It seems as if the country is going to start relaxing some quarantine protocols in the coming weeks, particularly in states that took the COVID-19 threat seriously from the get-go. But there’s still no definite word on when major sports are going to be able to return.

One of the best things about sports is the social aspect. I, for one, remember the games I’ve watched in person (or at least on TV with a group of people) more than the ones I’ve watched alone.

My advice — be patient. As long as we don’t bring sports back prematurely, there’s a chance there won’t be any additional interruptions during our lifetime. That should be the goal.

Let’s continue being patient and getting this virus under control. Then, finally, we’ll be able to crowd into stadiums and cheer on the teams we love without fear of catching this disease. That’s going to be a great day.

Until that day comes, though, we still need a bit of entertainment. So, that said, here are your questions for this week’s Mailbag:

Robert:

Most experts expect Tua Tagovailoa to be drafted by the Lions at No. 3 or the Dolphins at No. 5 and sit behind a veteran quarterback for a year. What are the chances a QB-needy team pays a king’s ransom to move up, draft Tua and then take a second quarterback in a later round (a la the Redskins in 2012 with RGIII in Round 1 and Kirk Cousins in Round 4)? I want to see a team like the Chargers take Tua at No. 6, and then take Jalen Hurts in the 4th or 5th round. That would be something.

I’ll address the last part of your question first. I don’t think Hurts will still be around in Round 4. He’s getting some major buzz as a 2nd-round, or even a late 1st-round pick. But I could definitely see whatever team drafts Tua taking another quarterback later in the draft.

As to the first part of your question, I do think Tua goes No. 3 overall on April 23, but not to the Lions. I predict the Dolphins or Chargers will trade up to that spot to draft the Alabama quarterback.

As for quarterbacks who will be around in Round 4 or later, I’d try to target Washington State’s Anthony Gordon. Just look at how Gardner Minshew II fared this past season for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mike Leach quarterbacks aren’t necessarily system quarterbacks. I like what Gordon brings to the table.

A Tua/Gordon combo would be awesome for a team like the Chargers. We’ll see if that’s a route they want to take next week.

@SChinni12:

Which NFL team has the best chance of screwing up this virtual draft next week?

The easy answer would be the Cleveland Browns, and to be fair, I’d have them near the top of my list, too. Then there are the Minnesota Vikings, who famously missed their pick in the 2003 draft and allowed 2 teams to jump ahead of them.

And, in a situation where internet connectivity is going to be an issue, I’d be praying for clear skies if I were a Midwest or southern team. If there’s severe weather in Dallas, Kansas City, Houston, Indianapolis, Nashville, Atlanta, New Orleans or elsewhere, it could screw up the entire draft.

Of course, I’d much rather this draft be taking place in Las Vegas, as that would have been a ton of fun, but watching teams try to figure out the internet (Giants GM Dave Gettleman seems like another decent bet to mess things up) should be fun, too.

Joe:

With the Michael Jordan documentary coming out on Sunday, what is your favorite memory of MJ?

Growing up in Illinois, I was a huge Bulls fan, and their second 3-peat (1996-98) provided some of my first basketball memories.

For my 8th birthday, my parents got me tickets to a Bulls-Nets game in Chicago. My birthday was March 15, and the very next day, we went to Chicago to watch the game. My research shows me that March 16, 1998, was a Monday, so as an added bonus, I believe I got to take a day and a half off school, too (the afternoon on Monday and all day Tuesday).

The Bulls won 88-72 (naturally, as they went 62-20 during the regular season), which was all I cared about. To this day, that’s still the only Bulls game I’ve ever seen in person. Jordan scored 17 points and grabbed 7 rebounds, but this was more of a Dennis Rodman/Toni Kukoc game. Kukoc scored 21 points and Rodman scored 4 points while grabbing 16 rebounds (he also had 5 assists).

Afterward, we went to the hotel bar and my dad let me shoot hoops (at 50 cents a game) on the pop-a-shot machine while he had a couple of beers, joining in a couple of times (and letting me win, I’m sure). That was one of my favorite presents ever. It might not have been one of MJ’s classic games, but that’s the one I’ll remember forever.

@Dobbe8:

Why is nobody talking about the WNBA Draft being rigged? Sabrina Ionescu to New York? Seems fishy.

Well, there’s actually some precedent for some New York-related draft shenanigans. In the 1985 NBA Draft, Patrick Ewing went to the Knicks, and there have been conspiracy theories about frozen envelopes ever since.

However, if the WNBA Draft (the 2020 version of which will be held on Friday night) was actually rigged, I don’t think the league would have sent UConn star Breanna Stewart to the Seattle Storm back in 2016. Sometimes, things just work out for the large market teams, but not always.

Remember the 2019 NBA Draft lottery? The teams with the first 4 picks were the Lakers, Knicks, Pelicans and Grizzlies. There’s nothing the NBA would have loved more than to have Zion Williamson go to the Knicks and Ja Morant go to the Lakers to be LeBron’s point guard and throw lobs to Anthony Davis.

Instead, the Pelicans got the top pick and the Grizzlies got Morant at No. 2. Sometimes, things work out for the small-market teams like that. Over time, things balance out.

So, while Ionescu has a chance to be a generational talent and it is quite fortuitous that she is heading to the Liberty, I don’t sense any foul play.

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