JessN: Commentary: How a season affected by Covid-19 might shake out

DogPatch

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There's something else - without becoming too political - that has to be considered: Each person's responsibility to others in society as it pertains to a contagious infectious disease.

IOW, no, each individual is not capable of being the sole decision maker for themselves when their decisions will have a profound impact on others.
This is what I have to explain to people, students in particular. Every. Single. Day. And, they supposedly scored high enough on the ACT to get into UA. It is ridiculous how they can't, or won't, see outside their own personal bubble.
 

NationalTitles18

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This is what I have to explain to people, students in particular. Every. Single. Day. And, they supposedly scored high enough on the ACT to get into UA. It is ridiculous how they can't, or won't, see outside their own personal bubble.
This is not a political statement, more a comment on our form of government, but it is well within the police powers of each state during a pandemic to control actions of people that place others at risk. I hope we can all understand that and take our responsibilities as seriously as we do our liberties.
 

MOAN

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Bad idea. I see daily how bad the fans are at doing their part to FOLLOW THE LAW, much less be responsible enough on their own to limit the spread of this virus.
No doubt you are correct. I know many times folks will go to work even when they are sick with the flu or a bad cold. Just know I do have sense enough to know I need to stay home during this pandemic as my wife and I both are at high risk. Heck we were pretty much homebodies even before covid-19. ;)

Making that 19 year old conform to isolation is another whole different deal though. They are not always making smart decisions even during the best of times and for most of them they feel fine and are bursting at the seems to get going yesterday!!!

"
One, nothing wrong with me
Two, nothing wrong with me
Three, nothing wrong with me
Four, nothing wrong with me
One, something's got to give
Two, something's got to give
Three, something's got to give now
Let the bodies hit the floor
Let the bodies hit the floor..... ;)
 
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We_are_Bama

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I'd like to thank Jess for that post. That is the absolute best summation I have seen since this mind blowing nightmare began. This whole thing as literally kept me up at night, just thinking. People who I thought I knew have seemingly lost their minds, for lack of a better term. People I know who have either lost everything or are darn close to it, have zero income, and don't know when they will, if ever again, praising the government's handling of this situation and the total shut down of everything. I'm not sure what they are thinking, if they even are thinking. I honestly don't know who they are anymore, as they have totally changed since all of this began. One who is even a Bama season ticket holder in football and baseball is practically praying that there will be no season. Another individual who I know has been caught lying about having had the "rona" as they put it. Twice. Why they lied is beyond me. The only possible explanation is, they were trying to scare family members who, in their view, weren't taking "the rona" seriously. But why this person lied a second time after having been caught once is really mind boggling. The stimulus seems to be popular. But, I don't see how a check, that is for a lot of people, a fraction of their monthly take home pay, can seriously be called the answer. I don't understand how what few businesses that are allowed to operate can be expected to shoulder all the responsibility of generating tax revenue. The government really shot itself in the foot because, where will tax revenue come from now? At least the level that it was, pre-rona.

As someone else pointed out, stopping living just to live won't cut it, long term. This home schooling thing is no picnic and it's only been this way for just over a month. I don't want even think about an entire school year having to be done at home. Seriously, how many kids are going to do their work, if left to their own devices? And I don't mean tablets and smartphones either. LOL. How many are really doing it now? The attitude amongst a lot of parents seems to be "well if they do the work they do it, and if they don't, then they don't". Way too many people are buying into this new way of life, and that is troubling. Where the football season is concerned, I understand health and safety of everyone involved, but for people to be actually calling for it's cancellation? And this far out? And these aren't just people who wouldn't know a football if it landed in their lap and probably have no idea who Nick Saban or Gus Malzahn even are. I expect people who don't like sports to be in favor of the cancelling the season. But for actual, die hard fans to call for such a thing? Just...wow! So many things about this whole thing make no sense to me. I understand taking precautions, being safe, and just taking the whole thing seriously. But....to actually love this new way of life?? It's like something out of a movie.
 

The Ols

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I'd like to thank Jess for that post. That is the absolute best summation I have seen since this mind blowing nightmare began. This whole thing as literally kept me up at night, just thinking. People who I thought I knew have seemingly lost their minds, for lack of a better term. People I know who have either lost everything or are darn close to it, have zero income, and don't know when they will, if ever again, praising the government's handling of this situation and the total shut down of everything. I'm not sure what they are thinking, if they even are thinking. I honestly don't know who they are anymore, as they have totally changed since all of this began. One who is even a Bama season ticket holder in football and baseball is practically praying that there will be no season. Another individual who I know has been caught lying about having had the "rona" as they put it. Twice. Why they lied is beyond me. The only possible explanation is, they were trying to scare family members who, in their view, weren't taking "the rona" seriously. But why this person lied a second time after having been caught once is really mind boggling. The stimulus seems to be popular. But, I don't see how a check, that is for a lot of people, a fraction of their monthly take home pay, can seriously be called the answer. I don't understand how what few businesses that are allowed to operate can be expected to shoulder all the responsibility of generating tax revenue. The government really shot itself in the foot because, where will tax revenue come from now? At least the level that it was, pre-rona.

As someone else pointed out, stopping living just to live won't cut it, long term. This home schooling thing is no picnic and it's only been this way for just over a month. I don't want even think about an entire school year having to be done at home. Seriously, how many kids are going to do their work, if left to their own devices? And I don't mean tablets and smartphones either. LOL. How many are really doing it now? The attitude amongst a lot of parents seems to be "well if they do the work they do it, and if they don't, then they don't". Way too many people are buying into this new way of life, and that is troubling. Where the football season is concerned, I understand health and safety of everyone involved, but for people to be actually calling for it's cancellation? And this far out? And these aren't just people who wouldn't know a football if it landed in their lap and probably have no idea who Nick Saban or Gus Malzahn even are. I expect people who don't like sports to be in favor of the cancelling the season. But for actual, die hard fans to call for such a thing? Just...wow! So many things about this whole thing make no sense to me. I understand taking precautions, being safe, and just taking the whole thing seriously. But....to actually love this new way of life?? It's like something out of a movie.
While homeschooling isn't exactly the easiest thing, I have not seen the "we don't care" attitude. My 10 year old waits for his assignments to come out at midnight and does his work then so he can sleep until 10 and hang with his buddies via XBOX all day...Not ideal, but he digs it and his grades are very good.(Hoops in the driveway and golf balls in the back yard are key too!)

I also have yet to hear one person say that they love this way of life...🤷‍♂️

While this is seemingly dragging on, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The landscape will be a little different on the other side, but it's not going to be all homeschooling and mad max...

Keep on Truckin', we' ll be fine if we all do our part and keep our wits about us...(last part is key. Some folks are starting to go a little looney...In general, not here...)
 

We_are_Bama

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Ummm, no. This is not permanent. We need to be patient.

For your daughter - if this is the worst thing that she has to deal with this year, she will be very fortunate, indeed.
While homeschooling isn't exactly the easiest thing, I have not seen the "we don't care" attitude. My 10 year old waits for his assignments to come out at midnight and does his work then so he can sleep until 10 and hang with his buddies via XBOX all day...Not ideal, but he digs it and his grades are very good.(Hoops in the driveway and golf balls in the back yard are key too!)

I also have yet to hear one person say that they love this way of life...🤷‍♂️

While this is seemingly dragging on, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The landscape will be a little different on the other side, but it's not going to be all homeschooling and mad max...

Keep on Truckin', we' ll be fine if we all do our part and keep our wits about us...(last part is key. Some folks are starting to go a little looney...In general, not here...)
I would like to give you a virtual hand shake. 🙂Your son is staying on top of his work
and is taking care of it before doing anything else. That is encouraging to hear.👍 When I put that about people loving this new way of life, granted I was exaggerating a bit, LOL. However, the way I have seen some people act (in my circle) it’s like....they’ve never been happier. It’s weird. I have unfriended two (so far) for the things they have posted. One said that we need to stay on lockdown until 2025. Even if they were only joking....that’s just insane. And the other one....ohhh....my poor wall almost felt my wrath on this one. An Alabama season ticket holder saying that they were emailing the athletic department and urging them to lean in favor of canceling the season! 😡 Now, of course, safety first. And if they can’t safely play then they can’t play, and that will be that and we will just have to deal with it. But...to actually WANT the season to be cancelled? And this many months out, on top of that? Just....madness! You nailed it. Some folks are going...looney 🤪
 
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MOAN

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This is what I have to explain to people, students in particular. Every. Single. Day. And, they supposedly scored high enough on the ACT to get into UA. It is ridiculous how they can't, or won't, see outside their own personal bubble.
I scored high enough to get into UAH in 1980 but circumstances didn't work out for me to get a degree in higher education although I was a stone mason by the time I was 16! I am 58 with high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, sciatic nerve damage from bulging disc, neuropathy through my lower legs, feet, arms, wrist and hands.....but I still work as much as I can and not on disability. I am that long haired country boy that Charlie Daniels used to sing about!! ;)

That being said...I can recall being 19!!! This 58 year old responsible for my life is looking out for that 19 year old not the other way around!!! ;)
 
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DogPatch

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I scored high enough to get into UAH in 1980 but circumstances didn't work out for me to get a degree in higher education although I was a stone mason by the time I was 16! I am 58 with high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, sciatic nerve damage from bulging disc, neuropathy through my lower legs, feet, arms, wrist and hands.....but I still work as much as I can and not on disability. I am that long haired country boy that Charlie Daniels used to sing about!! ;)

That being said...I can recall being 19!!! This 58 year old responsible for my life is looking out for that 19 year old not the other way around!!! ;)
When I was 19 I had more respect for other people than what I see now.
 

cuda.1973

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Social distancing was never meant to kill off Covid-19. It was meant to smooth out the caseload of Covid-19 sufferers so that hospitals could care for the influx of patients without losing too many of its own staff to the disease.

Let me be clear: You're probably going to get Covid-19, whether you get it today or in November or a year from now. So will literally everyone you know. Unless you know of someone who has never gotten a cold, I don't see how anyone can avoid this fate. That's why the treatment is 100x more important than a vaccine that will largely be no good 2-3 years later.
This is the ugly truth, that folks don't want to hear. Your best hope is that you get a very low "viral load", and either have no, or very little, symptoms.

Some of us won't be that lucky.
 

cuda.1973

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Ok, having said that.............wrt to your write-up, there are a few other bizarre scenarios. (As an engineer, we exist to poke holes in systems, and exploit them. Just because we can!)

Consider this: there are states that are not going to open anything up, period. So, for sake of discussion, we will say the B1G and the PACwhatever will not play football this season.

Then you have states that can't wait to get going again. Let's say that means the SEC states. They want to play an abbreviated, conference-only schedule. No one may win a National Championship, but at least we will have our champion. Besides, we don't want to lose the revenue.

What does the NZAA do?

It could be final nail in its coffin, and it goes away. A year or so out, the big schools make their own organization, where they only play their own kind. (That means a lot of places like Kent St will no longer be able to fund their entire athletic department by being cannon fodder to Bama, PSU, and the like.)

The worst part of this path.................

The virus comes back, even worse, once the weather starts to turn cold, and things are stopped dead in its tracks. (Pardon the unintended pun.) Things could get ugly in that case.
 
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BamaFlum

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Ok, having said that.............wrt to your write-up, there are a few other bizarre scenarios. (As an engineer, we exist to poke holes in systems, and exploit them. Just because we can!)

Consider this: there are states that are not going to open anything up, period. So, for sake of discussion, we will say the B1G and the PACwhatever will not play football this season.

Then you have states that can't wait to get going again. Let's say that means the SEC states. They want to play an abbreviated, conference-only schedule. No one may win a National Championship, but at least we will have our champion. Besides, we don't want to lose the revenue.

What does the NZAA do?

It could be final nail in its coffin, and it goes away. A year or so out, the big schools make their own organization, where they only play their own kind. (That means a lot of places like Kent St will no longer be able to fund their entire athletic department by being cannon fodder to Bama, PSU, and the like.)

The worst part of this path.................

The virus comes back, even worse, once the weather starts to turn cold, and things are stopped dead in its tracks. (Pardon the unintended pun.) Things could get ugly in that case.
That’s an interesting plan. I wonder if testing would be “normal” by mid summer and the SEC could make it a require that all staff and players be tested before starting back up. That could help mitigate any potential spread through by staff and players. Then you could have periodic testing of staff and players as the season progresses.
 

Ole Man Dan

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While homeschooling isn't exactly the easiest thing, I have not seen the "we don't care" attitude. My 10 year old waits for his assignments to come out at midnight and does his work then so he can sleep until 10 and hang with his buddies via XBOX all day...Not ideal, but he digs it and his grades are very good.(Hoops in the driveway and golf balls in the back yard are key too!)

I also have yet to hear one person say that they love this way of life...🤷‍♂️

While this is seemingly dragging on, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The landscape will be a little different on the other side, but it's not going to be all homeschooling and mad max...

Keep on Truckin', we' ll be fine if we all do our part and keep our wits about us...(last part is key. Some folks are starting to go a little looney...In general, not here...)
Like the country song...
'I'M JUST MAKING THE BEST OF A BAD SITUATION, JUST TRYING TO GET BY, CAN'T YOU SEE'...
Sums it up for our family.

I see lots of people who aren't taking this virus seriously. Maybe they should.
They could be a victim too.
I figure most of us will do what we got to do to survive.
 
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BamaMoon

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My personal position -- which I have not shared on this board, as until now it had little to do with football in general -- is that we will not ever beat Covid-19, or most any other coronavirus-type disease, for that matter.

Diseases like Covid-19, which can be seasonal and/or mutate often, are very hard to cure. The common cold is a coronavirus and we're no closer to curing it now than we've ever been.

Influenza has a vaccine -- and that vaccine, in its best years, is only 50-60 percent effective. It must be updated every year, and a lot of years, the efficacy rate is far worse, in the 25-35 percent range. Then, you have to convince everyone to get it, and that was never easy but the anti-vaxxer movement has made things even worse.

Our best hope for dealing with Covid-19, medically, is post-infection treatment. I hope Remdesivir proves to be that treatment, or maybe even in conjunction with quinine-based treatment, which has shown some degree of effectiveness even if it isn't a panacea.

What's my point?

If we're even 1-2 years out from a fix -- or especially if it's longer -- your choices will come down to two: You can either continue about your life, possibly get Covid-19 and statistically be overwhelmingly likely to survive the experience, or you can hide in your house. The economy will not survive if we all do the latter, or even if the current phased shutdown is allowed to continue without end. Eventually we will run out of money, and we will face shortages of food and other durable goods. And finally, there will be an inflection point at which deaths due to starvation, stress-related heart attacks, suicides and other diseases become more prevalent than deaths due to a coronavirus.

If you choose to continue living, you might die. I might die. But the alternative isn't much better, and the period of suffering prior to death will be elongated.

Social distancing was never meant to kill off Covid-19. It was meant to smooth out the caseload of Covid-19 sufferers so that hospitals could care for the influx of patients without losing too many of its own staff to the disease.

Let me be clear: You're probably going to get Covid-19, whether you get it today or in November or a year from now. So will literally everyone you know. Unless you know of someone who has never gotten a cold, I don't see how anyone can avoid this fate. That's why the treatment is 100x more important than a vaccine that will largely be no good 2-3 years later.

As it relates directly to football, publicly-owned universities don't go bankrupt, but if they could, I would expect 30 or so FBS schools to declare bankruptcy if the season is wiped out. Schools are already dropping other (minor) sports programs now, even before the initial shutdown is over. This is going to accelerate as the calendar moves on. Eventually, athletic directors and presidents will have a choice to make: Open up, or drop sports, lay off coaches and begin returning donations.

The complicating factor here is these are students playing -- although, in lieu of the recent decision to start paying kids to play, they can no longer claim to be true amateurs anymore, nor can they claim to be captive employees. Congrats, kids, you got your money, but a salary comes with certain responsibilities to your employer. If you didn't want to be held to those responsibilities, you shouldn't have pushed for the money in the first place.

They're not technically "kids", as they are all 18 years and older, no more a "kid" than a bunch of like-aged young adults fighting wars across the globe under our flag. But high school players are certainly kids, and they make up the future pool of players at the college level. The real question is, if 1-2 years of football got wiped out at the high school level, how would that affect future college football seasons?

These decisions are not easy, but anyone suggesting we shut down the economy for a year or more doesn't understand economics in a free-market society. Once everyone finally gets around to that realization, college football will go on. They can either realize it now, or a few months from now. But they will realize it.
Wow...the article was good, but this post maybe even better. While even just one death is terrible, you speak to an even bigger point. Nobody can hide from death by trying to escape it cause it too will kill you.

What's worse? Isolating yourself from life and hastening financial ruin OR trying to practice "common sense" and possibly catching a deadly virus but while still working/providing for your family and living your life?

I think the majority of Americans will eventually choose door #2 and if TPTB try to stop them this country will be in even more turmoil.
 

BamaMoon

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This is a good thread and I think the diversity of opinion here just proves how impossible this situation is. What seems best for some is deadly for others and vice versa.
 

B1GTide

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This is a good thread and I think the diversity of opinion here just proves how impossible this situation is. What seems best for some is deadly for others and vice versa.
We have 2 large at risk groups - those at risk from the virus, and those at risk from the economy. I am not sure why we would have a differing opinion. ALL of those people need to be protected. What second opinion could there be? That one group could/should be sacrificed for the other?

We are all in this together. We don't have to choose sides. But we can easily be tempted to do so. Lord knows there are many people out there telling us that we have to.

Roll Tide!
 
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BamaMoon

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We have 2 large at risk groups - those at risk from the virus, and those at risk from the economy. I am not sure why we would have a differing opinion. ALL of those people need to be protected. What second opinion could there be? That one group could/should be sacrificed for the other?

We are all in this together. We don't have to choose sides. But we can easily be tempted to do so. Lord knows there are many people out there telling us that we have to.

Roll Tide!
Hmm, not sure what I said to make you think I was insensitive to either group. Those who are most at risk are typically older and hopefully, retired. The younger, less at risk to die, will eventually have to get out and work.

Common sense, it seems to me, demands a balance has to be reached for both. Figuring out how to protect the most vulnerable and let those who are less at risk get back to work.

The point I attempted to make, which I think Jess more or less stated in an earlier post, is at some point people are going to have to take the risk of infection to make a living if in fact a "cure/vaccine" is a year or two in the distance.

I certainly wasn't suggesting we choose one group over the other, but that if we take an extreme position for one group it'll have a very adverse impact on the other.
 
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