When Jackie Hamilton thinks about the upcoming college football season and her son — Kyle, a sophomore defensive back at Notre Dame — her routine concerns about the safety of the sport are joined by a new fear: covid-19.
Notre Dame plans to test all players every week for the novel coronavirus, and Hamilton said in a phone interview this week she believes the school is doing everything it can to keep her son safe. But what about Arkansas — Notre Dame’s opponent for its home opener in September — where players are getting tested only if they have symptoms or learn they were near an infected person?
“Do I want my child on the field, tackling some kid who may have it but doesn’t know because he’s asymptomatic?” said Hamilton, a human resources manager from suburban Atlanta. “How is that supposed to work?”
Nor is she stupid.
Mya Hinton, a retired lawyer, expressed concern college athletic departments are prioritizing their financial well-being over the health and safety of football players by barreling forward with their normal schedule in the middle of a pandemic.
“The reality is, the whole reason we’re having this conversation is money. These football programs, especially in the Power Five [conferences], fund the majority of the other sports, and the majority of everyone’s salaries,” Mya Hinton said. “There’s a ton of money involved here, and that’s not a secret.”
I don’t understand how this is expected to work, either. Even if Georgia, for example, is doing everything in its power to take care of its players and doing that well, what good with that do when the Dawgs play a team that isn’t? What’s Butts-Mehre going to do if an opponent refuses to disclose health details about its players during the week before the game?
And it’s going to have to be Georgia that makes the call. The NCAA won’t.
On June 10, the Hintons sent an email to every athletic director and president at a Division I school, as well as to the NCAA, outlining their concerns.
“Why is it when it comes to transfer rules, profiting from name image and likeness, or eligibility requirements the NCAA can find a ‘size 7′ that every school can comfortably fit but comprehensive safety guidance for Covid-19 is delegated to the individual schools,” the Hintons wrote. They requested the creation of a parent advisory committee that would have input on safety policies with the NCAA, as well as with each of the football conferences.
Nine days later, the Hintons received a letter from Emmert. Initially, they were excited the NCAA chief had responded. Until they read the letter.
“It didn’t really address anything we asked for,” Chris Hinton said. “I thought it was pretty generic and somewhat dismissive.”
“As a parent, I empathize with you on the importance of knowing more about the environments your sons could be going back to,” Emmert wrote. “Our role is to provide guidance … State and local protocols around COVID-19 vary based on each school’s location … As such, it is the responsibility of each campus to do all they can to support and preserve the health of student-athletes.”
Too bad nobody’s paying the kids to be exposed. Emmert no doubt would find cause to jump in then.
And the kids themselves?
“Virtually every conversation I have about college sports, anywhere, boils down to this: The athletes have no voice or representation,” Nevius said, “And they’re the ones taking all the risks.”
They can’t. Don’t mess this up, Georgia.
Isn’t the most likely scenario one where they tell them: if you don’t want to play, then just don’t?
The chances of playing being determined to be safe at this point seems pretty remote.
I’m thinking they self congratulate themselves that they’re doing all they can, that its safe enough and, after all, the risks have been explained.
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The NCAA says it can dictate eligibility of player requirements but cannot dictate corona virus protocols to schools? What a lie. The NCAA could make a rule that a schools’ players are ineligible for competition unless the school follows a standard protocol. While I understand that many schools cannot afford all that testing perhaps the NCAA could make funds for testing available. Certainly the SEC could make funds available to its members. Also, if I were McGarity and the Georgia Athletic Board I would view it as a proper expenditure for UGA to provide funds to ETSU and LA-Monroe to help afford testing since we are wanting their players to travel to Athens and be in close contact with our players.
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Everyone should be required to test just before playing in a game. If you don’t pass, you don’t play. Simple.
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Would you have to isolate those players who were around the positive player and make them sit out?
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This is a lawyers dream. $$$!!!
If Mama or Daddy is so concerned, don’t let the kid play.
We all look to Big Daddy to keep us safe. A little self responsibility would go a long way. But who cares, we got a good lawyer.
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What happens if Georgia takes this seriously and one of our opponents does not? A UGA player who did the right thing could still come down with the virus through contact with players from a program that didn’t take it as seriously. Hate to break it to you but, personal responsibility is not the cure all for a pandemic. Sometimes you need coordinated action.
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Yep, that’s why this will drag on for much longer. For every person that takes this seriously, there are at least 2 that think this is “just the flu” or no big deal.
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Does anyone else find it odd that parents are concerned about a 3-4 hour event where their child may have 80 4-6 second interactions with another individual (looking at you O-lineman) but express no desire about keeping their children locked down the rest of the week? The players that have shown up and tested positive didn’t get that way because they were out tackling and blocking.
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The virus is running rampant through the college aged crowd right now. Best advice: stay away from 18-23 yr olds for a while……..particularly if they’re of the socializing mindset. The summer greek-org rush parties are huge vectors right now.
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Well, that was rude.
Pretty blunt, this one.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
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Excerpt:
“Also it’s important to understand that while most young people seem to recover fine, there is still a lot we don’t know about the virus. Even in asymptomatic cases, we’re starting to see lung damage and potential other long-term organ damage that didn’t make itself known immediately. There’s the possibility that these young men and women who are elite athletes in peak physical shape, even a small degradation of that could be career altering. This isn’t just, ‘Hey, nobody died. No blood, no foul.’ It’s a lot more complicated than that.”
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There’s a waiver (pledge?) for that!
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607 Coronavirus deaths were reported in the US on Friday. The 7-day average fell again, going down to 551 deaths per day. It was at 982 deaths per day one month ago.
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Fuck the experts who say deaths will follow the spike in infections.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/26/as-us-coronavirus-cases-spike-country-will-be-seeing-more-deaths-dr-fauci-says.html
I mean its only takes the common sense God gave a cat to know you get infected first, then some go to the hospital, then some die….over time.
No one catches coronavirus and then immediately drops dead. Its like saying: i was diagnosed with brain cancer, but I’m alive now so I’ll surely stay alive until it passes, right?
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It would be as effective to get our thoughts across without the use of profanity.
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https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/d43015d2-5e14-4943-b541-bfc61be10b2d
Not trying to be “effective” whatever that might mean btw.
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Death count is only one measure. Hospitalization and more importantly LONG TERM health risk are being ignored by many.
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Death coubts have also been politically fudged low by listing the death as heart or pneumonia-caused. Look at the uptick in those two categories to get an idea as to how many have died.
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There have also been reports that many deaths have been attributed to Covid when they weren’t related. Guess it depends on where you get your news / stats.
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I’ve seen rumors, but no reports.
Any links? Because I could never find anything substantive on those claims.
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Yep, hospitalization at the Texas Medical Center is reaching ICU capacity, but nothing to worry about. I haven’t seen any dead bodies in the street so it’s not really any big deal.
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I heard the CEO of ones in Houston announce icu capacity is similar to past few years. 85-90%. These hospital CEOs don’t pull down millions a year with half full icu’s
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That was last week. Now they are at 100% of their baseline capacity which is a bad thing when we just set another single day record for new cases.
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That is concerning. Also concerning is the reports that COVID antibodies might only protect for as little as 2 months. If true, the problem only becomes amplified. E.g. I have had COVID so I don’t need to worry about getting it again or spreading it.
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I wonder if the NCAA failing to develop or offer a comprehensive plan has anything to do with liability.
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It’s a good question. My guess is that they don’t see a reason to get involved since health measures and lockdowns are being handled at the local levels. I seriously doubt they would be able to put out a comprehensive plan that would be attacked immediately. The philosophy of better to remain silent and have everyone think you are foolish than opening you mouth and removing all doubt.
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Could very well be the reason. That’s the reason they don’t have national medical standards in general.
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The Whiner in Chief has the solution: QUIT TESTING! Then you don’t have any positive tests, and as a bonus you save the $$$ that the tests cost.
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Yeah, and the medical industry makes more profit by having to treat the positives that occur from the uninformed. Win-Win!
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If you’re telling me kids are going to follow the social distancing rules and regulations, wear masks, and not go to house parties, bars, beaches (take your pick of risks outside of athletics) – then I would buy the “safety” argument. COVID-19 isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. College athletes are extremely low risk and more likely to die of the flu. These are the facts. But in our current environment, all that matters is how you feel. ND isn’t forcing her son to play football. ND is providing an opportunity in an environment that is likely “safer” than what 99% of young people are doing in their daily lives.
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With the increase in the pandemic’s case rate / hospitalizations / mortality in the southeast and anticipating an 8-12 week episode of increased severity, I suspect there will not be any college ball this season. Pandemic is being fueled by those of us who refuse to take even the most basic precautions and efforts to mitigate spread.
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So, you mean 90% of everyone.
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I ain’t wearing no damn mask like a pussy! I ain’t skeerd! All you commies can stay home and cower!
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It’s not even that, a great vast majority is just not doing it or going too.
It’s just as bad on the left. Its everyone
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Like I said, refusing to take even the most basic precautions – and its going to cost lives, jobs, $$ and football.
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What I’m saying is it’s not some small minority of right wing conspiracy theorist, it is overwhelming majority of everyone. People won’t wash their hands witches Absolutely massively hugely important. Have you that’s just on a normal day-to-day basis. It’s not some minority or group of malcontents, its most of the country that will not follow the small simple things.
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I don’t think that’s right. Not true of my friends, neighbors, family and coworkers. I think the people you’re hanging around with are skewing your perception as much as my groups are skewing mine.
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I don’t hang around anyone. Ask family and friends what they see and I see what I see
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So you blame the giant protest rallies.
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I saw more masks at the rallies than I’ve seen at my local grocery store in the last two months combined.
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Very different kind of mask. I wear one to protect me and my fellow citizens not to hide my face from law enforcement.
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Cloth masks are 4% effective. And ineffective when you touch dirty hands to face and dont fully cover
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Once again, they don’t protect the wearer. The slow you from spreading it. I’ll bet you 100% knew that, but it didn’t feed your narrative.
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I don’t have a narrative. “So, when all parties in a gathering are wearing well-constructed, well-fitting masks, it provides an extra layer of safety for everyone. If two people are wearing masks, the viral particles can travel about 5 feet away from each individual.”
People running around sweating yelling and screaming touching their face, most certainly not 5′ apart, and They’re not wearing a well fit well constructed mask.
That’s not the people at the riots and protests. That’s not people walking around with a bandana. Can it help if properly done? Sure. But it still requires washing and social distancing. The dirtier the mass get the worse it gets. Putting on a bandana in the morning and going out for 3 4 hours it’s not going to do much.
You’re one of those people that conflates. You want to assume that I don’t wanna wear a mask. I work in healthcare as part of an infection control team for about 4 years. Hand washing was the number one concern. Along with proper clothing trainingAnd fitted and trained n95 masks.
Because I do not have a narrative, I don’t go to riots nor protests nor bars nor restaurants. I wash my hands often I use hand sanitizer the 2nd I get in a vehicle. I don’t congregate.
This whole they don’t protect the wearer thing is just a silly narrative. It’s been weapon ized and used as a form of control. Because you need the total package of infection control for it to work. I’ve noticed that hand washing and extreme distancing has really fallen off.
Thanks russ.
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The out break in youth is perfectly tied to rallies.
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And bars, and restaurants, and beaches, and parties.
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Once again and I’m100% sure you know this tons and tons and tons and tons of places had not gone to phase 2 or 3 where there are riots and protests.
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I’ve said this a thousand times; the NCAA is counting on building Herd Immunity amongst all the players. They’ll all get exposed. Most won’t get sick. Those that do will be mildly sick. They’ll all develop antibodies. It’ll modtly be done before the season even starts. They’ll just have to be careful with the coaches and older staff.
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The antibody meme is looking to be a false narrative. My son has two employees that have gotten sick twice since March – both are mid 20’s.
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Which is probably the most scary thing of all. Because how do we stop it?
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This season is screwed. And the longer everyone denies that this is a real issue, the longer it will drag on. Meanwhile, the rest of the world (well, except for Brazil) will be getting back to normal.
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Looks like the second wave is global.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
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Mama could always start paying tuition herself , if she was that concerned.
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Yep. I wonder if ma has heard of CTE.
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Etsu can’t afford to test every week. We play them before Bama. 100% chance they give a starter the Rona. 100%
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Yep.
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I’m more concerned about my future stepped on her being able to attend school for 8th grade than I am about football. I’m more concerned about my significant other working at an airport. Football is down the list now. Which sucks. But priorities. It means more nice non tourist weekends here when the weather is not 105 heat index to go out.
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Freaking fucking phones and middle age. Stepdaughter.
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For What it’s Worth:
Due to HIPPA regulations I can’t even find out where, what part or towns in my small county. So there is the legality of this information shall not be disclosed. That one way the NCCA can tip toe around the present state of affairs. Also CKS and the Georgia diplomats have seen fit to allow any current news of date to be delayed ehhh 60 days. Right ?
The entire structure of college football scheduling is basically a spoof. A senior at UGA should be able to competed or at least been to every SEC or saw every SEC team by graduation. Scheduling is basically politics and we know how that is working right now. We bitch and complain about the ACC and Clemson being a one team league. Play their ass every year. Things have changed corporately and scheduling for football is like the PGA planning a event. There is some course the players don’t get enough exposure with or the course does not fit their eye so they just don’t play places like Hilton Head where you better be a shot maker or lucky.
I am tired of being jerked around and donating money buying tickets and selling those that those can’t afford to can get in to a scrimmage game in Athens.
With that being said if a school chooses not to disclose a break out of the virus including Georgia when the 60 day waiting period is over fine the shit out of the McGarity/McGill Silver Spoon Country Club. With that UGA could have 3 losses if OFC games with Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma. In reality it could work the exact opposite. Get Saban out of Bryant Denny for Ohio State, Oklahoma and Penn State. Don’t keep proding us with games of note in 2026-2033. Don’t give me a schedule that will be bought out 2 years before a prime game is played.
It is after all a time for rebellion. The democrats voted to rename John Wayne airport today because of dumb stuff he said in 1971. Tomorrow they’ll be after Dooley or Erk, Pat Dye, Bear ( I am sure he said enough to ban the entire state of Alabama ) Ludicrous. Let’s cut down The Arch and rename the field for Ice T. ( Georgia’s favorite drink ) The better choice for names James Brown Stadium with Herschel written in one end zone and Boss Bailey in the other. Both DGD.
Put your money where your mouth is NCCA and either cancel the entire season NOW or “MAN ENOUGH” to do what’s right instead of counting your TV monies. TEST and REPORT !
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This isn’t a “lawyer’s dream”, it is a CFB player/coach/fan’s worst nightmare. I cannot see how so many feel games will be played. As for the lawyers, there is so much misinformation, mostly by the experts but also by anyone else who can get in front of a microphone, that what kind of idiotic jury would award the ambulance chasers enough to make it worth their while? Meanwhile, unless judges get smarter, the courts will spend mega hours on such BS before realizing this is pretty damned frivolous. Make your own decisions, but be willing to be held accountable.
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