1. I spent a good portion of my first weekend of the COVID-19 pandemic driving, so I had plenty of time to listen to scientists and doctors and epidemiologists.
In other words, I listened to people smarter than I. My conclusion: I’m willing to eat crow in a couple of months. I’ll happily eat it. I know people are frustrated and angry and they miss their sports and events, but I’m convinced we’re doing the right thing as a nation shutting things down to the degree that we can.
On Sunday, Southeastern Commissioner Greg Sankey held out hope the league will continue spring sports at some point, despite the NCAA having canceled all championships. Sankey said he and the SEC’s athletics directors, presidents and chancellors will “consider carefully the manner in which we move forward.”
As of now, the league has a potential restart date of April 15. If the SEC is able to resume sports on that date, I’ll happily sing to the masses I was wrong. I will scream those words joyfully.
I’m not warming up my vocal cords. I just don’t think that’s remotely realistic at this point.
2. I’m paying attention to other leagues and the rhetoric that is coming from them.
The NFL postponed its late April draft. The NBA has made sure the NBAPA is aware of the “Force Majeure” clause in its contract. In other words, the owners have made sure the players know "an act of God,” an unforeseeable circumstance that could prevent a party from fulfilling a contract with another party, is very much a possibility.
Major League Baseball, meanwhile, has gone from hoping to start its season in May to reportedly having preliminary talks of an 81-game season. Even ESPN.com's Buster Olney referred to the season as an “if” on Sunday.
3. People seem to have accepted it now, but there was frustration about the likely canceling of spring football. Two things: One, even for a program like Ole Miss, with a new head coach and new coordinators, I’m not sure spring football is that big of a deal. Sure, it gives coaches a jumpstart on installation and _ more importantly _ a chance to evaluate some players, but that work can be made up in the summer or in fall camp. Further, I expect, if I’m right and players don’t reconvene until the summer, I expect the NCAA to make provisions and allow more preseason practices for those very purposes.
Two, allowing those practices means convening those teams, along with staff, medical people, food services and more. Unless the coronavirus has dramatically slowed its growth here in the U.S., that’s irresponsible. If players get exposed, they’ll take it outside the program’s circle and into society, endangering others. Right now, worrying about spring football simply makes no sense
4. The NFL agreed to a new labor deal on Sunday, one that ensures the game will be played through the 2030 season.
At the risk of sounding overly dramatic — and again, I’ll oh so happily be wrong here — that needs to be our biggest hope from a sports perspective. We have to hope Adam Schefter’s sources are right and the league indeed starts on time.
Right now, if you offered me an 81-game MLB season starting in July and a normal college and pro football season, I’d take it, no questions asked. A few days ago, I would’ve held out hope for a scenario in which the NBA and NHL finished their seasons or went straight to their playoffs. I’m no longer all that hopeful.
5. The shutdown/lockdown portion of this crisis is upon us. Restaurants and bars in Ohio and Illinois are closing, with a few exceptions. Hoboken, N.J., has a 10 p.m. curfew. New Orleans officials are instituting rules and regulations in an attempt to reduce crowds on Bourbon Street and other heavily-trafficked tourist areas. California has ordered home isolation for residents 65 and older.
It’s just getting started, and it’s about to get crazy. I will say this, however: I’ve been listening to American Elections Wicked Game, produced by Lindsay Graham on Wondery. It’s incredible, basically an American history lesson on steroids. We as a nation have endured worse. We’ve always persevered. We’ll get through this and come out even greater. I firmly believe that, but the coming weeks and months are going to be a real test. I pray I’m wrong.
6. The offseason of change for Ole Miss’ basketball program has begun. Redshirt freshman Franco Miller entered the transfer portal Saturday. He won’t be the only one.
It got overlooked on Wednesday night as the coronavirus overtook all sports, but point guard Devontae Shuler was non-committal when asked about his return for his senior season. No one would be shocked if as many as three other Ole Miss underclassmen leave the program.
I fully expect Ole Miss to be active in the transfer portal, and that activity can basically begin now, given that the college basketball season has ended without postseason tournaments. I also expect Ole Miss to sign as many as two more high school players in addition to four-star guard Matthew Murrell, who signed with the Rebels in November.
7. Along those lines, the coronavirus, which has caused most universities and colleges to go online only, has changed the recruiting calendar dramatically.
I’m curious to see what this does to the spring signing period. Further, if the moratorium on recruiting extends beyond mid-April and into the summer, it could completely change the camp schedules across the country.
Here’s a small sliver of a silver lining, perhaps: For those who miss the dramatics of the February signing period, all of this could lead to far more late visits and decisions.
8. I’ve missed so many movies over the years, as I simply haven’t had the time to watch them.
I now have that time. On Saturday night, Laura and I watched Tom Hanks’ A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood, which was based on a true story about the legendary children’s television show host, Fred Rogers.
As a kid, I grew up with Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and the movie not only brought back some very fond memories but it also served as a powerful film about the power of forgiveness, acceptance and understanding.
Hanks, to no one’s surprise, was incredible. The story was compelling. It didn’t drag and it left the viewer feeling sentimental and uplifted. On Saturday night, it was perfect.
I’ll give it five out of five stars.
I’m open to movie review recommendations.
8B. I had a friend, Marshall Bush, ask a great question.
“What happened to the poor men who scheduled their vasectomies for Friday before the NCAA tournament?” Marshall asked. “They went from a couch, a beer and a TV to lockdown and homeschool with the kids. For a married guy, is there a worse change of plans?”
I hadn’t thought about that. I bet urologists have lost some serious business.
9. We still have to eat, and God knows, we have time to cook these days. Here’s Burton Webb with Taste of the Place, Taste of the Place, Lesson 27: Meal Assist with COVID-19:
So to be honest for everyone, I already had a topic in mind for this week of plating dishes to help you get that great eye appeal of restaurant quality style for yourself at home with different applications from soups, to rice dishes, and so on. Yet, with the recent events that have impacted where I am living currently, I would like to offer some advice for all.
As of this moment, everything is being restricted here in Europe. Schools, restaurants, museums, and cafes have now all been closed. There is no timetable to when they will re-open. So, what are you to do when this impact comes home? Well I would like to offer to each of you a few things that I will be doing in this period. Let’s get into the tidbit of course first.
Tidbit #1: Plan out what you are going to eat for a few days at a time. Yes this is going to take some thought but, one thing that you can count on is that you will be washing your hands frequently between your meal preparations.
Tidbit #2: Stay away from snacks. I do love a good snack. Yet, that bag of potato chips means a constant supply of hands going in and out of that bag.
Tidbit #3: Fruits, vegetables, and proteins. It is still the range of seasons back home from cold weather to warm weather. Make sure to not only have dry goods in hand but also those fresh items available too. For your proteins, you can freeze them once you get them home to extend their shelf life.
Tidbit #4 (Last One): Be sensible with how you interact with others, along side your normal life. From one whom is living in the coined-term “epicentre” of this virus, my normal life is going to change yet it will not be that way forever. Onward to some thoughts for you and yours in the coming weeks.
Things you will need:
A piece of paper and pen/pencil
A cup of coffee or tea
2 People
20 Minutes to Plan out what you would like to cook for 3 days
Meal Prep Idea
1 Whole Chicken
3 Yellow Onions
3 Carrots
2 Stalks of Celery
1 Bag of Brown Rice
1 Bag of Frozen Broccoli
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 Stick of Butter
1 Bag of Elbow Macaroni
1 Bag of New Potatoes
Day 1: Butcher your chicken and roast the bones in the oven.
Day 1.1: You can then make chicken stock with the 2 onions, 2 carrots, and 2 stalks of celery with some herbs and reserve for Day 3.
Day 1.2: Pan sear your chicken breasts. Next, sauté your other onion and broccoli in a saute pan. Cook your rice in a small pot and fold in your sautéed mixture for an easy meal for night 1.
Day 2: Use a baking tray and wire rack for this meal. You will place your new potatoes in the baking tray along with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried rosemary if you have it.
Day 2.1: Next place your wire rack on top and your quicken thighs and drumsticks on top. Put in a pre-heated oven of 425 degrees Fahrenheit and roast for about 20 minutes. Once the potatoes are fork tender, remove and let everything cool for 5 minutes before eating. Plus, the drippings from the chicken will go into the potatoes in the baking tray!
Day 3: With your stock that you made, you get to make “chicken stock” noodle soup. Make sure to boil your pasta in a different sauce pot and then add it to your warm chicken stock that is in another pot. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Bonus: I do understand that this isn’t a recipe above and more of a guideline for this week. Sometimes life gives you a different path that you need to take for that certain moment. With my background, please if you have any questions on possible meal prep ideas for you and yours, don’t hesitate to ask. You can reach me at bnwebb21@gmail.com. I wish I could be back home with you all and I thank you for your continued support on RebelGrove. From the Mississippian in Paris, be safe, be resilient, and bon appetite!
10. I’m not sure what we’ll do here at RebelGrove.com this week, but we’ll try to do something. Until then, here are some links of interest to me _ and hopefully, to you _ for your reading pleasure:
‘Luka’s doing magic’: How Dallas discovered its next superstar a world away – The Athletic
When -- and if -- play resumes, MLB must be careful
The 2020 Cubs will let everyone else worry about what’s coming next – The Athletic
Tim Anderson Is Here to Save Baseball From Itself
Hong Kong, Kobe, COVID-19: Lakers navigating an exhausting, unprecedented season – The Athletic
‘She Said’ Recounts How Two Times Reporters Broke the Harvey Weinstein Story - The New York Times
Coronavirus Outbreak Could Have Alarming Effects Across Sports - Sports Illustrated
Gyms and Coronavirus: What Are the Risks? - The New York Times
Kumail Nanjiani Says 'Eternals' Training Led to Body Dysmorphia
He spent 28 years on death row for a Florida murder. Now, he’s free
