USA Football, the sport’s national governing body and a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and the Tennessee Titans recently announced grants to 82 youth and scholastic football programs throughout Tennessee. The grants will be used for new equipment, uniforms and other resources aimed at fostering strong programs.

Three of the schools receiving grants, Mt. Juliet Christian Academy, Donelson Christian Academy and West Wilson Middle School, were severely damaged in the March 3 tornadoes that swept across middle Tennessee.

“USA Football is proud to work with the Tennessee Titans, the NFL Foundation and our partners to support youth leagues and scholastic programs around the country and help them deliver exceptional football-playing experiences to their athletes and families,” said USA Football CEO & Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck. “‘Football For All’ more than describes our Football Development Model – it’s a commitment that guides our work. With the NFL Foundation’s support, our grant program is another avenue that brings this mission to life.”

In 2020, USA Football’s equipment grant program will award $1 million in resources to benefit young athletes based on need, merit and the organization’s commitment to coaching education and best practices. Since 2006, USA Football’s grant program has awarded more than $15 million in grants to youth and school-based football programs, which has directly benefitted more than 500,000 youth and high school players across 9,500 programs in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

“The Titans are committed to supporting youth and interscholastic football programs throughout our community,” said Josh Corey, Tennessee Titans Football Outreach Manager. “The quality of equipment and technology now accessible to coaches is going to make a big difference in the quality of the playing experience for kids across our region. The teams receiving grant funding have made a solid commitment to ensuring a better and safer playing experience for their athletes. We are proud to reward that and will continue to support the growth and development of the game of football in our community.”

Grants are valued at up to $1,000 apiece and provide resources from the following USA Football partners:

– Tackle football equipment from Riddell
– Field and practice equipment from Gilman Gear and MVP Robotics
– Portable field lines from Port-a-Field
– Adult volunteer background checks from Peopletrail
– Wearable technology from Catapult
USA Football’s equipment grant program is made possible through the NFL Foundation. The NFL Foundation is the league’s nonprofit organization representing its 32 clubs. Its mission is to support the health, safety and wellness of athletes, youth football and the communities which support the game. USA Football is the official youth football development partner of the NFL.

“Each year, the NFL Foundation is pleased to work in partnership with USA Football and our 32 clubs to assist youth and school-based programs nationwide with much-needed resources and equipment,” said NFL Foundation Vice President of Philanthropy & Executive Director Alexia Gallagher. “Coordinated efforts like these help create an enhanced football-playing experience and ensure kids can enjoy the fun and fitness of the ultimate team sport.”

About USA Football: USA Football designs and delivers premier educational, developmental and competitive programs to advance and grow the sport. As the sport’s national governing body, member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and organizer of the U.S. National Team for international competition, USA Football partners with leaders in medicine, child advocacy and athletics to support positive football experiences for youth, high school and other amateur players.

About The NFL Foundation:The National Football League Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those touched by the game of football – from players at all levels to communities across the country. The NFL Foundation represents the 32 NFL clubs and supports the health, safety and wellness of athletes, youth football, and the communities that support our game. For more information on The NFL Foundation, visit: www.NFLFoundation.org.

Once it became clear the pause to the NHL season wasn’t about to be a quick fix, Austin Watson brought a new piece of equipment into his home.

“I was one of the probably thousands of people that ordered a Peloton very early in the pandemic,” the Predators forward said as he flashed his classic hockey smile via video chat on Monday morning.

We’re now entering the 10th week of NHL rinks being closed, as the coronavirus pandemic continues. However, there are signs hockey could still return sometime this summer.

On Monday, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said while there’s no fixed timetable for a resumption of play, the goal remains to award the Stanley Cup some way, somehow.

Watson would be all for that opportunity, and while safety remains a top priority, he’s eager to get back to playing hockey – as much as anyone is – if it’s feasible in the near future.

“It is fluid and things are changing on a daily basis, but the main thing I take out of all that is that I believe we are moving in a forward direction and getting closer to playing, whatever that might look like,” Watson said. “There are some things that are definitely outside of all of our control on this, and as the months and the weeks progress, the timeframe gets shorter and shorter. We are going to have to make the best out of the situation, whatever that might look like… But I think that’s great. I think whatever we can do to get back safely [will be a good thing].”

Pedaling away on that Peloton has helped to keep Watson in shape, while he’s been home in Nashville with his partner, Jennifer, and their daughter, Olivia. Chasing a toddler around the house isn’t bad cardio either, and Watson has cherished the time he’s gotten to spend with the two people who mean the most to him.

“With anything that happens in my life, it’s about perspective,” Watson said. “Being at home and having that added family time that isn’t normally available, especially during the season, [is great]. I’m not told very often to stay home and not do anything but be with your family… so, while it takes some definite adjusting to your routine, it’s been such a blessing. With Livey being two right now, she’s changing every day… I can’t sit down for more than 30 seconds and she’s yelling at me, ‘Dad! Play! Let’s go!’ That’s the one of the definite silver linings in this whole situation.”

Watson knows if NHL hockey does return this summer those moments will no longer occur on an everyday basis. Safety, for him and his family, is one of the things that dominates Watson’s thoughts more than others these days, and getting back on the ice will need to strike a measured balance between sport and life in general.

“First and foremost is the health and safety of me and my family, and it is for everybody in the world right now,” Watson said. “You see it in all walks of life, whether it’s sports, whether it’s retail business, restaurants, etc. Opening up the economy has to happen here at some point, and it has to happen in a way that’s safe for everybody. We, as a League, as a players union, it’s no different for us than anybody else in any other walk of life or any profession. We want to get back as quickly as possible within the parameters of all of us being safe. When we come up with that and when that opportunity presents itself, we’ll do that. I don’t believe that anybody, players, management, league affiliation, is interested in putting anybody in harm’s way, and we won’t do that. I believe that our best interests, personally, are being looked after, and when we can get back on the ice safely, we will.”

That timeframe seems to be tracking toward a matter of when, not if, but there will undoubtedly be changes to what was known as “normal” just a few months ago. Professional sports like golf and NASCAR returned to action over the weekend with enhanced guidelines in place, but those activities already have some amount of social distancing built in.

When it comes to hockey, physicality is part of the game. It’s nearly impossible to not come in contact with an opponent at some point, even over the course of a single shift, let alone an entire night. Watson, whose job is to use physicality to his advantage, says it’s something that will need to be examined.

“Golf is definitely different from hockey, and they’re not body checking each other on the green while they’re putting,” Watson said. “While that might be fun to watch from my perspective, that’s not part of the game… There’s the staples within our game that can’t be changed [without compromising] the integrity of the game… When we, as a union and a League, finally can come up with a way to play our game safely, we will, but it does present challenges.

“If you look at my specific role, it’s body checking, it’s playing guys tightly, it’s fighting on occasion; those aren’t really within the social distancing parameters. When it can become safe for us to do those things, and it is fluid, we’re not sure what that’s going to look like in a day’s time, a week’s time, when it comes to testing or vaccines and things like that. But I’m sure we’ll continue to monitor it, and when it does become safe for us to potentially do those things, we’ll look at how to do it.”

No matter how it’s done, optimism is perhaps as high as it’s been at any point over the past two months for a return to the ice this summer. If it happens, Watson’s Peloton has him ready – not to mention the motivation to give Predators fans something to cheer about again.

“First and foremost is safety… and then from there it’s a matter of being able to put our product on the ice and give people some hope and some different things to watch on TV that aren’t past documentaries or past games that we already know the results of,” Watson said. “Whatever the League and the [Players’ Association] come up with – obviously I’m involved in that from a PA standpoint – we’re working hard together to come up with the best-case scenario. It is fluid, but I believe we’re going to come up with that here at some point, and at some point here, we’ll see it. We’ll see hockey back on the ice, and that’ll be a great day when that happens.”

Nashville Soccer Club announced today its participation in the world wide digital fundraising movement “ALL IN Challenge” where prominent sports, music and entertainment figures are raising money by donating once in a lifetime experiences to help those in need.

As part of the ALL IN Challenge, Nashville SC is now auctioning through May 23 an ultimate experience which will give the winning fan first class access to the Gibson Guitar Riff show during the prematch ceremony as well as an autographed replica of the guitar. Included in this package are also four VIP suite tickets and the opportunity to meet the musical artist participating in the Gibson Guitar Riff that day.

Fans can bid on Nashville SC’s ALL IN Challenge now through May 23 by visiting https://allinchallenge.in/NashvilleSC.

Earlier this season Nashville SC introduced the Gibson Guitar Riff as a special ritual that will showcase different artists throughout the season as they increase the energy by riffing live on an NSC customized Gibson guitar right before kickoff. Rock artist Lzzy Hale was the first to perform the Gibson Guitar Riff in front of a 59,069-record crowd for a soccer match in the State of Tennessee in the club’s inaugural Major League Soccer match on Feb. 29.

To wrap up the package, the auction winner will also receive four personalized jerseys and a unique, freshly pressed match day record for the winner to take home. All of the money raised through this auction will go directly to Feeding America, Meals On Wheels, World Central Kitchen and No Kid Hungry.

The ALL IN Challenge aims to be the world’s largest digital fundraiser in history by raising tens of millions of dollars to feed those in need. Food insecurity is a mounting issue but never more important than during COVID-19 and the unprecedented shortage of food resources our nation is facing. The ALL IN Challenge was created and built by Fanatics founder and executive chairman Michael Rubin, along with Alan Tisch, Gary Vaynerchuk, with support from the entire Fanatics team, all on behalf of the ALL IN Challenge Foundation.

Coffee County CHS football coach Doug Greene has announced there will be a meeting with all incoming freshman football players and parents on Tuesday, May 26th at 5:30 at the high school. The coaching staff with be getting information from the players and will give schedules and calendars to the parents. The varsity players will begin summer workouts on Tuesday May 26th at 7:00 am.  Players will need to check the schedule to see their time slot.  Any upperclassmen that wishes to join the team needs to contact Coach Greene via email at: greened@k12coffee.net

Coach Greene will be a guest on Saturday’s Coffee Coaches Show to talk about summer workouts.  The Coffee Coaches Show is broadcast live each Saturday at 10 AM from the showroom of Al White Ford/Lincoln.  The Coffee Coaches Chow is heard exclusively on Thunder Radio.

We knew the opponents. Now, we know the exact dates and times for the four preseason games for the Tennessee Titans.

Here’s the schedule:

Saturday, August 15: Titans at Redskins (1 p.m.)

Saturday, August 22: Giants at Titans (7 p.m.)

Saturday, August 29: Titans at Buccaneers (6 p.m.)

Thursday, September 3: Bears at Titans (7 p.m.)

All four games will broadcast on WKRN (Channel 2) in Nashville.

Earlier this week, Titans Coach Mike Vrabel said he’s hoping the Titans will be able to hold joint practices against at least one team during training camp. The Titans held joint practices with the Patriots in Nashville last season and with the Buccaneers at Saint Thomas Sports Park in 2018.

There’s at least a chance the team might go on the road, if the situation allows it, this August.

“There have been some discussions,” Vrabel said. “I would anticipate once we get a little more clarity on what training camp looks like, that I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to practice with one, if not two teams.”

It’s unclear what the 2020-21 NHL season may look like – or when it might start – but Philip Tomasino would like a chance to participate.

Arguably the top prospect in the Nashville system, the Predators selected the now-18-year-old forward in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft. All Tomasino did in his first season as a member of the Preds organization was post 40 goals and 100 points in 62 games split between Niagara and Oshawa of the Ontario Hockey League.

Those notable numbers were more than enough to keep the attention of the Preds, and Nashville Assistant General Manager Jeff Kealty said back in April that while the organization will always do what’s best for the player’s development, he wouldn’t be surprised to see Tomasino compete for a roster spot at training camp.

Tomasino was not only honored to hear those remarks – he fully intends on making them a reality.

“My goal is to make the NHL and make the Nashville lineup next year, and I’m going to do everything I can to make that happen,” Tomasino said Monday via video conference. “It’s going to be a little different summer in terms of training and stuff like that, but come camp time, I’m going to be ready… If it doesn’t [happen], it’s not the end of the world. I can go back to juniors, but like I said, right now the focus is to make Nashville and be a part of the Predators lineup next year.”

There’s a difference between saying so and doing so, of course, but Tomasino just might be able to make it happen. Very few teenagers play in the NHL – Tomasino would be 19 next season – and it often takes at least a couple of campaigns to develop before many prospects turn pro.

If the Predators determine Tomasino does need more time to round out his game, he would head back to the OHL, as opposed to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals due to transfer agreements. He wouldn’t be opposed to doing so if necessary, however, especially considering the success he found with Oshawa.

Tomasino joined the Generals after a midseason trade from the IceDogs, the first time he had ever experienced a situation that required him to switch clubs in such a setting. He didn’t waste any time making an impression either. A five-point outing on his first night with the Generals led to 18 goals and 43 points in just 26 contests with his new club.

“It was new to me, but it’s nice to have that experience and know what it’s like to be on a new team and be traded,” Tomasino said. “A lot of credit to the staff and the players on Oshawa for helping me adjust so quickly and always being there for me from the start. They made my transition really easy, a lot easier than I expected.”

Like every other hockey league in North America, the OHL went on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic in early March. Eventually, the OHL, which is part of the Canadian Hockey League, saw the remainder of the season canceled, forcing Tomasino into an offseason earlier than he’d ever experienced.

But while the Mississauga, Ontario, native was in the midst of the best statistical season of his young career, he was also receiving plenty of feedback from his NHL club. Tomasino lists Predators Director of Player Development Scott Nichol and Forward Development Coach Sebastian Bordeleau as two voices who were in constant communication over the past several months to help the skilled centerman become better.

“They’re always there for me,” Tomasino said. “The development coaches came to a few games throughout the year, and it was nice to have that feedback. I hadn’t really had that the last few years, but it was nice to have someone there watching your game and helping you get better and critique your game a little bit. It was great for me, and I learned a lot. I want to credit the organization for helping me out.”

Still, it takes elite talent to put up 100 points in one of the top junior leagues in the world, and there’s no denying Tomasino’s potential is something to be excited about.

He says he models his game after New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal – one of Predators defenseman Dante Fabbro’s best friends, and one of the top forwards in the NHL. No one would complain if Tomasino could one day put up numbers like those that come off the stick of Barzal on Long Island.

And while Tomasino may have to wait until his 20s to do just that, perhaps it won’t take that long. Because for all the unknowns right now, this much is certain – the Predators like the quiet confidence shown by a fresh-faced forward from the Toronto suburbs.

“I’ll be ready to go [when training camp starts] and compete for a spot,” Tomasino said. “That’s my goal, and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that that’s a possibility.”

As MLB and the Players Association (MLBPA) negotiate the structure of the 2020 season they hope to begin in early July, details about what that season will look like continue to come to light. One of the most important matters is the suite of safety protocols that will be put into place to minimize — to the greatest extent possible — the spread of COVID-19 among players and team personnel.

On that front, MLB has presented to the MLBPA a 67-page proposal that includes numerous steps designed to keep players and other personnel as safe as possible during the 2020 season. Our own R.J. Anderson detailed the most important measures for regular testing and social distancing contained within the proposal.

This weekend, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweeted out another proposed change for 2020:

@Joelsherman1
1 interesting item from MLB proposal: Fighting and instigating fights are strictly prohibited. Players must not make physical contact with others for any reason unless a normal and permissible part of game action. Violations of these rules will result in severe discipline.

Players who initiate and participate in brawls are already subject to ejection by the umpire and then perhaps fines and suspensions from the league, but this implies that those penalties will be stepped up in severity. Unlike so many other sports, an on-field fight in baseball is necessarily a mismatch at the outset (theoretically it’s nine players in the field against one batter), so it’s all but impossible to prevent the benches from the clearing and even the bullpens from emptying.

Since MLB will place a priority on maintaining as much social distancing as possible, ramped-up penalties for fighting certainly make sense.

Beyond this, there are of course legitimate concerns that the recent sign-stealing scandals could lead to an uptick in on-field “vigilantism,” and this measure may on some level also be a response to those possibilities. Suffice it to say, a full-on brawl followed by a positive coronavirus test result from one of the principals could create season-compromising havoc. There’s a debate to had over whether stiffer penalties could overcome the emotions of the moment, but MLB wants to err on the side of strong disincentives.