fide draft bust considering the superstars in his draft progression. And according to this story, Antonio brown was working out with Lamar Jackson. Man, Antonio Brown and Hollywood Brown on the perimeter, Mark Andrews at tight end, Jackson at QB and Mark Ingram at running back would be hard to handle for Ravens opponents, no? (Side note: Aldon Smith made a couple of Pro Bowls, but he was picked right after Julio Jones - Hall of Famer - and two picks before Tyron Smith and four picks in front of JJ Watt. Yes, the 2011 draft was LOW-did.)
Today's questions
Couple of big picture questions:
Bigger winner because of the Corona: Georgia Tech, which got credit for its self-imposed, one-year NCAA ban even though there was not an NCAA tournament this year, or the everyone involved in the Houston Cheaters scandal, who have gone from Public Enemy No. 1 to an after thought?
Will Antonio Brown be back in the NFL, you know, when the NFL comes back?
As for today, April 2, let's review.
On this day in 1977 "Rumours" by Fleetwood Mac becomes the No. 1 album and stays there for 31 weeks. (What's an album? Ask your parents.)
Marvin Gaye would have been 81 today. Sir Alec Guinness would have been 106. Stupid Darth Vader.On this day in 1931 Jackie Mitchell struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig at Engel Stadium.
In honor of the NASCAR and its simulator, Rushmore of all-time sports video games.
Go, and remember the mailbag.