Protect College Sports Act and Greg Byrne's Extension on Fernandez & Friends

The Protect College Sports Act has cleared the Senate and is one step closer to passing, but is that a good thing? We discuss and take a broad look at the Alabama athletics department on today's episode of Fernandez & Friends I Episode 5

Jan 13, 2024; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; The University of Alabama introduced new head football coach Kalen DeBoer with a press conference at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Athletics Director Greg Byrne gives a thumbs up during the press conference. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Alabama's 49-18 win over South Carolina left fans with a lot to be excited about. We start the episode with a final look at the victory, highlighting some of the positives and negatives from the Crimson Tide's performance.

The Protect College Sports Act passed the Senate on Monday night and will now move to the House of Representatives. On today's episode of Fernandez & Friends, we break down the bill, the political aspects of what needs to happen for it to pass, and the potential positive and negative implications of it passing.

Talk then shifted to Alabama director of athletics Greg Byrne's new contract extension. It was crucial for the university to retain Byrne given the changing landscape of college athletics. We discuss Alabama's success across programs and look into how NIL and the transfer portal have affected the way the football program is built and developed.

We then rolled a soundbite from Monday's press conference of Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer speaking about the importance of general manager Courtney Morgan to the program, continuing the discussion on program-building and how Alabama is adapting to the new era of college athletics.

The show ended on a fun note, as we returned to the football field to hold a mock trial for South Carolina edge Dylan Stewart. Stewart has been suspended indefinitely by South Carolina after throwing a punch during the Alabama game, and viral moments where he appeared to ignore head coach Shane Beamer and refused to exit the game.

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Fernandez & Friends is Alabama Crimson Tide on SI's new bi-weekly program. The show will be hosted by beat writer Theo Fernandez, who has spent the past two years as the cohost of the Joe Gaither Show, the site's other podcast.

The show will offer fresh, fast-paced content every Tuesday and Thursday morning, as the crew reacts to news, analyzes and previews games, and talks about everything relevant in the Alabama sports landscape. There will also be an emphasis placed on interviewing Crimson Tide recruits across sports, giving the fanbase an early look at some of the players they will be watching in Tuscaloosa over the coming years.

Call (205) 462-7340 Extension 800 to leave your thoughts in a voicemail, and you'll be featured on the show. This is the same number used for the Joe Gaither Show, so be sure to specify which program you are calling in for. You can also join us live in the comment sections on all of BamaCentral's social media platforms on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 a.m. CT.

The show can be seen on the BamaCentral YouTube channel. Keep up with each show on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Shows can also be heard on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon. 

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