College football this fall is a cruel joke
Some perspective on this season. I would agree that the College football and other sports seasons are becoming increasingly absurd.
https://sports.yahoo.com/chris-jones-college-football-fall-103100166.html
December 2nd, 2020 at 1:36 PM ^
The beginning of this is the blog consensus around Labor Day. The end of the clip is the blog consensus now. Eerily accurate indeed.
December 2nd, 2020 at 11:32 AM ^
Agree with the thesis. Playing a contact sport during a pandemic was a greedy and reckless thing to do and the ragged ending was 100 percent predictable. The players wouldn’t have lost any eligibility by skipping the year. This was an exercise in peer pressure and stupidity that added fuel to a raging fire.
December 2nd, 2020 at 11:45 AM ^
You seem to forget that a lot of players were pushing for 2020 to played. The trevor lawrences of this world weren't looking for another year of eligibility.
December 2nd, 2020 at 11:58 AM ^
Of course the players want to play - that doesn't mean it is the best thing for society and public health just now.
The move to push this season into being was a selfish act by the invested parties.
December 2nd, 2020 at 12:02 PM ^
But playing hasn't been a bad thing for society and public health either.
December 2nd, 2020 at 12:18 PM ^
Are you 100% sure about that? There haven't been reports of widespread outbreaks or deaths directly resulting from having the season... but we know there has been some spread within programs/teams. We have no data about if that has induced spread outside the programs and probably will never know.
The point is that it is an increased risk to public health (and any testing done is imperfect at best - just look at what happened to the Baylor team just from one false negative). None of this risk is necessary - it is to enable an entertainment function and the ancillary industries it supports.
I enjoy football, but I'm not sure if we can say it was "worth it" when all is said and done.
December 2nd, 2020 at 1:00 PM ^
I'm not 100% sure, but these athletes could get covid anywhere if they're not observing safety guidelines. At least they're being regularly tested and monitored for compliance, and if they don't feel the need they can opt out.
December 2nd, 2020 at 7:44 PM ^
The Covid rates would have been no different. The only damage done was to our pride due to poor play.
December 2nd, 2020 at 12:18 PM ^
I think Michigan fans would disagree.
December 2nd, 2020 at 3:23 PM ^
My faith in the world would have been in a much better place had the 2020 football season never happened. Of course if we were undefeated I would have a different take.
December 2nd, 2020 at 4:55 PM ^
Except for the massive amount of testing we've been doing for entertainment purposes instead of stateswide testing on the "regular folks" that could have been done instead.
December 2nd, 2020 at 12:28 PM ^
Whatever happened to people making decisions for their own lives?
December 2nd, 2020 at 12:41 PM ^
Don't you know people are too stupid to make their own decisions? The intelligentsia must make the decisions for us all.
December 2nd, 2020 at 4:49 PM ^
It's probably stupid to argue with someone posting a take like this, but generally speaking: people are really bad at risk assessment. They're also really bad at a lot of other things too, like economics and self-reflection.
90% of people think they're an above-average driver and that advertising doesn't work on them. I have family members who've told me they're being "extra careful" about Covid while attending in-person church services and eating out at restaurants weekly.
I have an aunt who's in the ICU right now because she thought Covid was a hoax and she went on a mission trip to Kentucky, where she contracted coronavirus. Now everyone in her close family and multiple employee's of her husband's business also have covid because she thought this couldn't affect her. She's 50/50 on whether or not she lives.
"Personal responsibility" flies right out the window when your stupid decisions can get me sick through no fault of my own.
December 2nd, 2020 at 6:58 PM ^
COVID is an exotic variation of the flu.
A) I caught it while wearing a mask. Had a fever for two days, and then for about an hour a day for the next week. I had chest tightness for a day or so. Not bad, just felt like when you lift for the first time in a long time and you get that stretch. My sense of taste was off for an evening. For reference I’m 45 year old in average shape.
B). I live with my two sons (18,19) and my girlfriend. Very little social distancing occurred and none of them had any symptoms, and they all tested negative.
C). My ex-Father in law is 67 and in marginal health. He caught it and had a runny nose and body weakness for a few days. He said his was more like having a common cold rather than the flu. His Wife did not catch it. He caught it while wearing a mask.
D) My girlfriend’s aunt is mid 60’s and caught it at the school that she volunteers at. It’s an elementary school. She had a fever like with the flu and was fine a week or so later. She is severely overweight and in poor health.
E) My girlfriend’s Grandma lives with the aunt and got it from her. The Grandma is 88 years old, a 9 time cancer survivor, and has Parkinson’s. She went to the ER one night because her oxygen dropped. They kept her overnight, and also diagnosed her with bronchitis. They sent her home the next afternoon. She’s fine.
So I’ve known more than one old person, or immuno -compromised person, who have had it and they all agree with my experience ~ no worse than the flu. If an 88 year old 9 time cancer survivor with Parkinson’s can shake it off in a week or so, that tells me all that I need to know. I’m not denying that it has been more severe in some, and wish that hadn’t happened to them. But the flu kills people every year too.
December 4th, 2020 at 2:32 PM ^
I know nobody that has had it (close friend or family). But ill be damn if they don't complain about the local government all day every day. Its funny those that are happy with their local government are also the ones with a dozen people they know having it. We are a strange people sometimes.
December 2nd, 2020 at 12:59 PM ^
Exactly. How many college and pro football players died from the virus? How many coaches?
The people who want the virus to control their lives let it. The people who don’t carry on as normally as possible.
December 2nd, 2020 at 1:12 PM ^
That pretty much went out the window when people forgot their should be accountability to those around them. Unless you live on a deserted island, than do what ever you want.
December 2nd, 2020 at 1:49 PM ^
When those decisions effect and can otherwise end other peoples lives.
This ain't hard.
December 2nd, 2020 at 2:26 PM ^
dmac24:
Your decisionmaking freedoms regarding your fist end at another's face.
December 2nd, 2020 at 1:36 PM ^
Agree with the thesis. Playing a contact sport during a pandemic was a greedy and reckless thing to do and the ragged ending was 100 percent predictable.
Hasn't the recent(ish) studies that have come out been pretty conclusive that Covid is very rarely transmissible during contact sports , at least in outdoor sports? Correct me if I'm wrong though.
December 2nd, 2020 at 8:02 PM ^
It’s amazing how many people use the argument: you can’t make choices if I could get harmed by one of your choices.
If we’re going that route why should anybody be allowed to drive?
December 2nd, 2020 at 11:34 AM ^
People could stop watching. With the help of Michigan football, that has become my reality.
December 2nd, 2020 at 11:35 AM ^
He's not wrong, but I have a gut feeling I can't articulate that his analysis is incomplete.
December 2nd, 2020 at 11:37 AM ^
"Michigan football sucks so I'm going to take the high and mighty approach and say how we shouldn't have played".
December 2nd, 2020 at 12:53 PM ^
DAYUM, called his ass out!
December 2nd, 2020 at 1:42 PM ^
Your avatar REALLY checks out.
December 2nd, 2020 at 11:38 AM ^
Don’t agree with the premise of this column at all. The NCAA isn’t counting this against eligibility. No one put a gun to anyone’s head and made them play football this fall. Adults made adult decisions to play knowing what the consequences could be. In fact, you could use that sentence for everything you do in your life.
It’s no more hypocritical to say adults shouldn’t be able to decide if they want to play football during Covid than it is to say no one should play football at all because it is dangerous.
December 2nd, 2020 at 11:49 AM ^
The kids who wanted to play, did. The kids who didn’t, didnt. No eligibility lost either way. Yes, it has been a weird year with rosters and results, but the article is by a non-player clutching his pearls about a bunch of young men who wanted very much to play.
December 2nd, 2020 at 11:59 AM ^
Plus, the season as a whole has largely been pretty successful! There's been outbreaks like people have thought there would be, but it hasn't been as rampant as many would have thought, and the outbreaks have all been contained pretty well all things considered.
The ACC and SEC are going to finish their regular seasons with around an average of one missed game per team. That's pretty impressive! A lot of people when they saw 10 game conference only schedules released laughed and said "if they make it that far." Well, they've made it.
The only conferences that elicit "what are we doing here??" vibes are the Big Ten and Pac-12 who freaked the fuck out early on and cancelled things when waiting like the ACC and SEC did would have been better. Now they are in scramble mode trying to finish a season that just started.
December 2nd, 2020 at 12:43 PM ^
It's almost like those conferences that actually wanted to get reasonable seasons in, did so, and those who didn't, didn't.
December 2nd, 2020 at 12:57 PM ^
Your "Big Ten and Pac-12 who freaked the fuck out early on" is my "Big Ten and Pac-12 smartly waited on more scientific data and better testing procedures" before commencing their season. I don't know how you can argue with that wanting the latest medical guidance regarding a virus that we really didn't know much about can be labeled as freaking out.
December 2nd, 2020 at 5:07 PM ^
But that's not the way it played out. They cancelled well in advance of when games were scheduled (the freaking the fuck out part) -- a full month before the ACC started play, and 6 weeks before the SEC. The ACC and SEC pushed schedules back and decided to wait for that scientific data to come out and reserve the right to cancel later and closer to the season if it came to that.
New info did come out in those 4-6 weeks, the whole myocarditis thing that freaked the Big Ten out turned out to be faulty info, and increases and advancements in testing happened. Both of those things happening were what prompted the Big Ten to return to play. But because they cancelled so early, by the time new shit came to light, it took a while for them to return to play.
December 2nd, 2020 at 3:56 PM ^
Got some Infowars or Breitbart links to back up the idea that playing sports only affects the players and not all of the communities and bubbles they are inevitably a part of, and that inevitably include old or at-risk people?
December 2nd, 2020 at 4:23 PM ^
Funny you, of all people, far left, alt left conspiracy theorist trying to run down normal people. Got any Wapo or Huffpo articles on how football players have infected old folks homes?
December 2nd, 2020 at 5:22 PM ^
lol, "Alt-left conspiracy theorist" is an interesting label I don't think I've been given before, and I'd love to hear what you think that word spaghetti even means...
I think the covid body count is enough to indicate that limiting large groups of people gathering during a pandemic is a wise thing to do, but for some reason that fact is still lost on a huge portion of the population.
December 2nd, 2020 at 7:27 PM ^
Show me studies or proof, not a vague reference to numbers that nobody believes. Answer the question.
Covid can be serious but it’s still at least a 99.6% survival rate. unless you are 77 and have multiple comorbidities the numbers are basically 100%. I have had dozens of friends and family members that have had Covid. I do take it seriously, in case you were concerned.
because of you I now know what infowars is. Now tell me what news sources you accessed today and regularly. Genuinely curious.
December 2nd, 2020 at 7:49 PM ^
Do you think Johns Hopkins and their COVID reporting is some commie liberal fraud machine or something? We're over 275,000 deaths according to them, which is a lot of people.
And you keep making this tired point about at-risk people being the most likely to die, which a) duh and b) is why the rest of us should be extra careful to protect them.
December 2nd, 2020 at 5:33 PM ^
Some schools sent tuition bills to the kids who opted out. That can be a rather large bill and may have influenced some decisions.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/20/sports/ncaafootball/cal-walk-on-scholarship.html
December 2nd, 2020 at 12:08 PM ^
I'm not sure it's fair to say that "nobody put a gun to their head". I see what you're saying since they players did have a choice - and that was appropriate. However, there is a penalty to be paid for opting out (e.g. loss of status with coaches and teammates). It's just like how players were clamoring to play this year. I believe it may have been genuine, but they also couldn't say the opposite without inviting criticism that they were soft. People above their heads have to make that decision for them.
It's the same reason there are practice time limits. You can't have coach-led official team activities that are optional because they would be de-facto requirements if you want to see playing time. To protect players from having to make the choice, there have to be rules. *It's not lost on me that players obviously still do athletic work outside of official activities, but I still think it's right to limit official team activities.
December 2nd, 2020 at 12:32 PM ^
There is ALWAYS going to be extra societal (this society being the team) pressure to play despite pandemics, injury, etc. That comes with the territory of being involved in major collegiate athletics, shoot, I am sure these kids have been pressured to play on some level since Pop Warner or other youth league sports teams. I agree with your point in respect to the pandemic, I wouldn't want to be put in that situation as a kid. Hell, it's hard enough being put into that position as an adult when it comes to work and family gatherings.
But you missed me with the 2nd part about practice time limits and "unofficially-official" practice. You don't think the trainers, assistant coaches, GAs, etc. know who shows up and who doesn't? I think wording it that way just because schools have to is soft. I have no problem with coaches not playing kids who don't show up to "voluntary" workouts. If any kid thinks that "voluntary" means it's ok if you aren't there, they aren't ready for what it takes. If you are a solid 2nd-3rd string guy and just along for the ride, that's fine. But if you are a kid that is looking to get noticed and wants the coaches to see you put the time in, you show up, period. I'm 1000% rewarding the kid that shows up when they "don't have to". Maybe that's just me though, I was a bench warmer all through high school and still showed up to everything.
Neg me if you see fit.
December 2nd, 2020 at 2:38 PM ^
Lol, I don't neg for coherent disagreement. I understand the counterpoints to my argument and that's okay. I think rules ought to be in place to mitigate the burden on college students to choose between their health, academics, and social life and their athletic commitments. I don't think it's fair to put that on amateur (in a strict sense) athletes. I understand there may still be incentives for them to participate in unsanctioned activities. I don't think the rules should codify perverse incentives, though.
I suspect our disagreement is in degree rather than kind. There is obviously a logical extreme where it would be inconcienable to ask players to perform. I think covid crosses the line, but I understand if others don't see it that way.
December 2nd, 2020 at 6:24 PM ^
Cheers man! Appreciate the polite discord. Stay healthy!
December 2nd, 2020 at 1:27 PM ^
that's conjuncture.....
play and risk covid (because not playing someone is less risky?) or don't and coach will be mad at me.......
all the same rings true with participation in optional workouts.
its still their choice and their opportunity to make the decision that's best for them.
December 2nd, 2020 at 1:53 PM ^
I'm with you Booted, it is what it is. I just can't stand the whole "players shouldn't be "looked at differently" for not coming to "optional" workouts/practice". That is so tired, my playing or not playing you is an OPTION as well....I know this is a different discussion, but the entitlement of players and families without having proven a thing is beyond me.
December 2nd, 2020 at 11:40 AM ^
Wait, didn't our players, coach, and fanbase fight hard and hold rallies to be able to play football this Fall? That seems like such a long time ago.
December 2nd, 2020 at 11:41 AM ^
Has there been a large number of student athletes suffering greatly from Covid?
December 2nd, 2020 at 11:53 AM ^
My wildly uneducated opinion on this would be that the non-student athlete infection rate is probably higher. Not sure if this was what you were getting at with your comment. Sorry if I missed that, LOL.
December 2nd, 2020 at 12:00 PM ^
I always thought that the infection rate among the athletes would remain low, particularly at schools for the top tier teams. The coaches and team leaders would have a strong influence in keeping players in line. My concern was always with spread among fans who would be gathering in groups to watch the games.