The Big Ten and the PAC-12 are on the verge of cancelling. What’s with the SEC? Will they play no matter what
Contributors
Stephen Smith @CoachingMSmith
Santiago Leon @sleon
Source: No indication SEC is ready to cancel football season – 247 Sports
If the Southeastern Conference is on the verge of canceling fall sports because of the COVID-19 pandemic, no such information has been shared with members by presidents or by the SEC office, according to a highly placed source.
Show Notes
Does the NCAA have the power to completely cancel the season?
Big Ten were suppose to start on Sept 3rd, the SEC will begin on Sept. 26th
We want to play
Will teams join other conferences like the SEC, Big 12 or the ACC?
Should there be a bubble?
Recruiting update?
Jason Marshall (CB) to Florida, 5-star, had Alabama as one of his favorites
Predictions
TOR vs MIL – TOR
Poll Question
What’s the best part of s’mores? #NationalSmoresDay
Chocolate – 58.3%, Marshmello – 25%, Graham Cracker- 16.7 %
Stephen: Graham Cracker
https://twitter.com/thesportscast1/status/1292779367546916864
Transcript
Santiago Leon
Sports cast August 10 2020 if you haven’t yet, please subscribe to all our channels YouTube, Periscope, and iTunes. And if you’re on iTunes, please leave a rating and review. It will help us out tremendously. And of course, visit us on the sports cast dotnet the sports cast dotnet for this latest episode of college football, if they’re going to cancel or not. This episode is brought to you by is the Bible advocate download the Insta Bible app on the iOS App Store. The big 10 and the back. The big 10 and the PAC 12 are on the verge of canceling. What’s up with the SEC will they continue no matter what happens. Today we got our special guests our favorite from Tuscaloosa, Steve Am Smith from from TD Alabama. Welcome back to the sports cast.
Stephen M. Smith
Good to be here Santiago. How are you feeling?
Santiago Leon
I’m feeling a little tense. How about yourself?
Stephen M. Smith
Ah, I’m on edge myself on news is just occurred that the big teen has decided to cancel on the feed from this news just as just come out here. All reports from the big team that the Commissioner of the conference and the athletic directors have have gone on into cancel on the season. Start the PAC 12 not much behind. You got the ACC the big 12 in the sec. Fighting like crazy. Try to hold on to the season.
Santiago Leon
Yes, this is a breaking news story. It happened yesterday when the big 10 said they will not be practicing in pads which a lot of the people On Twitter, especially reports are saying that could lead to the cancellation to the big 10 which officially happens within the last couple of minutes that coach and Smith has broken. Stephen Smith, this is huge for college football, big 10 and Pac 12 potentially being canceled probably. How much of an impact would that be to college football.
Stephen M. Smith
It will be, it will be an impact. It’ll be an impact is due to, you know, you want to see the big 10 play because of the powers in that conference. And you definitely also want to see the PAC 12 play but the most important than that you are ripping an opportunity from the young men that want to play college football. And for me it’s I understand the importance of the athletic directors, the Chancellor’s the president, even down the coaches but the consumers a college football, the people like you and myself, Santiago. We don’t pay off our dime or the fans out there, they don’t pay their hard earned died to see the ad so the chances of a president, they pay that hard earned dime, to see that quarterback or touchdown pass, to see that running back run through the characters to see the wide receivers make big plays, to see God when deep, you know, slap that quarterback and put them on the ground. They pay that hard earned finances and these young athletes on the field. And it’s the athletes that bring in the infrastructure, the jobs, the buildings, the possession, the enrollment, everything that comes with the college football monopoly, it is done because of the players and if you remove the if you rip this from the players, this is an American because without the players, college football is not a business. It’s not an entity. It’s not a form of entertainment. Lot of people, it’s about what we want what’s best for players? Well, if the players want to play, and they feel like they are much more safer on the campuses or on their respective campuses, versus going back home to environments where let’s be honest, I’m not these young men come from families that have very little to no health care. So if they feel like they feel safer on these campuses, why not hear these young men out?
Santiago Leon
How much of an impact will this be for the NFL Draft? But could this be a possibility that the big 10 and the PAC 12 could play like next year during the springtime
Stephen M. Smith
it could be but but then if you look at if they choose to play in the spring, then this opens another can of worms because just like they would play football on this morning, you’ve got basketball in the spring. You’ve got a softball, baseball, gymnastics, other sports that go on in the sport. So would you be stretching the program weights and fan? Would you be stretching the people that cover these sports, the athletic Communication Department, but are running around in all these different sports? Would you be stretching them to the end of it? On top of that, this goes to the NFL to where if you play in the spring, do you put the senior bowl backs on them? Do you put the NFL combine back you push that back? So that all of the analytics people, the the NFL Draft experts, the scouts around the country, so they can get time to evaluate? Get their numbers up, have these conversations about who do we draft? Why do we draft them what round we draft them. So if you push the sport back to spring, it opens up another can of worms and other chain of stress to figure out okay, what does the NFL do? You know, in this conundrum,
Santiago Leon
one of the new sources that came out this morning that had the vote To cancel the big 10 was 12 to two and the schools that did not vote for it was Nebraska and Iowa. Um something that you know, we’ll definitely look at whatever you heard about the SEC, Steve, do you think they’ll continue no matter what what are your sources telling you?
Stephen M. Smith
Well, right now without being told from a couple of pairs of players in this alabama football program is the SEC and the ACC. They want to play badly and both complicated have joined together. And especially when you look at guys like Trevor Lawrence and kind of yield law as the quarterback of Clemson common heel the running back for Mississippi State. Now along with those two the number of different players but University of Alabama have spoken out. There have been coaches in the sec that have been athletic directors. Arkansas’s a DSP out a statement on Ross Bjork of Texas at Texas a&m. He has stepped up stepped up. And after that said something to the effect of No, we want to play along with the players and the coaches. So the ACC, and the SEC have teamed up and there’s going to be some law enforcement involved with it. I’ve been told as a lawyer, that that’s, that’s known as the athlete defender. So the athlete defender is pushing out the agenda of what Trevor Lawrence wants, of what the players want, and that’s to get on the field and play so they’re going to have to fight, you’re going to have to continue the fight because right now, with the exception of the two ad that’s spoken on Arkansas ad and Ross Bjork of Texas a&m, there’s not just a whole bunch of other athletic directors that are speaking and the pit the players are infuriated by this. The parents of these athletes are infuriated by this. cultures are infuriated by this because they want to get out there and be on the field wants to get out. Go Back to it speaks to players feel safe, they feel comfortable on the video, they feel much better about being on the field and having their health and safety intact versus being forced to go back home and not having to season. Two things that players want right now. They want the covert waiver and what the covert waiver is. If the SEC and the ACC were to try to have a season, and they get it underway, and something happens to where you have to stop the season, you have to postpone the season. I do have to miss a number of different games at the time. At the very nice if you have the COVID waiver, the players will not lose a year of eligibility. So they want that covert waiver intact. Another thing the players want is the transfer rule in place. So just in case, you know conferences, teams that cancel overseas and those respective players can transfer elsewhere and still have a chance to play college football during This unprecedented time that we’re in, we already know for a fact that you’re not going to see it, you’re not gonna see a whole bunch of fans in the at all in respect to stadiums because of the virus and fans trying to protect themselves as well. And people know this. But the ACC and the Southeastern Conference, both entities are right now fighting with all that nice within them to have a seat of the season. And a lawyer has even taken upon the responsibility to represent the players in both conference.
Santiago Leon
Do you think the NCAA has the power to cancel college football completely?
Stephen M. Smith
It is tough Santiago because there’s a lot of politicking going on right now. So there’s a lot of politicking and it goes back to as much as you know, the NCAA and Mark Emmert saying you know, he’s about you soccer players and the ad chances people are saying they’re about the planet. But no one’s here. And the players should not the players have to say on having this season on what they want to do know what their health and their safety because without these athletes, there was no money being made. Without these athletes, the NCAA has nothing to really, really stand on in terms of making a profit out of all of this. So they, they have their own agenda that they’re pushing. But at the end of the day, it’s not for the players. It’s on American to look at a young man who comes from a background where all he wants is to play football. All he knows is I come from an area where it’s tough. I don’t have mom at home, or I don’t have dad at home or got to be I have no palate. And I’m being raised in foster care. I’m looking at grandpa and grandma who’s old and they’re raising teens. 15 children along with me, and I’m faced with two situations. I can either play football, because football is my only way out, or I succumb to undesirable activities. And I can speak to that because know me as a writer. As a reporter, I come from the second poorest county in the state of Alabama. And I grew up with athletes that didn’t have mom or dad was in the hole. I grew up with athletes that even didn’t even have grandma and grandparents, pres and the home and they had two options. It was either I play sports, or as to come to summon drugs as the come to a lack of crime. I succumb to undesirable activities, because there’s there’s nothing else here for me. And for a lot of these athletes. They’re in that mindset right now. And for the NCAA, it would be it would be six second. Absolutely. Thank you. to not have these young men play this season when they have given their all to these respective universities, they have given their all to these colleges, they have given their all to these coaches to these Chancellor’s to these presidents to the ad they have given their all to the NCAA and to see the organization turn a blind eye to these players would be a slap in the face. Now I don’t know you know, ultimately what the organization will do. But if they are saying if Mark Emmert on down is saying we care about the players, you take a stand now, if you really care about the players, if you really care about the show me you, you are not putting your body on the line. If that quarterback put his body out there, you are not putting your body out there. It’s the running backs. It’s the receivers. It’s the offensive line and is the defense of Lyme and it’s the secondary players. It’s the it’s alive. It is These athletes that strap off and they put their body out there you are sitting back there collecting the paycheck. That’s what you’re doing and you’re gonna get your money you’re gonna get yours. But you’re not staying with these young men who have done nothing but represent you, your entity your product in a first class way that is, to me, I don’t know what will be the overall end all be all for the FDA, but if it really care about these gentlemen, but all I want to do is represent this organization and just play the sport that they have always dreamed to play. Now is there a time stamp for these young men?
Santiago Leon
something to definitely look at of course the emotion from Steven Smith I definitely feel you I feel your sentiment. There’s even teams or there’s been a would say a Twitter trend going on where t should join the SEC teams that you know that are willing to play that are in like the big 10. And now that their seasons are canceled, do you think the SEC Can you know just bring those teams in?
Stephen M. Smith
I can see it, I can see it. I can also look at the ACC and the big 12 who have not, you know, join the big team. You know, as of yet, I can see a couple of those conferences, possibly bringing in big team, things like that Ohio State. Penn State and teams in the big team that wants to play football. So I agree with that statement. You can see the SEC or you can see the ACC you can see the big 12 reach out and contact in Ohio State’s contact a Penn State contact other teams within that conference that say this is not fair. We want to play we want to have a seat so I would definitely keep my eyes and ears out there. In the case of that happening, because it can very well potentially happen.
Santiago Leon
I think what the big 10 should have done instead of canceling move the date back to September 26, like the SEC and ACC are doing. I think what they said was very smart what they did they moved it back, of course, starting like in late August, early September, there was gonna be some implications, but don’t you think, you know, moving back to date would have been a smart thing to do?
Stephen M. Smith
I think it would have been because it would have given, you know, it would have given a team’s opportunity to see how others adjust to it. For example, you’re looking at other sports entities right now Santiago, the NBA people that people at one point in time, thought that Adam Silver was out of his mind. Why aren’t you going to put the NBA in the equator in the nucleus in the key the Coronavirus B into the bubble in Orlando, Florida but since you’ve done Adam Silver has looked like a genius. There have been no positive tests within the last month or so. The games have been fun paper entertaining players have been interactive. Adam Silver, beyond all the data, all the criticism all the days that he took it upon himself. I’m gonna I’m gonna try this. If it fails, at least we try. We’re gonna try this because he’s he struck out there and he put the NBA kind of an uncharted waters and it’s worth he has looked like a genius. I mean, you look at major league baseball. Yes, the MLB has had some flare ups with the Miami Marlins, but they’re still out there. You look at golf is still out there. NASCAR has had some playing in there, you’re looking at UFC or MMA a sport where you are paying top dollar to intentionally this this finger a person’s entire face and body out there, and an octagon and they’re still playing. You have other entities of athletics still playing. So, you know, for college football be the most cursed words in the English language, or not even cuss words or swear words or profanities. It’s the Braves whatever. Because that means you allow something to grip you from accomplishing something that you really want it to or aspire to do. So when you see other sporting events going out there and feel trying, when you look at college football, at least
Santiago Leon
something to definitely look at and just like what Steven Smith was saying the MLB is going Yes, they had some hiccups early on with the Marlins, but they’ve kept going Major League Soccer is going to start off their season on Wednesday. And they’ve been saying hey, if MLB is doing it, we can also do it and keep in mind Guys college football is one game per week. So if you have one flare going on, you could definitely, you know, you, for sure just take care of like, I like that situation if one player gets Okay, just quarantine them. There is time with college football, they have the money for the testing, they have money for the quarantining. And this should put these players in like little pots. Hey, everyone’s gonna stay here. Live in here. This complex and just and then we’ll play football every week. And look, we’re not asking for fans. All we’re asking is football.
Stephen M. Smith
Absolutely, I mean, I’ve even gone I’ve even gone as far with the idea. At the very least, at the very least, even in terms of Alabama University of Alabama. At least you designate you know, some areas areas on campus that would be bubble environment areas for example, the mount more athletic complex or the new sport size of new Sport Science Center you keep players in there you continue to run the test on those guys you quarantine those guys who make sure they’re getting their treatment or getting their their weight training that their conditioning their injury prevention stuff done or you have them you know conditioned at Bryant Hall know on campus with a players can get their meals that can take care of their academics also because I mean, let’s be honest with this going on, players may only be a class once if not twice a week but more so just once a week, which means the rest of their academic studies will be done online so that takes place you know why that had the players quarantine dead you know Brian hall to where they get their meals, but also they get their academics in line as well. Have a couple of players. I don’t have a couple of designated no bubble environment areas for the players on campus.
Santiago Leon
And the bubble has worked for the NBA and the MLS not very zero infections like deadly infections that happen where at the beginning when they’re trying to get in with the NBA did was that player start to get tested two weeks or a month before the bubble. So and they only got like eight or 10 players, they quarantine their healthy once they got into the bubble. You know, protocols can be taken place in college football at college campuses. They do have the complex they do have the infrastructure to get this done. Maybe the NCAA should have some type of porticos Hey guys, this if you want college football to happen, you gotta you have to abide by this. Yeah.
Stephen M. Smith
What 100% 100%
Santiago Leon
one do you think we’ll hear something from the SEC or from Alabama. Do you think this week are not anytime soon.
Stephen M. Smith
It could be. It could be this week it could be in the next couple of weeks. I don’t want faster than Obama, it’ll be as easy as steel on pace to have, you know, as far as fall process or next week, which is August 17, next Monday, so you could hear something in the next couple of days or by the end of this week or in the next couple of weeks. But right now, what I’ve been told is the SEC, and the ACC are filing they want to see them. They have reached out to law enforcement, they’ve reached out to a lawyer who is known as the athlete defender, and they’re pushing out the agenda to the NCAA that these players want football and these players will have and must have no disease and also the upcoming campaigns. So in the next couple of days here Wow. definitely keep my eyes and ears out there to see you know What happens with the SEC and everyone else and it’s fine to have a season
Santiago Leon
and we’ll definitely be following this and we’ll be following Steven Smith because he is on the ground boots on the ground in Tuscaloosa. He knows the latest when it comes to Alabama and also the SEC and we’ll definitely break it to you on the sports cast as soon as possible. Steven Smith give us a quick recruiting update.
Stephen M. Smith
Quick recruiting update right now would be in Alabama is Alabama is targeting with a targeting three guys three defensive backs for its 2021 is looking at the five star to Quincy McKinstry out of our pets and die highs. Look at a commodity master. The four star dp from American Christian Academy in Tuscaloosa is also looking at carry on Arnold the four stars at Tallahassee, Florida. Now of those three on McKinstry is kind of keeping his cards close to the bag. Alabama Auburn LSU are top three schools right now he could decide at any given moment Alabama does look at him as a priority, but he’s keeping his cards close to the best commodity master as well kind of keeping his cards close to the best. Alabama has come at him more so in the amount of part of this recruitment they do want them but is he a primary job remains to be seen. However, he is on the board and of course carry on on or about Tallahassee, Florida. He’s right there in Florida state’s backyard. Bama wants him as well but Ohio State as the mirrors is kind of the sleeper in his recruitment so McKinstry Arnold and Lasseter, but three defensive back Alabama is targeting at that kadia position. You’re looking at Robbie Ooh, who’s one of the tidy is what Alabama is going after right now. It could get a quarterback in the 2021 class but right now I think Ben will wake the 2022 class to get the quarterback prospects lead how next year’s recruiting cycle is littered with talent at the quarterback position.
Santiago Leon
This past weekend, the big one of the biggest news and recruiting a was a hasten Marshall which he decided to go to Florida. And he had Alabama as one of his favorites. And he is a five star. What have you heard about Jason? How close was he to get to Alabama?
Stephen M. Smith
Oh, Jalen Marshall was close. I mean, he was close. But but but once again, no shells forwards as of right now choosing to go with Dan Mullen and the Gators And right now, anything could possibly still happen. He could probably flip and go elsewhere could probably flip and go to Alabama. I know. The crazy thing right now is know for hobbies and athletes. There are so many schools that crowned themselves or portraying themselves dBu or defensive back university? When you look at the LSU tigers, no LSU was one of those first programs to have that DB title. Now I’m not saying that alone dBu Alabama has a claim to that title. Absolutely. All Ohio State has a claim for that title. You can even say that Florida in every circumstance has a right to that title. But for now, these young men that have grown up around college football, they have become used to here right, you know, as you know, training there right? As Bbu. And once again, there are so many programs that have a right to bet on that statement. So for genuine Marshall. I understand why he chose Florida as of right now just seeing the number of quality defensive backs that come to that program voted Hargrave six out of CJ Henderson. Major right show Hayden. There are a lot of prominent defensive backs that come from the Gators program so, James Marshall fits well at that at the institution. But once again, it could be a situation where maybe he flips. Maybe he goes elsewhere. Right now Alabama was very high. It was very high in his recruitment but he chose to go with the Gators for right now.
Santiago Leon
Definitely Alabama on the trail of course, just like with Steven Smith, these players they could commit now but they could always flip last minute. Right.
Stephen M. Smith
Okay, they can we have seen this happen multitude of times but the right now Santiago, you know as well as I do. The main thing right now is just getting a hold of having football played this season. It’s bigger. I know people preach about the economic impact, and the economic impact is is a part of it. But when you look at just what football means in terms The quality that teachers we’re in a world right now where it’s being run by, you know, chaos, confusion, negativity, a lot of fear and division is going on right now. And when you look at college football, this is a sport that teaches unity. We need some unity. It teaches teamwork. It teaches togetherness, it teaches toughness. It teaches appreciation. More importantly college football teaches a lot of law and where we are in our nation right now. We need college football more than
Santiago Leon
I agree college football and of course any other sport out there to get our morale up to have some have a bit uh, a little bit of distraction, something to look forward to on the weekends. Steven Smith, are you an NBA fan? Okay, well, that’s all I have for for predictions tonight. For today. Who do you have between Toronto vs Milwaukee
Stephen M. Smith
oh man oh man ah Janice onto the como at has done phenomenal i mean is an MVP guy I enjoy it what what Middleton has been able to bring his shooting ability of that so it’s been fantastic on the outside as well but with the Raptors cow now re Brandt banned bullied this group you can never count Toronto out I mean even with losing kawhi Minar the Clippers even with loose storage you can never count out Toronto so I’m gonna go there. Give me the Raptors I feel like cap towel now and this group has too much fighting
Santiago Leon
Toronto it is and now we know Stephen is an NBA fan Poll Question of the day what is the best part of smores chocolate marshmallow or the graham cracker
Stephen M. Smith
Golly! You know what, you know what? I would take the unpopular opinion. Give me the graham crackers, crackers they they have the tough job of keeping that sharp and that marshmallow compacted in there. That graham crackers. tough job man give me the grand crack.
Santiago Leon
And you’re right it is the most unpopular grant Packer is losing 16% The chocolate is winning 50% in second place marshmallow at 25.
Stephen M. Smith
You know what I’m saying?
Santiago Leon
graham cracker man, they hold things together. Stephens right. You got to hold things together and hopefully constable Bob will do the same. You can vote for that on our poll question on Twitter account at the sports cast one, you have about like 18 hours to vote. So definitely go ahead and check that off. What’s your favorite part of smores because today is National s’mores day. So it’s quite interesting. Steven, what is the best way to reach you to talk to you about The big 10
Stephen M. Smith
Oh, absolutely. fans can reach me on twitter at coaching m Smith on Twitter that’s coaching m Smith on Twitter. And they can also reach me at touchdown, Alabama mag, which is the magic inside, touchdown. Alabama bag of itself is touchdown, alabama.com touchdown alabama.com. We are breaking down alabama football from every angle across the landscape. But right now just putting out a multitude of stories about no college football, the SEC and how can you know these conferences hold on to have a seat that these young men want to have.
Santiago Leon
And tell us about your last article you’ve written recently.
Stephen M. Smith
Or the last article recently was just, you know, the SEC have spoken out right now that Arkansas ad Of course Ross Bjork of Texas a&m has put out his statement. We’ve seen a couple Couple of coaches on Sam Pittman of Arkansas via Italian culture Florida, Tim Brewster among other guys that say we want to play. We are standing by these young men. We are standing by these athletes and these players that use that platform to speak out and just waiting on, you know, when they want to hire powers, the University of Alabama to say something, whether it’s a Greg Barnes with incitement, whether it’s been whether it’s an event, whether it’s the president of the university, whether it’s a chance or somebody at the University of Alabama has to be out to stay in with these players, especially when you’ve got Nagi Harris, Evan Neal, players live on the offensive line in New York Jr. So many players on this roster have used social media to say I want to play we want to play Why can’t we ask the players now have a say in this so just would like to see somebody in higher rank here at the University of Alabama. You know, make a statement and stay in with these players.
Santiago Leon
And you can catch Steven Smith and his show on YouTube, etc. At 6pm Central Time Zone, right?
Stephen M. Smith
Absolutely 6pm Central Time, or every Monday, Wednesday and Friday night. 6pm in my own words are going to be awesome. shooting this. We’re doing this live in Tuscaloosa. We’re streaming this on YouTube and on Facebook. So the YouTube and Facebook people out there, check out touchdown Alabama magazine on YouTube. As we go last night at six o’clock. In my own words, you don’t want to miss this.
Santiago Leon
And of course you could follow us at the sports cast one on Twitter or at the sports cast dotnet. So we’ll definitely be following Stephen and us for the latest in college football because SEC is what holds things together like the graham cracker, Steven Smith. Always a pleasure
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
Santiago Leon is the Founder and CEO of the Sports Cast. He covers NFL, NBA, and world soccer. He’s also founder of sleon productions, which he specializes in technology and serves clients with solutions to make their business grow.
