Recruiting Forum Football Talk II

[Bassmaster_Vol]

I’d vote for @Bassmaster_Vol in an election.

Lockdowns would immediately be lifted. Schools would be opened. Sports would be played in front of full capacity stadiums. Mask mandates would be lifted.

Herd immunity would be accomplished in a couple of months and we would all move on with our lives while enjoying TN’s return to dominance.

 

[UTK]

Can the players, coaches and ADs save this season...

 

[Aesius]

Counterpoint:

SEC plays on their late-September start date, just as cases are reaching their nadir from the late-Summer spike. A relatively benign fall for the virus allows the conference to get its games played, albeit at very limited capacity. Schools take a bath financially, but not as big as they would have if they had cancelled.

Vaccine gets delayed until at least summer 2021 (because that seems just as likely as having one by Spring, to be honest). Covid cases spike in the winter, due to the nature of seasonal viruses, plus holiday travel/gatherings. Now it’s March, and the Big10 is in exactly the same boat they were in August 2020.

Is my scenario any less plausible than yours?

I think this is fairly plausible. Looking at parts of Europe, Japan, and Australia, I believe the US is about to see a huge decrease in cases that will last for 2-3 months before another huge spike. Would buy enough time to get the season played.

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

Bring me Justin Fields!!!

 

[Devo182]

 

[Kingston Vol]

Counterpoint:

SEC plays on their late-September start date, just as cases are reaching their nadir from the late-Summer spike. A relatively benign fall for the virus allows the conference to get its games played, albeit at very limited capacity. Schools take a bath financially, but not as big as they would have if they had cancelled.

Vaccine gets delayed until at least summer 2021 (because that seems just as likely as having one by Spring, to be honest). Covid cases spike in the winter, due to the nature of seasonal viruses, plus holiday travel/gatherings. Now it’s March, and the Big10 is in exactly the same boat they were in August 2020.

Is my scenario any less plausible than yours?

The vaccine stuff is certainly possible. However, I don’t think there’s any legitimate way we’re not going to have a serious spike when schools reopen across the country, whether it be K-12 or colleges.

Some of the schools in Georgia that reopened last week are already closing and going all virtual.

So, to answer your question: Spring may not be viable either. But that doesn’t make Fall viable.

We might legitimately not have college football until Fall 2021 or Spring 2022.

 

[bignewt]

Not only that, but I think the MAC was very forward thinking and had the right idea. The sooner you push to spring the more you control your own destiny.

Imagine this: the Big 10 postpones til March, but the SEC doesn’t. The SEC plays ~3 games in front of empty stadiums before being shut down for COVID. Huge failure and waste of time.

Now, the Big 10 has waited til post vaccine. They get to play all their conference games in from of 50% capacity, let’s say. They get the same TV money too.

Pushing this thing out gives us a lot more control.

I don't get the Spring thing, what you are going to play a 10 game season in Spring then turn around a couple months later and get ready for a 12 game schedule? You are asking players to endure 22 games in a calendar year? Yeah, that seems safe.

 

[bignewt]

The vaccine stuff is certainly possible. However, I don’t think there’s any legitimate way we’re not going to have a serious spike when schools reopen across the country, whether it be K-12 or colleges.

Some of the schools in Georgia that reopened last week are already closing and going all virtual.

So, to answer your question: Spring may not be viable either. But that doesn’t make Fall viable.

We might legitimately not have college football until Fall 2021 or Spring 2022.

You are such a ray of sunshine.

 

[Vols2DaWall]

I'm definitely more conservative re: COVID but I really do think the players should be involved in the decision and everyone is given the absolute ability to opt out with ZERO punitive actions (e.g. keep scholarship, etc). They are going to be at risk regardless of a season. Limit crowds, sign waivers, hyper-test everyone and isolate/quarantine when you get positives.

 

[Kingston Vol]

I don't get the Spring thing, what you are going to play a 10 game season in Spring then turn around a couple months later and get ready for a 12 game schedule? You are asking players to endure 22 games in a calendar year? Yeah, that seems safe.

Yeah, that part is tough for sure. I think I’d be fine if they did division only in the Spring. 6 games.

Then maybe full conference in the fall.

 

[Kingston Vol]

You are such a ray of sunshine.

News isn’t wrong because it’s not what you want to hear.

 

[GoBigOrange86]

I don't get the Spring thing, what you are going to play a 10 game season in Spring then turn around a couple months later and get ready for a 12 game schedule? You are asking players to endure 22 games in a calendar year? Yeah, that seems safe.

The reality is a lot of decision makers are in denial and are kicking the can down the road probably knowing they won’t be able to follow through.

 

[Kingston Vol]

How do we square things like this?

 

[nicksjuzunk]

Wasn't the goal of lowering the impact just to avoid overrunning hospitals? And why would lowering the impact make it possible to play college football? The virus isn't going anywhere. Other countries that thought they beat it with an initial spike, then extreme downturn for months, and are now having surges are examples of this. I suspect most of Europe is right behind them.

Everything that isn't herd immunity or an effective vaccine is kicking the can down the road. I can see the logic of wanting more mask usage and social distancing to avoid a massive spike in cases, but people who act like a failure to wear masks is the reason we aren't playing football are crazy. It seems like people truly believe that 100% mask adoption (which is impossible, and people wear them incorrectly anyway) causes the virus to just disappear. It doesn't. It still spreads, and as soon as those masks come off, it's still out there lurking.

It’s like running around trying to catch the rain in a bucket.

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

How do we square things like this?

You let players who don't want to play opt out. You let players who do want to play, play. They aren't safer at home. How is this not understood? The virus doesn't magically disappear with the players at home hanging out with their friends.

We cannot remove all risk. This soft, pansy culture just cannot understand that life involves risks. These players are in more danger from the flu than this virus.

 

[nicksjuzunk]

How do we square things like this?

It’s unfortunate, legitimate and it happens. I feel for everyone who experiences complications. And it will happen in the spring, and next fall, and the fall after that...

 

[Devo182]

Does anyone else get the feeling that many of the ADs are wanting to at least proceed with the policies, procedures, and plans to play and see how it goes? And now the presidents are stepping in and wanting to end it? Meanwhile, they're cool sending 10 or 20,000 students to a campus all at once? I'd like to hear more about their reasoning, if that is the case.

 

[Bassmaster_Vol]

 

[yourstruly23]

How do we square things like this?

Covid Redshirt?

 

[GoBigOrange86]

It’s unfortunate, legitimate and it happens. I feel for everyone who experiences complications. And it will happen in the spring, and next fall, and the fall after that...

Hence the argument that we ought to hold off until we have a better understanding of the virus and what its effects are.

 

[Kingston Vol]

You let players who don't want to play opt out. You let players who do want to play, play. They aren't safer at home. How is this not understood? The virus doesn't magically disappear with the players at home hanging out with their friends.

We cannot remove all risk. This soft, pansy culture just cannot understand that life involves risks. These players are in more danger from the flu than this virus.

Bass, I’ve got time this morning so I’ll engage.

1) *why* do we need to play this fall? Is it monetary?
2) should colleges be held liable if, say, Trey Smith gets a bad case and his already damaged lungs can’t handle it and he passes away?
3) I understand you think the virus isn’t serious so I’ll concede that point to you even though I don’t believe it. If a player tests positive, give me a run down on how that player should be handled afterwards.

 

[Aesius]

How do we square things like this?

That guy also risks getting paralyzed every time he steps on the field. He risks a non-contact injury that could require emergency surgery, end his career, and put him in pain for the rest of his life. He risks CTE and even death, as rare as that may be. He knows and understands those risks. Hell, he risks a potentially fatal staph infection from the turf if he skins his knee. I don't know why COVID is suddenly this dealbreaker when it's extremely unlikely to harm him long-term or even short-term should he become infected.

 

[Devo182]

How do we square things like this?

It is a moot point if they are safer in their athletic dorm, at least trying to bubble, and being monitored all the time, as compared to being at home, bored, going out, etc as kids will do.

I hate all the possible long term effects of lungs, heart, I even heard brain from a doctor I spent all weekend camping with.

But if they are less likely to catch it in their semi-bubble and doing virtual classes, then the argument is moot, really.

 

[Kingston Vol]

It’s unfortunate, legitimate and it happens. I feel for everyone who experiences complications. And it will happen in the spring, and next fall, and the fall after that...

So we just absolutely have to push forward playing a game of no real life consequences? That’s just a given?

 

[RikidyBones]

News isn’t wrong because it’s not what you want to hear.

Your cure is worse than the disease.

Close cfb until your predicted spring 2022 and businesses will close, smaller schools will drop football and other sports because they cant afford it

We have a high price right now with the limited planned games being played for these small schools. If schools drop football, that's less opportunity for low income to mid income kids to get out, get a degree (at worst) and enjoy a career they probably wouldnt have pursued otherwise on top of no student debt. At best, become millionaires even though they played at CSU or Troy. Theres a significant and permanent cost to this decision. It isnt just the virus at stake.

We cancel football and do all virtual, the kids that are disproportionately affected by that is low income kids which collegiate sports has alot of. Theres value to in person learning and peer learning.

All this for a virus that has minimal effect on the age groups involved and less of an effect than the flu. It's short sighted and a bad policy.