It seems people are finally starting to treat the COVID-19 pandemic with the gravity it deserves (with a few notable and embarrassing exceptions). Now, as nearly every state has shelter-in-place orders, we can start to combat the virus.

And, among many other notable benefits to stopping the pandemic (fewer deaths, a better economy, etc.), we will also be able to get sports back in our lives. When, exactly, we could be able to start a 2020 college football season has been a hot-button issue lately.

In this week’s Mailbag, we’ll dive into a couple of potential 2020 contingency plans. Then, we’ll lighten things up a bit.

Let’s get started! Here are your questions for this week’s Mailbag:

@Dobbe8:

Would you rather have a 2020 college football season that starts in mid-August, but gets cut short and ends in late-October, or a full season that starts in January or February?

Obviously, the best-case scenario is for the season to take place as scheduled, but there’s some concern over whether that will happen. If that can’t happen, give me the full season that starts when the calendar turns to 2021.

Yes, that would make the 2021 fall season tough for the players, but I think if they eliminate spring practices (which they’d have to do), colleges could find a way to make it work. Considering how much Division I athletic departments rely on football, those in power will do everything they can to make the season work.

Cross your fingers, though. We still have a lot of work to do before we can even start considering football this fall.

@SChinni12:

As someone who never imagined they would ever be working from home (considering I’m an elementary school teacher), how do I do this?

Well, you’ve come to the right place for advice. I’ve been working from home for almost 4 years now (has it really been that long?), so I’ve learned a thing or 2 about it.

First, you need a space you can designate specifically for work. If you can convert a spare room in your house/apartment to an office, great. If you don’t have that luxury, no worries. My wife also works for our local school district. She has taken over the kitchen table (which we never eat at anyway), moved it over by the window that gets the most sun and set up camp there.

Second, find something to have on in the background while you work. If you prefer silence, that’s understandable. However, for me, I like to have comedies I’ve seen a bunch of times before playing on TV (in the absence of sports, of course). I’ll usually be watching “The Office,” “Parks and Rec,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Rick and Morty,” “The Simpsons” or some other show I’ve seen nearly every episode of. Don’t try to watch a new show while you work, though. That just leads to distraction. Let the familiar voices of Michael Scott and Ron Swanson guide you through your workday.

Finally, I see a lot of work-from-home “experts” suggest that you actually prepare for your day like you normally would (i.e. putting on work clothes, shaving, fixing up your hair, etc.). I don’t think that’s necessary. In fact, I haven’t put on pants other than sweatpants and joggers and I haven’t shaved my beard since the quarantine started. It’s fine to embrace the comforts of not having to be presentable all the time (though maybe you should shave if you have a video call or something. I’m not going to, but you should).

There’s no “right” way to work from home. Just figure out what works for you and you’ll be fine!

Rachel:

Which character from “The Office” would you most want to have coaching your football team?

I’ll do you one better here, Rachel, and put together an entire coaching staff of characters from “The Office.” How about we make up a staff that includes an athletic director, head coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, head trainer and recruiting director?

Here’s who I’d pick for that fictional staff:

  • Athletic director: David Wallace
  • Head coach: Jim Halpert
  • Offensive coordinator: Darryl Philbin
  • Defensive coordinator: Kevin Malone
  • Head trainer: Dwight Schrute
  • Recruiting director: Kelly Kapoor

Could that staff go .500 in the SEC? Well, no, but it would still be a lot of fun to watch!

Robert:

With all my extra time, I’ve been going through my old baseball card collection. Here are just a few of the rookie cards I’ve found: Ken Griffey Jr., Tom Glavine, Randy Johnson, Chipper Jones, Ivan Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro, Mark Prior, Gary Sheffield, Sammy Sosa, Frank Thomas, Larry Walker, Kerry Wood, Paul Konerko and Ichiro. How would you rank them?

I’m no expert on baseball card pricing or anything, but that is quite the collection. I loved Griffey when I was a kid (who didn’t?) and was a big fan of The Big Hurt and the White Sox. I also became a catcher in part because of Pudge Rodriguez. So, here’s how I’d rank your collection:

  1. Ken Griffey Jr.
  2. Randy Johnson
  3. Ivan Rodriguez
  4. Frank Thomas
  5. Tom Glavine
  6. Ichiro
  7. Chipper Jones
  8. Larry Walker
  9. Sammy Sosa
  10. Rafael Palmeiro
  11. Kerry Wood
  12. Gary Sheffield
  13. Mark Prior
  14. Paul Konerko

Yes, Konerko had a heck of a career, but I don’t think his name generates quite as much buzz as the other guys on the list. Also, it’s a shame Wood and Prior didn’t have longer primes (though, as a St. Louis Cardinals fan, I’m glad my team didn’t have to deal with that duo for a decade).

Have a question for next week’s Mailbag? Tweet at us using #SDSMailbag or email me at ASpencer@SaturdayDownSouth.com.