I was thinking Bobda made this point in a post but I can't find it now....from SI.com But for those pressing forward to play, heed one warning: The lawyers will be circling. Not the ones counseling conferences to avoid trifling with players’ health, but the ones who will be doing the suing if, God forbid, a player dies, has long-term damage or career-threatening complications. In an email to Sports Illustrated, prominent college sports attorney Tom Mars offered this chilling view of what the Big 12, ACC and SEC could be getting into: “Whatever conference(s) decides to play football this fall will be taking a ridiculously high risk they may soon regret. I know and have talked with some of the best plaintiff’s lawyers in the country this week, and they’re praying the SEC, Big 12 and/or the ACC are greedy enough to stay the course. If things go sideways, the plaintiff’s Bar will immediately get their hands on the internal financial analyses of the schools (a FOIA layup), get the conference financials through the discovery process, and then just stand in front of the jurors and point to the conferences that decided not to risk the health of their student-athletes. Good Lord, I’d hate to be the lawyers defending those cases.” https://www.si.com/college/2020/08/12/ncaa-football-divide-big-ten-pac-12-sec-big-12
So I have to ask: What will be different in 2021? Are folks naive enough to believe a vaccine is going to eliminate Covid19? It will mutate just like all viruses, and be back again even after a vaccine. So does a vaccine mitigate ALL responsibility that schools are apparently bearing right now?
More than a little disappointment from players, coaches and parents of players on the Big 10 decision. This from a parent of a Michigan player. “I can’t believe we are here,” Peach Pagano, mother of Michigan captain Carlo Kemp, said Wednesday. “I can’t believe that this happened, honestly, that they wouldn’t even give us a shot to get through game one. In my mind, I’m like, ‘Let’s just get one game under our belt.” “One game,” Lisa McCaffrey, mother of Michigan quarterback Dylan McCaffrey and who also has a son, Luke, at Nebraska, chimed in. Even two games,” Pagano said. “I’m not scared that my son’s going to die from it. I know we’re too healthy, our mindsets, and the way we believe. But oh my God, they didn’t even give us a chance. And then this — other schools are still going. I can’t process it properly. 'We just want answers': Parents of Michigan players frustrated at Big Ten's decision to postpone season BTW how is it that Detroit has 2 newspapers...the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press? I thought those days were over.
Guess the Chancellor has a long chat with his university lawyers about contracts, TV rights, charter bylaws, and penalty clauses
But, B10 handled this poorly. Six days after publishing a schedule and giving fans some hope that we might have a fall season of football, they pull the rug from underneath the feet of coaches, players, and fans. In contrast to the PAC 12, they fail to publish a report explaining the scientific reasons for the cancellation and make their decision in a secretive manner that hides how each school voted. Perhaps the ultimate decision was correct but the manner in which they reached and published their decision typified the arrogance, timidity and entitlement baked into the culture of the administration of universities.
I hate the way the is happening Bob. I want everybody to play. I't ain't over yet though, it very well be that NOBODY ends up playing.
I assumed that the PAC 12 was not going to play this fall since Gov. Newsome announced months ago that the colleges in that state were not going to open in the fall (ie. after the elections.) Since there are 4 PAC 12 schools in Cal. that was all she wrote. If campuses are open players will be exposed to the virus on or off the field. Unless there's a large outbreak on a team, how can a players illness be blamed on football? BTW I heard somewhere today that in the age bracket of college football players there's a greater risk of death from football than Covid. I haven't heard a reason for the B10's decision, was it for the safety of fans or players?
Big Ten Commissioner says safety of players. However this was not a unanimous decision. Voting results by Big Ten members never disclosed, which has caused quite a stir amongst the fans.
Southland Conference is done, in an odd move though member teams can play their nonconference games. Houston Baptist is planning on playing 3 games, all road games they are being paid for, so $$$ is the reason. I wonder how eligibility is going to be handled in a 3 game season
Schools are doing all sorts of things to to try and keep things safe. I saw where they spray/wipe footballs down after every use. I assume with something that kills the virus of course. I wonder if it impacts the football itself, degrade the leather or something like that.
Texas got some good news yesterday. The #1 player in the 2022 class, South Lake QB Quinn Ewers. He is the first overall #1 player the Longhorns have received a verbal from since Vince Young in 2005. Of course it's a long way to 2022, so who knows what will happen., but still good news
I simply do not see how the ACC, SEC & Big 12 think they can play football and other sports with this CVOID19 virus in existence. If the above colleges complete all or part of their season The Big Ten and PAC 11 will suffer on recruiting. I certainly am not in vafor of anyone dying from the virus. On the other hand I will be bitterly disappointed that we will have lost a golden opportunity to win it all this season. The fact that Justin Fields will never appear in another game for the Buckeyes is almost too much to take!
I do think the odds might be against the ACC/B12/SEC actually being able to complete the season without canceling at least some games like MLB has done. I see that Justin Fields has started an online petition to allow Big 10 teams to choose to play should they desire, also a number of parent groups are also protesting. No word from the Big 10 Commissioner. I does seem to be conventional wisdom that if the 3 leagues pull it off that it will hurt the B10 in recruiting, I'm just not sure why it would.
If the SEC, ACC, and B12 are able to play the 20 season without significant problems, that may help them in head-to-head recruiting wars with the B10 and PAC12 since they could credibly claim that skilled athletes should choose going to a school/conference that takes a player’s wish to compete seriously. On the other hand, if things go poorly, I have no doubt that the message from the B10 and PAC 12 will be for players to play in a conference that prioritizes their safety.
Watched the 1969 Texas v OU game. Longhorns won of course as that was a undefeated National Championship team. Also the last National Championship team that was all white. Lot of great player's that are legends. Steve Owens was the TB for OU and won the Heisman Trophy that year. You could see why watching him run. OU had a Sophomore QB named Jack Mildren who became one of the great wishbone QB's. They weren't running it though in 1969. Texas had the great James Street at QB, he was undefeated as a Starter. He was also a great college baseball player, threw the only perfect game in Longhorn history. 2 time AA in baseball pitched in 3 CWS . Texas of course ran the wishbone with a great trio of backs. They also had the great Bob McKay at tackle. Been fun watching some of the old games. Bud Wilkinson did the color. That team finished the season with a come from a behind win over a Joe Theismann led Irish. Joe was back next year and and ended the 33 game winning streak of Texas and prevented them from winning another National Title allowing Nebraska to win the 1st of their back to back titles
NCAA Doctor is very negative. NCAA's top doctor says more testing needed or 'there's no way we can go forward with sports'
Dennis Dodd is very pessimistic. Battle over playing 2020 college football season intensifies as no one can get on the same page