SEC’s guidelines on media make sense

With just eight days to go until SEC football kicks off, the league has released its coronavirus guideline for the media covering games.

Schools will reduce press seating by at least 50% and more if mandated by state or local restrictions.

What seems apparent is that each of the 14 SEC schools will allow visiting media just one pass per media outlet.

There also will be pool photographers for every game.

The restriction on photographers goes hand-inhand with trying to get as few people as possible on the sidelines, so the players, if they will, have more room to spread out.

The restrictions in the press boxes are just common sense.

On a personal note, a

couple of professional bucket-list boxes were going to get checked off for our guys Tom Murphy and Bob Holt, as well as yours truly.

Covering a game in Arrowhead Stadium and at Notre Dame were wiped out by the coronavirus.

The NBA announced its All-NBA teams consisting of five players on first, second and third teams.

One-third of the players, five, are from countries other than the USA which indicates the continued growth of fundamental basketball being taught around the world.

It also could be a a very good reason Darrell Walker and Charles Baker are recruiting internationally for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

It is a model that has worked very well for Gonzaga.

The five international players were Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee) and Luka Doncic (Dallas) on the first team. Nikola Jokic (Denver) was second team.

The third team was Rudy Gobert (Utah) and Ben Simmons (Philadelphia) who also played one year of college ball at LSU.

Back in the 1980’s and 90’s, colleges played exhibition games all over the world.

Eddie Sutton and the Arkansas Razorbacks went to Japan for a six-game exhibition tournament.

In each city, Sutton and his staff would give a clinic to coaches.

Sutton predicted in 1984 that basketball would change over the years with the addition of international players.

Now to even the score, America needs to improve its soccer from coast-to-coast.

Speaking of soccer, former Razorbacks quarterback Matt Jones used to do a daily radio show on KABZ-FM, 103.7, The Buzz.

One day during a break, Jones, who once traveled to Germany just to watch a soccer tournament, commented that if he had it to do over he would play soccer.

“I think I’d have been a decent goalie,” he said.

Jones who is 6-7, freakishly fast, athletic and coordinated, would have redefined the position and probably made about $25 million a year.

Last heard of Jones, who apparently lived on a pretty strict budget and saved and invested most of his money during his four-year NFL career, had retired to do more hunting and fishing.

The bank balances are in, and Lionel Messi, who has been in a messy battle with Barcelona, is the highest paid soccer player in the world at $126 million last year.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus star and probably more well known worldwide, was second.

Messi made $92 million in salary and $34 million in endorsements.

Ronaldo had to live on $117 million, $70 million in salary and $47 million in endorsements.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Arkansas have an evening with Lou Holtz set for next Thursday, one of their fundraisers.

It will be a virtual night, of course, and more information can be obtained at bgcofca. com.

Whether live or over the internet, Holtz is always entertaining and hasn’t mellowed with age.