Anchor Drop, August 18, 2020: Fall Practice Opens

Good morning.

Optional Musical Accompaniment

Vanderbilt opened fall camp on Monday, and what with COVID-19 limiting practice access, we’re left with really only the recap from vucommodores.com. Also yesterday, the Commodores learned their 2020 football schedule, which will begin on September 26 at Texas A&M.

Oh yeah, and Derek Mason still doesn’t want to talk about multiple football players being accused of sexual assault. Okay.

And yet, I listened as Mason carefully dodged questions about his handling of the situation. There was no mention of any players’ names. There was no mention of repercussions. Instead, Mason mentioned an “action plan.” He also mentioned how the team is “going to be an advocate and an agent of change in 2020.”

Of course, he did so without mentioning what the “action plan” actually included. Or how, exactly, the football team is “going to be an advocate and an agent of change in 2020.”

“What I can tell you is that having been raised by a single mom and having two daughters myself, I’ve got a true passion for what lies in this,” Mason said. “We don’t tolerate sexual assault against women, we don’t tolerate violence against women. I believe for us it’s got to be more than just talking.”

I’m honestly trying to imagine what he thinks he’s doing by dodging this question, from Simon Gibbs at the Hustler.

(No, I haven’t been able to find Mason’s press conference video anywhere on the interwebs.)

And in more “no shit” news, Max Schulman points out the obvious problem in Vanderbilt’s reopening guidelines, which is that they have no process to enforce social gathering guidelines. Or at Alabama:

And, of course, UNC’s going all online after trying on-campus classes for a week.

(We’re not actually getting a football season, are we?)

Actual Sports on TV

All times CT.

• 12:00 PM: Canadian Premier League: York9 FC vs. Pacific FC (FS2)
• 12:30 PM: NBA: Orlando Magic vs. Milwaukee Bucks (TNT)
• 2:00 PM: NHL: Philadelphia Flyers vs. Montreal Canadiens (NBC Sports)
• 3:00 PM: MLB: San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Angels (ESPN)
• 3:00 PM: MLB: Colorado Rockies at Houston Astros (MLB Network)
• 3:00 PM: NBA: Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers (TNT)
• 3:05 PM: MLB: San Diego Padres at Texas Rangers (ESPN+)
• 4:30 PM: NHL: Calgary Flames vs. Dallas Stars (NBC Sports)
• 5:30 PM: NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets (TNT)
• 6:00 PM: MLB: Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees (ESPN)
• 6:00 PM: USL League One: Orlando City B vs. FC Tucson (ESPN+)
• 7:00 PM: NHL: Washington Capitals vs. New York Islanders (NBC Sports)
• 7:00 PM: MLS: Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (ESPN+)
• 7:15 PM: MLB: St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs (FS1)
• 8:00 PM: NBA: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers (TNT)
• 8:00 PM: UEFA Champions League: RB Leipzig vs. Paris Saint Germain (CBS Sports, tape delayed, because reasons)
• 9:30 PM: NHL: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Vegas Golden Knights (NBC Sports)

And here’s your MLB.TV schedule for today. Free game of the day is Tigers-White Sox at 7:10 PM.