WSJ on Ann Arbor effects without college football
Good read. Author is UM alumna.
September 12th, 2020 at 8:27 AM ^
Short summary: Not much "new" info here that daily mgobloggers haven't already seen, but there are a good number of quotes from UM (including Bill Martin and Mark Schlissel) and Ann Arbor personalities (such as Mayor Christopher Taylor and several business owners) about the decision and its effects. A fair amount of nostalgia also included.
The comments section is a bit toxic, mostly people bashing UM and the Big Ten.
Article is paywalled, but I will post a few excerpts shortly.
September 12th, 2020 at 8:37 AM ^
A few excerpts:
“Whenever you’re dealing with human lives, an abundance of caution is a good thing,” said former Michigan Athletic Director Bill Martin. “As much as you may be disappointed, it’s the reality of it.”
“Football is such a part of the cultural fabric of Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan,” said Stacy-Lynn Sant, an assistant professor of Sport Management at the university. “It’s a part of the experience of being a resident here, it’s a part of the experience of being a student, a community member at the University of Michigan. I think that is just as important as the economic impact.”
“There’s really a divergence of opinion, all across society, about how to strike that balance, how to let people get on with their lives, do the things that are most important, but do them at an acceptable level of risk,” Dr. Schlissel said in an interview. “Short of a lockdown, there’s no way to get down to zero risk.”
University leaders are weighing several metrics, including increased rates of illnesses, clusters of infection and capacity at on-campus quarantine rooms, to determine whether to shut down again. “So far we’ve gotten a lot of the benefits of the in-person component,” Dr. Schlissel said. “It doesn’t mean two weeks from now we’re not going to have a big outbreak.”
“We just have to accept that reality and communicate to students their obligations,” said Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor. Before classes started, the Washtenaw County Health Department limited outdoor gatherings from 100 to 25 people.
September 12th, 2020 at 2:31 PM ^
The author of the article, Jennifer Calfas, is a U-M alum (LSA '16) and a former editor in chief of the Michigan Daily - https://talkingbiznews.com/they-talk-biz-news/wsj-hires-calfas-to-cover-breaking-news/, https://everipedia.org/wiki/lang_en/jennifer-a-calfas
Go Blue! Go Jennifer!
September 12th, 2020 at 8:48 AM ^
The economic impact will be felt in every college town, including the ones going ahead with seasons
Even the schools allowing fans are doing so at 20-30% normal capacity. Of those brave enough to attend, Very few will be going shopping, eating at the restaurants. The weekend reunions of recent college grads are not happening. Tailgating is banned almost everywhere.
September 12th, 2020 at 10:06 AM ^
Amen to the every college town feeling the economic impact. Some feel that we won't be fully back to normal in latter 2021. I hope they are wrong.
September 12th, 2020 at 9:35 AM ^
You should be able to read it using the Google AMP mobile version:
September 12th, 2020 at 9:58 AM ^
but the end justifies the means ...
September 12th, 2020 at 10:36 AM ^
I ragret to inform you that you have -44 MGoPoints as of 10:35 ET 9/12. Keep diggin'.
September 12th, 2020 at 1:21 PM ^
Do mgopoints equal as much as a schrutebuck or a stanleynickel? ?
September 12th, 2020 at 10:52 AM ^
I haven't been following extremely close, is Schlissel really to blame for the season to still be closed?
I thought several schools are still saying no.
September 12th, 2020 at 11:03 AM ^
Minnesota's board of regents voted on a proposal yesterday.
“... supports proceeding with Big Ten fall sports, including football, commencing at the earliest logistically possible date for each sport with appropriate safeguards and monitoring.”
It failed 9-3.
September 12th, 2020 at 2:29 PM ^
That is a mischaracterization of the meeting. The proposal was brought up last minute and failed for that procedural reason, not on the merits of playing football. See Megan Ryan's twitter thread for more context.
As someone who watched the meeting, was voted down mostly out of proprietary reasons. The Board was not voting against playing fall football. They were just against how it was presented. https://t.co/anqYTGrXS9
— Megan Ryan (@theothermegryan) September 11, 2020
September 12th, 2020 at 11:23 AM ^
Short answer: no.
September 12th, 2020 at 3:32 PM ^
I live in Florida. I went to a club last night, just out of curiosity. The place was packed. Probably 200 people. Not one mask except for the staff. Florida is definitely wide open. I suspect all of the South is. I was back in Detroit last week and things were very different. I'm not advocating right vs. wrong, but two very different attitudes are firmly entrenched. Time will tell who made the better choice.
September 12th, 2020 at 3:45 PM ^
WSJ still won't let you read one article free. In this case the first paragraph was probably enough...not exactly news.
September 12th, 2020 at 4:26 PM ^
Accept the reality and do the best you can. This ain't a movie, with a hero riding in to save us. Or rather, if it IS a movie or not, we've got to be the heroes, saving ourselves together.