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The great open locker room debate has only one side

The great open locker room debate has only one side

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The four biggest American sports leagues currently in action are closing locker rooms in the name of safety because of fears of the coronavirus spreading.

If this is following advice from experts that will protect people, then it's probably wise. There are plenty of functioning offices in America that aren't shutting down basic elements of their operations right now, though I understand the travel and proximity of the co-workers isn't the same.

If the media practices must be changed, I would imagine the fans have to be cut out pretty soon too, as they are in close proximity of one another which is the primary concern, right? The league would never be concerned only with the safety of their players, but not also of their customers, would they?

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Virtually every sportswriter who will lose the traditional method of access in favor of more press-conference settings – no matter why it happens -- will think the same thing: We’ll never get it back. [Unlocked]

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Annual warning: Don't give too much weight to outsider reports right now

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Two weeks removed from the official opening of NFL free agency – barring a pushback related to the CBA – I am here to provide a public service.

Don’t take anything being reported or referenced right now as particularly solid, especially if it's not from a regular, top NFL news breaker.TitansBigWallLogo

I know ESPN fantasy guru Matthew Berry a bit. I tried to get him to visit with the Midday 180 which we were in Indianapolis for the scouting combine. We couldn’t work out the timing.

Berry works the combine to gather as much info that will inform fantasy players, as that’s the lane where he’s the preeminent guy in the country.

Tuesday, after he gathered up his notes and thoughts, he wrote: “20(ish) things I learned at the 2020 NFL combine.”

And it included this:

“A Titans insider told me he expects the team to franchise Derrick Henry (if they can't come to a long-term deal) and let Ryan Tannehill test the market.”

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Without hindsight, Titans can't be blamed for decision on Jack Conklin option in 2019

Without hindsight, Titans can't be blamed for decision on Jack Conklin option in 2019

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – It’s become popular to hit Jon Robinson for Jack Conklin’s pending free agency resulting from the Titans’ failure to pick up his fifth-year option last spring.

It would have locked him up this year for $12.866 million.ConklinSaints

It sure would certainly be nice to have him for that price in 2020, but coming out of 2018, it was a completely reasonable decision not to execute that option.

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Opening night a memorable one for Nashville SC for many reasons, but not for the result

Opening night a memorable one for Nashville SC for many reasons, but not for the result

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nashville soccer fans who’ve followed the pro soccer movement since it was a tiny seed to those who watched their first match Saturday night left Music City’s inaugural MLS game pondering the same three moments after a tough-to-take 2-1 loss to Atlanta FC.
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  1. A brilliant goal by the visitor’s Emerson Hyndman made possible after a confusing sequence where a teammate was clearly offsides. (Explanation below.)
  2. David Accam’s slide that couldn’t quite reach Dominique Badji excellent cross from the left side early in the second half.
  3. Randall Leal hitting the left post from close range after a smooth move beat Laurence Wyke left him with space to beat Brad Guzan to the near side.

“As the game wore on, I felt we warmed to the challenge and really gave a pretty decent account of ourselves,” coach Gary Smith said. [Unlocked]

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Titans Mailbag: Corey Davis' toe, the kicking situation and Tom Brady with Derrick Henry

Titans Mailbag: Corey Davis' toe, the kicking situation and Tom Brady with Derrick Henry

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Here's the best of your questions this week, accompanied by my brilliant answers... 

Brian Comer Per Henry on Bussin’ with the Boys Corey Davis had turf toe this last season. Was this known? I don't recall this getting reported. I have heard other media members allude to him going through something this past season. I'm not asking you to break news or team trust but do you feel like CD will be in a good spot to bounce back in 2020?

Well, you should be asking me to break news, but those guys broke it. It was not known before they brought it to light.CDavisKC

I always think, if an injury hurt a guy’s performance and it wasn’t known during a season, a team does a great disservice to a guy

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As Mike Vrabel talks trust, the Titans will have to believe if team moves from Ryan Tannehill to Tom Brady

As Mike Vrabel talks trust, the Titans will have to believe if team moves from Ryan Tannehill to Tom Brady

INDIANAPOLIS – On a recent episode of Bussin’ with the Boys, Derrick Henry told Taylor Lewan and Will Compton while Tom Brady looked just fine, he wouldn’t understand why the Titans would turn away from Ryan Tannehill.BradyLewan

“(Brady) still can play,” Henry said. “Obviously, age doesn't matter for him, he's still playing at a high level, but my question would be. 'Why ain't Ryan good enough, you know?' Speaking for everyone on the offense, we fed off of him. Ryan Tannehill is our quarterback and went to the AFC championship, why would we not want Ryan back?”

I’ve been thinking of that in the context of something Mike Vrabel told us on The Midday 180 this week at the combine about trust.

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Jon Robinson, Mike Vrabel can build legacy if they get Tom Brady, but I'm not sure they can hurt it

Jon Robinson, Mike Vrabel can build legacy if they get Tom Brady, but I'm not sure they can hurt it

INDIANAPOLIS – At the NFL scouting combine on Tuesday, The Titans could have snuffed out or at least tamped down the Tom Brady talk.

They did not.

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So as we count down to March 18th’s start of free agency, there is no reason we shouldn’t be considering every angle of the possibility that the Titans turn away from Ryan Tannehill and to Tom Brady.

And here’s a significant one I had not previously thought about:

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Interesting things I heard from QBs and WRs at the combine

Interesting things I heard from QBs and WRs at the combine

INDIANAPOLIS – Things I found interesting as I listened in on several quarterback and wide receiver prospects at NFL scouting combine Tuesday...

Joe Burrow said that when he recently mentioned that he has some leverage, he was not talking about leveraging his way out of going to the Bengals with the No. 1 pick.BurrowCombine

“I was kind of talking more about the combine process,” he said. “Just so everyone knows, I’m not going to throw, I’m not going to work out. So that’s kind of what I was talking about. But yeah, I’m going to try to be the best player I can be for whoever drafts me and try to fit in any way that I can.

“No, you can’t (influence the process) as a rookie. Hopefully, I can become a vet and influence that process and have some say in personnel decisions like the veterans do now. But until then, you can’t do anything about it.”

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