NCAA Tournament Canceled

#51      

UncleBob

San Clemente, CA
I though we had weathered the curse of the Chief. This, my friends is the curse of the Kingfisher.
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#52      
Please quit the “so illinois” doom and gloom crap. Both sports, especially basketball, have earned some respect this season. No one is gonna mention our drought without saying “of course, they would have made the tournament if it weren’t for the pandemic.”
 
#53      
That's the point I'm making. It's logistically nearly impossible to ensure that the players, coaches, staff, managers, announcers, etc. aren't getting infected "in the world" and then infecting each other, then going home to infect more people.
It's impossible if they play. It's impossible if they don't play.
 
#54      
Give this a couple of months. Hopefully the people that keep saying this is an overreaction are going to realize how bad of a look that is when the death toll in the US starts climbing.
We are at the very start of this thing. It's going to get much worse before it gets better. No reason to panic (there never is), but prevention is the single most helpful thing to be doing right now. So, since this thing is transmissable through the air, not sharing the same air with tons of other people is the surest way to slow the spread. That should be tactic number one for the foreseeable future...like six months. Unfortunately, I have to travel by air next weekend. If I can get through that trip without the virus, I should not have to get on a plane again for six more months. Fingers crossed.
 
#55      
You better believe there will be appeals for 5th years to the NCAA from multiple schools, it is already being discussed for many kids.

Andres and Kipper are probably excited to get on with the rest of their lives. But if they were interested in coming back, I’m sure I’m not alone in saying they’d be wholeheartedly welcomed back.
 
#56      
well, it seems by the logic right now that we can't do anything of this nature until a vaccine is created. Until that time, apparently we can't risk putting 50 people in a basketball stadium together.
It’s the correct thing to do. Given the incubation time on this and how easily spread it is, the last thing any organization should do is put 50 people in a room or stadium together, asking them to be in close contact breathing heavily, exchanging bodily fluids while sharing towels and water bottles, and then send them to another city to go do the same thing with another 50 people. Then when they lose, each one of them goes back to their own college and each of those fifty people will probably be in contact with another 50 people before one of them finally gets diagnosed with this stupid virus. How many people have been infected by then?
 
#57      
So few are being tested that they cannot guarantee the players’ safety.

I think that's one of the most important issues. A doctor at a major hospital in my area said they got 300 tests, which is tiny compared to the need.
By contrast, I talked to a friend in Germany, and they said they can go through a drive-through and get tested (and at no cost).

'Merica!!
 
#58      
At first I wasn't sure why they didn't just postpone it until like May or something, then I realized that the players had to, I mean the students had, uh, classes, the players, uh, finals...

Sorry, couldn't get that out with a straight face.
 
#59      

FinalFour88

Charlotte, NC
I'm bummed particularly for guys like Feliz and Kipper, even Tyler and the other walk-on -- seniors who were about to get their one shot at playing in the tournament. Bummer for all the other players, too. The coaches will be fine; they'll have many more opportunities to coach in the dance.

And... we'll always wonder what Ayo + Kofi + toughness of guys like Feliz and AG could have done in the tournament. Maybe an early exit? Maybe a Sweet 16? Maybe better? Who knows?
 
#62      

FinalFour88

Charlotte, NC
The one year we are actually relevant again and this happens.:mad::mad:

I’m seriously believing there’s some kind of hex around our program. The basketball gods truly want to stick it to us at every turn.
I hate to sound negative or pessimistic, but... chances are, the Illini would have gotten a 7 or 8 seed, so their odds of getting past the first weekend would have been fairly slim. They would have had to beat a tough team in round 1, then beat a team like Duke, Kentucky, or Florida State to make the Sweet 16.
 
#63      
well, it seems by the logic right now that we can't do anything of this nature until a vaccine is created. Until that time, apparently we can't risk putting 50 people in a basketball stadium together.
Nope. But I just ate dinner last night in a restaurant with about 300 people in it.
 
#64      

kiwanegarris22

South Carolina
I hate to sound negative or pessimistic, but... chances are, the Illini would have gotten a 7 or 8 seed, so their odds of getting past the first weekend would have been fairly slim. They would have had to beat a tough team in round 1, then beat a team like Duke, Kentucky, or Florida State to make the Sweet 16.
I had us as a 7 and potentially a 6 seed. There were prospectively some pretty weak 3-seeds out there.
 
#65      

FinalFour88

Charlotte, NC
I had us as a 7 and potentially a 6 seed. There were prospectively some pretty weak 3-seeds out there.
I hear you. I always thought a 6 seed would give us a legit shot at the Sweet 16. Because you're right, the potential 3-seeds would be very beatable for Illinois. I just figured a 6 seed was unrealistic for us... but we'll never know. ;(
 
#67      
An NCAA referee that just reffed the Colonial Athletic Conference Tournament tested positive 72 hours after the last game he called. That shoe dropping would have squashed this regardless.
 
#69      
They should still do it. Teams like Rutgers deserve the selection.

I mean, does it really matter? Yay we got selected for a tournament we aren't going to play in! Honestly think the players couldn't care less at this point. Season is over, move on. Sucks for everyone.
 
#71      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
I mean, does it really matter? Yay we got selected for a tournament we aren't going to play in! Honestly think the players couldn't care less at this point. Season is over, move on. Sucks for everyone.
I actually think its better not to name the teams and let the teams believe they would have gotten in. More fun for everyone - of course it would be a imaginary field of 94 instead, but hey - no play in teams in their own minds.

Let's let the kids have some fun given the circumstances (and no, I'm not a participation trophy type guy people).
 
#73      
As if this year hasn’t been awful enough for me. This is the cherry on top. Feeling extremely down for all Illini players and fans.
 
#74      

illiniCA

DC Area
I mean, does it really matter? Yay we got selected for a tournament we aren't going to play in! Honestly think the players couldn't care less at this point. Season is over, move on. Sucks for everyone.

Being on the team that breaks a drought of missed tourneys matters. Making the tourney Is the goal for a lot if teams.
 
#75      
Just a question. In 2009 to 20010 during the Swine Flu pandemic, did any sporting events or anything else get cancelled? It infected over 60 million people in the United States and caused over 12,000 deaths. But I believe the NCAA tournament played on.

Significantly lower mortality rate. Much, much lower.