Big Ten Cancels Fall Football (CFB Thread)

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#176      
If you don't think we're playing in 6 months, then we certainly shouldn't be playing now. So if your premise is that it is getting worse - then there is no chance of pulling it off now. There are of course no guarantees, but it seems to be a better option than just throwing the doors open now. We're learning more and finding better ways to manage this almost every week.
I don’t think things will change. There is no common sense in the thinking that a virus is going to spread less during cold and flu season. A vaccine won’t even be readily available by then, and even if there is that doesn’t do anything to the risk factors if people refuse to take it (which many would). The flu still kills thousands a year in the US even with a vaccine. How many people dying of Covid is the right amount to play football?
 
#177      

mattcoldagelli

The Transfer Portal
Why are we restricted young people from pursuing their dreams over an illness that 99.9 % will recover from with little or no symptoms.

This is, at best, an optimistic guess. There are repeated instances of people that don't show symptoms nevertheless having lung damage. That's a pretty big wild card in terms of how long it will last, and what the medium- and long-term effects might be. One the one hand, maybe younger, fit people have the most resilient lungs. On the other, they'd have the most to lose from having ongoing pulmonary issues.

Researchers who have scanned the hearts and lungs of people who tested positive for COVID-19, but never felt ill, have seen telltale signs of distress.

In the lungs, scientists have reported cloudy white areas called “ground glass opacities” in asymptomatic patients. Ground glass opacities are also seen patients with more severe COVID-19.

Across four different studies of people with asymptomatic infections, about half have had ground glass opacities on CT scans.
 
#178      
I don’t think things will change. There is no common sense in the thinking that a virus is going to spread less during cold and flu season. A vaccine won’t even be readily available by then, and even if there is that doesn’t do anything to the risk factors if people refuse to take it (which many would). The flu still kills thousands a year in the US even with a vaccine. How many people dying of Covid is the right amount to play football?

1. The flu kills 60k people a year (in US). This virus has killed 170k people in about 6 months. Most doctors will tell you we don't take enough precautions against the flu, not that we take too many against COVID.

2. The right amount to play football is about transmission rates. And the right amount is about where Europe is right now. European soccer continued play only after transmission rates went down, and has continued because they stayed down. UK is doing the worst in Europe and they are averaging about 1k new cases a day (over the last week). Florida, 1/3 the population of the UK, just announced 4,555 new cases today, which is actually an improvement over their peak of 15,300 cases in one day on July 12. Illinois, less than 1/5 the population of the UK, is averaging 1,900 new cases a day over the last week. We just aren't there, and it's going to take work to get there, but it is possible. It's just going to take a level of sacrifice and patience we haven't had the willingness for yet.
 
#179      
1. The flu kills 60k people a year (in US). This virus has killed 170k people in about 6 months. Most doctors will tell you we don't take enough precautions against the flu, not that we take too many against COVID.

2. The right amount to play football is about transmission rates. And the right amount is about where Europe is right now. European soccer continued play only after transmission rates went down, and has continued because they stayed down. UK is doing the worst in Europe and they are averaging about 1k new cases a day (over the last week). Florida, 1/3 the population of the UK, just announced 4,555 new cases today, which is actually an improvement over their peak of 15,300 cases in one day on July 12. Illinois, less than 1/5 the population of the UK, is averaging 1,900 new cases a day over the last week. We just aren't there, and it's going to take work to get there, but it is possible. It's just going to take a level of sacrifice and patience we haven't had the willingness for yet.
I agree that we aren’t there yet numbers wise. But where is the cutoff line for deaths? Also if the heart issues are the reason they wanted to cancel then what is the limit of cases we can accept? Just saying if the heart issues were the reason and we are still having 5,000 corona deaths a month (60k/12 months), is that still acceptable. Because if it is truly about the heart issues then we can’t ever play football again until the virus is completely eradicated for the liability of big ten universities.
 
#180      
Really good article from Robert at Illiniboard that speaks to some of y'all's questions on 2 seasons back-to-back. (Plus other stuff)

Article

So many college players use their last season (junior or senior usually) to propel them to their NFL future. Some use it to go from 7th round to 3rd or higher. Others use it to get on the draft board.

So to say dreams will survive is incorrect. Not all dreams will survive. Without this season, we don’t know who the next group of Joe Burrows are.

Tweet From JB

This can also be applied to High school as well since so many evaluations won’t happen this fall along with all the camps that didn’t happen this summer.

Something to chew on.
 
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#181      
Really good article from Robert at Illiniboard that speaks to some of y'all's questions on 2 seasons back-to-back. (Plus other stuff)

Article

I feel for these kids, and there will certainly be losers from this that we'll never know because we can't run the counterfactual. But there are a finite number of roster spots and draft picks, so the thing is for every kid whose draft stock falls or who loses the opportunity to be drafted, there's someone else who will benefit. It could be the practice squad player who gets another chance or the guy who is projecting as a 5th round pick who would have fallen out of the draft due to injury. Joe Burrow got an opportunity because he had a monster season, which is great, but if he hadnt that opportunity would have gone to another highly talented kid. It's not like the draft pick would have disappeared.

Becoming a professional athlete takes both skill and luck. Outside the LeBron James types who are gonna make it as long as they put in the effort, most pros need a lot of things outside their control to go their way too. It's sad, but true, and this is just an extreme example of that.
 
#182      
I feel for these kids, and there will certainly be losers from this that we'll never know because we can't run the counterfactual. But there are a finite number of roster spots and draft picks, so the thing is for every kid whose draft stock falls or who loses the opportunity to be drafted, there's someone else who will benefit. It could be the practice squad player who gets another chance or the guy who is projecting as a 5th round pick who would have fallen out of the draft due to injury. Joe Burrow got an opportunity because he had a monster season, which is great, but if he hadnt that opportunity would have gone to another highly talented kid. It's not like the draft pick would have disappeared.

Becoming a professional athlete takes both skill and luck. Outside the LeBron James types who are gonna make it as long as they put in the effort, most pros need a lot of things outside their control to go their way too. It's sad, but true, and this is just an extreme example of that.

All true points. But the argument was that the dreams of college kids now will survive. That may not be the case for those kids currently off the radar that would use this year to get on the radar.

It could have a benefit for some "already in the NFL practice squad guy"...or even another college player that should be a 3rd round pick that gets picked in the 2nd round because of limited evaluations. But those guys are gaining small benefits compared to someone who dreamed of being in the NFL, worked insanely hard, and would have shown out. They are missing the chance of going from "might get nothing" to "NFL". That is a much bigger benefit that is being lost.

Another good example is our very own Clayton Fejedelem. His last year got him drafted. If he didn't have that, who knows what he'd be doing today.

All food for thought.
 
#183      
Terrible situation for the student athletes...and certainly not good for the Big Ten conference as players, coaches, fans, and recruits may very well watching the SEC, Big 12, ACC playing games on Fall Saturday afternoons while we everyone associated with the Big Ten is sitting at home.
 
#185      
Terrible situation for the student athletes...and certainly not good for the Big Ten conference as players, coaches, fans, and recruits may very well watching the SEC, Big 12, ACC playing games on Fall Saturday afternoons while we everyone associated with the Big Ten is sitting at home.

Or they’ll be watching those conferences cancel games right and left as the disease runs rampant through their rosters.
 
#186      
You are taking my point out of context - my supposition is that we will play in the Spring - so the dreams will survive. If you are going to debate me - please do so with my full quote.

Apologies, I should have better stated my assumption that the Spring season wouldn't happen based on the other article in my post. (which provides the difficulties of a Spring season in general. One can expound on those difficulties due to the fact that 60% of the Power 5 schools are still playing which could create disparity/issues with eligibility/recruiting between the SEC/ACC/B12 and the B1G/PAC)

With no Spring season, maybe you're stance would change on dreams surviving. Maybe not.
 
#187      
For those denouncing the cancellation of the football season, I would strongly encourage a wait-and-see approach. I work at UNC (I know, I know, I know) and witnessed firsthand how best laid plans and optimism quickly crumbled. The decision to bring back students is one the administration wishes it could have back. While U of I has a better plan for keeping students safe than UNC had, I anticipate that it will still prove to be insufficient and that classes will be moved fully online by the end of September. Perhaps college football players will fare better given their smaller numbers. And perhaps I will be on the receiving end of "I told you so" in a couple months after things go better than expected. But if we've learned anything over the past several months, it's that underestimating this virus is foolish and that the consequences of doing so are severe and life threatening. If our experience at UNC offers any foreshadowing of the SEC/ACC seasons, then the B1G may end up looking prescient when all is said and done.
 
#188      
Agreed! I think the human body is probably most able to recover quickly at the age these college kids are than the body of a 30-year-old. Mentally might be another issue, but physically, I don't think it would be that big of an issue.

I've heard this a few times now. Can someone please explain why this is so obviously not safe? An NFL team will need to play at least 16 games in 4 months and up to 20 games to win a super bow in 6 months. Why is approx. 20 NCAA games in 8 months so obviously not safe? Obviously NFL and NCAA is different...but is it that obviously different?
 
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#189      
I don't think stating national death statistics really proves a point here and whether college football is played or not won't impact that number. I think the decision was primarily made with concerns over player safety. With as much testing that was going to be required, the football players wouldn't pose much threat to the general population. Sure, some players will catch it but it will be detected quickly and they will be isolated.
Ask Eduardo Rodriguez of the Red Sox about that. They found it and quarantined him, so what. He still developed myocarditis and will miss the year and hopefully that's it. Myocarditis killed ex Northwestern coach Randy Walker. After he was Covid free he went out to pitch in practice and threw only 20 pitches and said he felt like he was 80 years old he was so tired.
 
#193      

Illwinsagain

Cary, IL
St. Louis. No one plays there so that would be open for games whenever in theory
Thank you, wasn't thinking of St L, due to no B1G teams in MO. Not sure it would be needed though. Maybe Friday night is a featured game, all teams get at least one time during season, location, closest to the school. Ex, Minny, WI, Nebby, IA could play in Minny for a Friday night game. IL, NW, PU, IN in Indy. The rest could do Detroit (though for many, Indy would be fine too). Just trying to minimize travel on a "virtual school day". Would not be great for Rutgers and Maryland, but, those are the breaks for joining a conference that you aren't located near.

For games with teams further apart, they play Saturday. Saturday noon EDT time, Detroit kicks off first, Indy 30 min later, Minny 30 min later. Same thing for 6 or 7 pm. 7 games, everyone plays. Can put in a bye week Feb sometime, split over 2 weekends, so that there are still games. Do you think that the B1G needs a part time help scheduling the games? ;)

PS - I am assuming no fans for these games.
 
#194      
Aren't indoor venues a bigger threat to health than outdoor venues?
 
#195      
Aren't indoor venues a bigger threat to health than outdoor venues?

If there were crowds at the game. Which there won’t be.

As for the players, they’re going to be breathing and sweating all over each other whether they’re outside or in. So it won’t matter.
 
#197      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
Apologies, I should have better stated my assumption that the Spring season wouldn't happen based on the other article in my post. (which provides the difficulties of a Spring season in general. One can expound on those difficulties due to the fact that 60% of the Power 5 schools are still playing which could create disparity/issues with eligibility/recruiting between the SEC/ACC/B12 and the B1G/PAC)

With no Spring season, maybe you're stance would change on dreams surviving. Maybe not.
The other article from Robert? I like Robert, but he is one voice/opinion. We can create opinions all we want on our assumptions. My assumption is that the other P5s will cancel the season 2 weeks in (much like many schools are going online and the MLB pullback) and will have then trashed their season - so our plan to play in the Spring would look pretty good then compared to that. Dreams of the early P5 players dashed?

If we don't play in the spring - there is always the fall, and then the following year to catch their dream in the NFL. Not playing in the spring is not a cancelation of their playing careers. I don't get this "now or never" logic. In effect, its equivalent to a 5th year player timeline. Football is a sport where another year of maturity is not that bad.

All of this 'play now' talk seems to be more geared toward "I want to watch my team play now" rather than looking out for the players.
 
#198      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
Can we change the Thread heading to "Big Ten Postpones ..." - since that is what has been planned?
 
#199      
All of this 'play now' talk seems to be more geared toward "I want to watch my team play now" rather than looking out for the players.
As long as class is in session, they should be allowed to play football. A football roster is a drop in the pool compared to the entire student population. And selfishly, yes, I would like to watch them play even if it's a couple games. I just got to watch the blackhawks play for 2 weeks (only sport I watch besides Illinois) and it was awesome.
 
#200      
The other article from Robert? I like Robert, but he is one voice/opinion. We can create opinions all we want on our assumptions. My assumption is that the other P5s will cancel the season 2 weeks in (much like many schools are going online and the MLB pullback) and will have then trashed their season - so our plan to play in the Spring would look pretty good then compared to that. Dreams of the early P5 players dashed?

If we don't play in the spring - there is always the fall, and then the following year to catch their dream in the NFL. Not playing in the spring is not a cancelation of their playing careers. I don't get this "now or never" logic. In effect, its equivalent to a 5th year player timeline. Football is a sport where another year of maturity is not that bad.

All of this 'play now' talk seems to be more geared toward "I want to watch my team play now" rather than looking out for the players.

And yet, it's large numbers of players (and parents) who are signing petitions and forming groups to try and convince the powers that be to let them play. You don't have to agree with everything they say/do but you also have to admit it's not just fans driving the agenda here.

These players are the ones that know what's at stake for them and their personal journeys. Abbreviated seasons, missing the season, graduating from school before getting on the field again, family issues...All sorts of things go into why they want to play now.

If they all wanted to sit out, and weren't worried about their respective timelines, I'd be fine with that. I am a fan of them just as much as I'm a fan of watching them play. But the fact that they want to play now (and that parents are involved) lets me know that at least some of them see this as a detriment to their future. And if they are willing to brave the uncharted COVID sports world, so be it. I'll root for them. Just like I'll root for the guys who decide to sit out.
 
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