The permanent end of much of college sports is much closer than people realize. The costs and risks to the institutions are getting close to outweighing the benefits.
I don't know enough about the consequences to have an opinion on that aspect. I do know that this board does nothing but speak highly of Lovie's character. No he is not a medical export but do any of us need a degree in rare disease to know at this point what we should and should not be doing? Lovie and JW think we are good to go. If other institutions are following similar protocol, then I say start making phone callsIf I’m Illinois I’m on the phone right now with the big 12. The consequences are gonna be severe if they don’t play.
I am not disagreeing with your likely outcome. What will disagree with is the comparison of players that are trying to make it to the show and one that already has made his money.I'm going to make a bold prediction right now. Between now and the end of 2021, Illinois will have played as many, of not more games than the average SEC or ACC school.
Let's be honest here. Who actually thinks these football teams are going to keep COVID out effectively? These are very large rosters filled with college kids. Do you remember what you were like when you were 20? Just look at what's going on with the St. Louis Cardinals. Once someone on the team gets it, it spreads, and you're probably looking at canceling all of that teams games for 3-4 weeks or more. Fall football is going to be riddled with games being canceled, and I could easily see a scenario where one of these conferences that goes forward ends up pulling the plug in mid-October.
Maybe the Big10 experiences the same thing in the spring, or maybe not. But it's pretty much a lock to happen in the fall.
Illinois is one of the most prestigious and scientifically literate universities in the country. They're likely driving the decision not to play. Our President got a vote and he voted "no". It's clear Whitman and Smith respect that.If I’m Illinois I’m on the phone right now with the big 12. The consequences are gonna be severe if they don’t play.
We voted to cancel. We're not going anywhere.I don't know enough about the consequences to have an opinion on that aspect. I do know that this board does nothing but speak highly of Lovie's character. No he is not a medical export but do any of us need a degree in rare disease to know at this point what we should and should not be doing? Lovie and JW think we are good to go. If other institutions are following similar protocol, then I say start making phone calls
If I’m Illinois I’m on the phone right now with the big 12. The consequences are gonna be severe if they don’t play.
I am not disagreeing with your likely outcome. What will disagree with is the comparison of players that are trying to make it to the show and one that already has made his money.
Great ra'von made the best decision for himself others want to play let them make theirs. Freedom of choice that used to mean something in this country.I'm trying to think of the last post I saw that held CFB players (including our own) in such low regard.
Did you miss where Ra'Von Bonner laid out exactly the case for not playing? Here it is, in case you'd like to read it.
Are you suggesting college football students will be more responsible than pro athletes because they don't want to jeopardize pro careers? It really takes 1 or 2 irresponsible guys to bring down the whole ship. If you had to bet your life savings on one of these two teams dodging COVID, which would you really choose:
There has already been surveys of college students suggesting that a significant percentage are not likely to follow mask and distancing rules upon returning to campus. Does anyone envision groups of football players getting together to party, play video games, ect, and masking and social distancing? Many argue that unless "Cyrus the Virus" is brought under greater control, many universities who open will likely have to return to virtual/remote classes. It that happens, whether athletics should continue becomes a moot point.
Yeah, that post didn't age very long. I am not sure what the severe consequences are. "Severe" to me would be risking lives (via normal contact) to play a sport when taking some time to get this pandemic under control is a viable option (Spring ball).If I’m Illinois I’m on the phone right now with the big 12. The consequences are gonna be severe if they don’t play.
This.I get the move, but I don't necessarily agree with it. A large chunk of our team has already had the virus, and I'm sure the same is true for many other teams. Myocarditis is definitely a concern, but this exists for all viral infections, it hasn't new for Coronavirus.
The players have the freedom to go out and play pickup games in their neighborhood if they want. This is not a freedom of choice issue. Societies, Governments, Companies, Universities, etc. have to make regulations, laws, rules, etc. all the time that limit complete freedom of the individual. That is nothing new.Great ra'von made the best decision for himself others want to play let them make theirs. Freedom of choice that used to mean something in this country.
So what's your point "bud"? I never said there were any guarantees. If we can't get control of this then the spring is out as well - but that doesn't mean playing now makes any more sense. If we continue to 'try to gut this out' half-assed - we will be in this mess much longer and with many more lives lost. I seriously doubt we lose key players to other teams because of either 1. Top leagues aren't going to have room for them, or they wouldn't likely be much of a factor, and 2. Lesser leagues are not that attractive. But it we do, so be it. We'll survive. I'd rather take my chances things will improve by spring than having to shut the program down 2 games into the season and call the season lost. MLB has proven this model, in this environment is a huge challenge.The same pandemic we thought we were gonna be in control of months ago? Yeah spring ain’t helping anything bud, especially when cold and flu season is over the winter months. What would you call 80 million dollar loses? I would call that severe. What about thousands of people losing jobs or thousands of students losing the ability to pay for school! Is that severe enough. Athletic programs were requested yesterday to cut their budgets 25%. Where do you think those cuts are gonna happen? Also our roster is about to be poached just watch. Why would broderick perry or anything other transfer follow through and sit around for an imaginary spring season? What would they even be playing for? There is no postseason.
Good Points. I see more Team 2 as having young impressionable men who will fall in line a little easier than a 30 year old who is already a millionaire.Are you suggesting college football students will be more responsible than pro athletes because they don't want to jeopardize pro careers? It really takes 1 or 2 irresponsible guys to bring down the whole ship. If you had to bet your life savings on one of these two teams dodging COVID, which would you really choose:
Team 1: Baseball team, 28 man roster, average age of 28.7, playing with real money on the line.
Team 2: Football team, 85+ man roster, average age of let's say 21, a handful of these players may play professionally, keeping in mind average NFL career is less than 3 years
Kids are gonna jump ship because those conferences are at least attempting to play. Just saying we can’t just ignore the financial issues regarding this decision.
The bold makes no sense. They can leave, but they have to sit out a season. Assuming that season is 2020, they're going to be able to play in 2021 and not before..And playing 20 games in 8 months is in the best interest of players? I mean that isn’t helping long term health of an athlete. And you 100% make decisions based off the repercussions of those decisions. The big ten just hand cuffed their entire conference moving forward. Kids are gonna jump ship because those conferences are at least attempting to play. Just saying we can’t just ignore the financial issues regarding this decision.
I think our Big Ten leadership is probably really scared now. I would be if I were them. If B12, SEC and ACC play, we will have a grand experiment before us. I think it is a very likely result that when people look back on this in hindsight they fill find, as some of our players already suspect, the players sitting out will be at greater risk than the players playing.I get the move, but I don't necessarily agree with it. A large chunk of our team has already had the virus, and I'm sure the same is true for many other teams. Myocarditis is definitely a concern, but this exists for all viral infections, it hasn't new for Coronavirus.
Okay so what about big ten tv deals? Who is gonna pay for the network when there are no games? What about the 25% across the board cuts every sports team was just told about. Where is that money gonna come from? What about the fact that football produces the most revenue for every athletic department? What happens to all those other non revenue producing programs? And then what happens to all the kids on those teams?
The university is not putting everyone in a bubble, but, they are putting in a lot of restrictions. Testing twice a week for all students, contact tracing, no outsiders allowed without a recent (within 4 days) negative covid test, and very few in person classes. I know there is more, but that sounds a lot safer than life elsewhere.No, it's the country in general - but unless the university is putting itself in a complete bubble, there is no way to contain this from the football team.
Thank God our ancestors had more fortitude than we have in today’s world or we would all still be living in caves and afraid to go outside.
This decision makes no sense to me. Players are just as likely to get Covid if the season is canceled as if it goes on.