5-at-10: Olympics moved to 2021, but is the NBA closer to returning than we may think?

A visitor wearing a face mask stands near the Olympic rings at Tokyo's Odaiba district Tuesday, March 24, 2020. The Tokyo Olympics are probably going to happen, but almost surely in 2021 rather than in four months as planned. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
A visitor wearing a face mask stands near the Olympic rings at Tokyo's Odaiba district Tuesday, March 24, 2020. The Tokyo Olympics are probably going to happen, but almost surely in 2021 rather than in four months as planned. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Olympics on the move

The Summer Olympics in Toyko will be postponed until 2021. The IOC announced the decision this morning after an avalanche of pressure, including some not-so- veiled suggestions from U.S. Olympic chief Dick Pound.

Here's TFP ace sports columnist Mark Wiedmer on how the U.S. should have led the push against the IOC to reschedule the games.

Considering the convergence of countries from around the world, this makes sense. Considering the preparation needed, this makes sense. Considering the task of picking teams from qualified competitors who are trying to reach a lifetime dream, this makes sense.

It's hard to see the Games canceled - this is a multi-billion-dollar extravaganza - so moving them back a year considering the logistics and the details makes sense.

Here are more of the details from the breaking news from this morning.

(Olympics side question: The U.S. Olympic leader is Dick Pound. The Canadian Olympic leader is Marty McBean. Do you need a name that makes teenage boys giggle to lead an Olympic effort? Discuss.)

(Olympics side question, part II: Could you be friends with someone pompous enough to consistently call the Olympics the Olympiad?)

(Also of note, John Prater, owner of Prater's Flooring in town, made this decision pretty clear when he joined us on Press Row on Monday.)


But the NBA is close?

That caused us to wonder Monday if moving the Olympics resets the baseline of when sports could return.

Well, not according to Mark Cuban.

Cuban has been a shining example of leadership among the sports owners in this time of corona crisis. He called a very early press conference and was open and honest. He was among the first to address the hourly workers and the impact this hiatus would have on them.

Now Cuban has set an over/under on June 1 for the NBA returning to action.

Here's what Cuban said on WFAA in Dallas: "Hopefully by the middle of May, we're starting to get back to normal and the NBA is playing games. Maybe not with fans, but we're playing it because sports plays such an important role. You know, people want something to cheer for, people want something to rally around, people want something to be excited about."

That's mighty ambitious by every report, especially considering the often-overlooked fact that NBA players - like their MLB contemporaries - are going to need some time back in the gym to get back in shape.

But I do agree with Cuban on one thing. The world needs sports to return as soon as possible. Sooner, in fact.

Yes, safety and health concerns are everyone's primary focus. As they should be.

The need for sports, though, is clear. We need the distraction. We need the passion. We need at least something to feel like life B.C. (Before Corona.)

Here's hoping Cuban is right again.

Tuesday in the kitchen

Hey, to paraphrase our man H.I. McDunnough, who famously said, "Well, this whole thing is just who knows who, then over here you have favoritism."

The big news in sports right now is what has Corona done today. So in an effort to find new things to discuss, Tuesday's we'll talk cooking.

Yes. Cooking. (And if that's not your cup of Joe, feel free to skip to the This and That.)

OK, some weekend cooking tidbits. As many of you know, I have started dabbling in the kitchen. It actually started a couple of years ago when I moved in with my father as he was battling brain cancer.

I have continued it through. I started on the things I knew.

I can grill. I am a Southern male after all. So it started with a variety of side dishes with grilled meat. Hashbrown casserole. Breaded and oven-baked zucchini and squash. Fried pickles and green tomatoes.

I've now started experimenting with breakfast.

Sunday, I made the kids S'mores pancakes. Here's how: Regular chocolate chip pancakes cooked on a hot griddle. After they are a golden brown, spread Nutella between the pancakes and top them with mini-marshmallows. (Side question: marshmallows is not spelled like most people expect, I suspect. So it would rhyme with shallow rather than yellow, no?)

Top the marshmallows with crushed graham crackers and broil in an oven for no more than two minutes or until the marshmallows are your color of preference. (Golden brown > burnt, of course, but truth be told I have never been that big a fan of marshmallows, the spelling or the taste.)

Drizzle the top with Hershey's chocolate syrup. I served with a side of sliced strawberries, and voila.

This and that

- Excellent story here from TFP all-around college sports guru David Paschall in which UTC hoops coach - and Press Row friend - Lamont Paris sees transfer portal chaos looming because of the corona. Considering there are few coach firings/hirings right now, this makes a lot of sense. And when we start to get back to normal, man the activity is going to be zany.

- Speaking of that, talk about sports whiplash and a hydrant of sports news. What happens if in September and October we have college football, NFL football, MLB playoffs, NBA playoffs, a rescheduled Masters? Make quality use of the family time now, because we may need some alone time come fall.

- Side question: Is it "buck naked" or "butt naked" in your view? Asking for a friend.

- Here's today's A2 column on Hixson Elementary School P.E. teacher Aaron Wood, who is taking to the interwebs with some creative ways to keep kids active during the quarantine.

- I love the draft. You know this. Mel Kiper Jr. has his Mock Draft 3.0 on ESPN+ and the top 10 is still filled with a slew of familiar names. (Yes, it's behind a paywall.)

- Dallas center Travis Frederick is retiring from the NFL. He's 29.

- If the XFL never has another down, P.J. Walker has to be viewed as the big winner, right? He was the breakout star and now has signed with the Carolina Panthers. (Also of note: It looks like the Chiefs are going to sign former XFL and Ole Miss QB Jordan Ta'amu.)

- The numbers that Peyton Manning turned down - 10 years, $140 million - to do "Monday Night Football" are crazy.

- We may have a "Better Call Saul" session later this week. Want to make sure everyone who wants to watch can watch. Man, corona means watching actual live TV in something akin to real time, huh? Who's with me? And remember gang, if you have a binge option or something that has caught your attention, feel free to share. (Shout out to David A., who passed along the idea of "Homeland," a Showtime series, and the first season of that show, friends, is on the short list of best single seasons for any show anywhere. Truly.)

Today's questions

True or false. It's a Tuesday, after all.

True or false, if the NBA could play tomorrow at least half of the NBA players would be out of shape.

True or false, NASCAR will be the first mainstream American sport to return.

True or false, if the U.S. said "We're out" the Summer Games would not happen.

As for today, March 24, let's review.

Today is national chocolate covered raisin day. Foe.

Today is national cheesesteak day. Friend. Big-time friend.

Kelly LeBrock - Lisa from "Weird Science" - is 60 today. That makes me feel old.

"The Matrix" was released on this day in 1999.

Wow, the U.S. version of "The Office" premiered on NBC on this day in 2005. Steve Carell is wicked underrated.

Steve McQueen would have been 90 today. "The Great Escape" is a no-doubt, clicking-stopped movie for me.

Rushmore of most rewatchable World War II movies. (Yes, "Schindler's List" is amazingly powerful, but you get the idea.)

Go.

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