CLAY: I don’t know if Buck’s got the same level of enthusiasm that I have on this Friday. We’re gonna find out quickly. But school is back in session at least for my kids, Buck. We had the first football game that had a full crowd since all the way back to February of 2020 in the NFL or in college football. And I’m gonna tell you what I did this morning, Buck. I walked my kids to school.

I’ve got a fifth grader and a first grader. There were no masks in the entire school. Public school Parents were allowed to enter the school. We were allowed to go into the classroom, something that we weren’t able to do all of last year and we were able to shake the hands of the teachers that are teaching our kids, put ’em down at the desks and see all their other classmates and all the other parents who were inside of the school.

I realize this is not going to be happening everywhere. But I left in such a good mood. And let me tell you why I think this is important, Buck. Because when this starts to happen, it gets harder and harder for the imbeciles out there — the Corona Bros as I have called them — to be able to control our lives everywhere because the best thing you can do is get back to normalcy and show people how wild their behavior is by not behaving in a normal fashion.

Now, I know, we’re talking about vaccine passports (chuckles) where you live, Buck. And we’re talking about going into classrooms and shaking hands with teachers where I am. I’m not sure there’s ever been a larger divide in America than what’s going on right now in some places. But I’m optimistic that at least in places like where I am living right now, people are saying, “We’re over it. You’re not going to dictate to us any longer. We’re back to normal,” which is the ultimate revenge. Am I crazy for being super optimistic about the way my day started off?

BUCK: No, I’ve been telling you for a while — I’ve been telling everybody listening — that the numbers are gonna go down in August, into the end of August, and people will start to calm down again, right? We were really at, I think, peak Delta panic about a week ago. And now I think we’re already feeling like that’s starting to recede. Because the numbers are also gonna reflect that. If you look and see what happened last summer, sure enough, there was a period.

And I know we had that long talk with Alex Berenson yesterday. There was a period where it seemed like the Sunbelt was getting hit really badly. That was what everybody was so focused on. And then after a period of time, it went down. This is just the virus viruses, right? As for optimism, of course, I’m totally in favor of people trying to return to normalcy tomorrow. Not even tomorrow. Now! (laughing)

CLAY: Yes.

BUCK: Let’s be normal now, this second. But as for whether that’s really happening, I mean, you’re talking about where you are in Tennessee. But didn’t a Tennessee school district that covers Nashville downtown just decide that kids are gonna be masked?

CLAY: Yes.

BUCK: So you happen to be in a nice place where freedom still exist, Clay.

CLAY: Reigns.

BUCK: But even in the great state of Tennessee — I know we have Senator Marsha Blackburn joining us later on in the show — I would assume that Nashville is probably the largest school district. It seems like a fair guess, in terms of number of students.

CLAY: Nashville and Memphis are the only two school districts, by the way, to my understanding in the state so far that are requiring masks. But, yes, those are the two biggest that are in the state.

BUCK: And I also think that there’s this Biden administration effort right now to try to see what they can get away with both through coercing the private sector and also exceedingly their authority at the federal level. Let’s remember — and, by the way, I hope everyone has a great weekend coming up.

CLAY: (laughing)

BUCK: We’re all very optimistic here on the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show about life. We are happy warriors. That all said, you gotta see what they’re doing here. If they’re willing to have the CDC act as a fourth branch of government to tell you that you can’t even rent out your home — or rather you can’t rent your home properly and not evict somebody — that seems to be an indicator that they’re willing to do even more overreach based on the panic. But I’m forcing people to ask me to mask up.

CLAY: More so.

BUCK: And I will tell you I’ve been told about five times this week, “Put a mask on; please, put a mask on, please,” five times in the last week. So I practice what I preach.

CLAY: Going into stores, going into bars and restaurants, that’s what’s been happening?

BUCK: Getting into Cars, getting into taxis. In New York they have a separation, they have usually a big Plexiglas separation between the driver and passenger.

CLAY: Yes.

BUCK: Not enough now. They want to you mask up. So I’m seeing… Look, there are signs of progress, and there are signs of enduring madness, and we just have to make sure the progress starts to really outweigh the madness or else this is gonna drag on for a very long time. But I’m psyched that you got to have a full football stadium. That’s exciting.

CLAY: Well, yeah, the full football stadium for the start of the NFL season. For people who don’t know, the NFL preseason is the shadow season for the NFL. By the way, a lot of you play fantasy football. I know Rush was a big fantasy football fan too. Don’t draft until the preseason is over ’cause you have no idea who might get injured.

But you had two of the iconic NFL franchises, the Steelers and the Cowboys playing in the Hall of Fame game, and it really was the first time they’ve had a full stadium in the NFL or in college since February of 2020 when it seems like forever ago the Chiefs played against the 49ers. So that season is underway. There will be football, Buck, every week between now and February.