Covid-19 Effect on College Basketball & Other Sports

[URI_05]

Ivy League just cancelled winter sports.

[Rhody74]

https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... -covid-19/

[bigappleram]

The protocols that are in place now are illogical and untenable. Makes no sense that if 1 kid tests positive you ground the entire program for 2 weeks. Should be more like 2-3 days, where you conduct multiple tests on rest of team, and isolate the positive kid in quarantine. Once rest of team and staff test negative for 2-3 days straight you resume with normal activities with only those players that are negative and the show goes on. The reality is these kids are all a heckuva lot safer within the structure of a major college basketball program than they are roaming free on their own. With the rules in place now I don't see how a real season takes place. Hoping for the best.

[Rhodymob05]

What the hell. No way, these kids have been working their tales off, stay the course man.

[reef]

Yeah if a player tests positive and they shutdown everything for 2 weeks that’s going to cause a huge disruption to the season that needs to be changed

[rjsuperfly66]

Yeah if a player tests positive and they shutdown everything for 2 weeks that’s going to cause a huge disruption to the season that needs to be changed

And it's really 3 weeks when you factor in you can't just show up at the arena on day 15 and play a game. Team would need at least 3-4 days of practice to get back in the flow of things.

The problem is this approach is simply following CDC guidelines: "You should stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19. For all of the following scenarios, even if you test negative for COVID-19 or feel healthy, you should stay home (quarantine) since symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus."

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nc ... he%20virus.

In terms of the safety of the players and those they come in contact with, do I prefer them following CDC guidelines, or some arbitrary made up guidelines which are based, at least in part, on monetary decisions?

But it's also again why I feel season should have been delayed, or at the very least, 2-3 extra weeks should have been added to the end regular season, and conferences that want to have to play conference tournament should mandatory need to bubble for 5-7 days before games begin (tested everyday), and if your team has a positive test, you are out of the bubble and the conference tournament just gets re-seeded. Since a positive case would very probably should up in those first 5-7 days, it would ensure that the tournament gets played in it's entirety, and not "Team X is in the quarters but had a positive COVID test so now they need to forfeit that game."

[bigappleram]

Yeah if a player tests positive and they shutdown everything for 2 weeks that’s going to cause a huge disruption to the season that needs to be changed

And it's really 3 weeks when you factor in you can't just show up at the arena on day 15 and play a game. Team would need at least 3-4 days of practice to get back in the flow of things.

The problem is this approach is simply following CDC guidelines: "You should stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19. For all of the following scenarios, even if you test negative for COVID-19 or feel healthy, you should stay home (quarantine) since symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus."

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nc ... he%20virus.

In terms of the safety of the players and those they come in contact with, do I prefer them following CDC guidelines, or some arbitrary made up guidelines which are based, at least in part, on monetary decisions?

But it's also again why I feel season should have been delayed, or at the very least, 2-3 extra weeks should have been added to the end regular season, and conferences that want to have to play conference tournament should mandatory need to bubble for 5-7 days before games begin (tested everyday), and if your team has a positive test, you are out of the bubble and the conference tournament just gets re-seeded. Since a positive case would very probably should up in those first 5-7 days, it would ensure that the tournament gets played in it's entirety, and not "Team X is in the quarters but had a positive COVID test so now they need to forfeit that game."

It's not some arbitrary made up protocol, it's what the NFL is using. If you have the $$ and ability to test every day the long term shutdown of the entire program isn't necessary. In NY I believe 20+ Div 1 programs have petitioned the state to revisit the protocols. It's illogical to try and begin a season with protocols you know will almost certainly compromise dozens and dozens of programs.

[rjsuperfly66]

Yeah if a player tests positive and they shutdown everything for 2 weeks that’s going to cause a huge disruption to the season that needs to be changed

And it's really 3 weeks when you factor in you can't just show up at the arena on day 15 and play a game. Team would need at least 3-4 days of practice to get back in the flow of things.

The problem is this approach is simply following CDC guidelines: "You should stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19. For all of the following scenarios, even if you test negative for COVID-19 or feel healthy, you should stay home (quarantine) since symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus."

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nc ... he%20virus.

In terms of the safety of the players and those they come in contact with, do I prefer them following CDC guidelines, or some arbitrary made up guidelines which are based, at least in part, on monetary decisions?

But it's also again why I feel season should have been delayed, or at the very least, 2-3 extra weeks should have been added to the end regular season, and conferences that want to have to play conference tournament should mandatory need to bubble for 5-7 days before games begin (tested everyday), and if your team has a positive test, you are out of the bubble and the conference tournament just gets re-seeded. Since a positive case would very probably should up in those first 5-7 days, it would ensure that the tournament gets played in it's entirety, and not "Team X is in the quarters but had a positive COVID test so now they need to forfeit that game."

It's not some arbitrary made up protocol, it's what the NFL is using. If you have the $$ and ability to test every day the long term shutdown of the entire program isn't necessary. In NY I believe 20+ Div 1 programs have petitioned the state to revisit the protocols. It's illogical to try and begin a season with protocols you know will almost certainly compromise dozens and dozens of programs.

My problem with the NFL system is it's motivated by money. If the NFL had to quarantine mass quantities of players, it's lost revenue, which is bad for business. NFL is already taking a huge loss without fans in the stands, they are going to do what they have to do to not miss any more revenue. Their procedures have gotten dozens of other players needlessly sick, but hey, we get to play/watch football so it's cool, right?

But at the end of the day, at least NFL players are making real money and were able to make a decision on how they wanted the season to play out through the CBA. They were able to agree to all these measures. College kids cannot. If the NFL players did not agree to the COVID guidelines, there would have been no NFL season. If a college player does not like a COVID guideline, what does he do? Not play? Transfer? Quit basketball all together? I think it's a very different comparison in terms of player rights.

These are kids, and they should be protected as kids, and not by some entity whose primary goal is to drive revenue to the program/school. That's why I'm ok with stricter rules. You want to suggest slight changes, I'm with it. Instead of 14 days, do 10 days? OK. Lengthen the season a few weeks to accommodate lost games? OK. Require bubbled conference/NCAA Tournaments? OK. But the problem with this virus is you could test negative today and positive tomorrow. A wider window limits that risk of who you are able to expose yourself to.

[bigappleram]

If it's truly about what's best for the kids then 99.9% of them are better off within the structure and resources of a major college basketball program than the alternative - at home roaming within their community, or on campus roaming within their community.

[rjsuperfly66]

If it's truly about what's best for the kids then 99.9% of them are better off within the structure and resources of a major college basketball program than the alternative - at home roaming within their community, or on campus roaming within their community.

And that's fine, but I don't think that means they have to be potentially reckless either. The issue with this disease is that you can be a negative test one morning, and a positive test the next, and if that is the case, that means I could test negative one morning, play a game that night while I'm now COVID positive, but may not know until I test COVID positive the next morning. Now I've exposed not just my staff and team, but the other staff/team. And if we go off of a threshold of play/practice until your positive even if you've had close contact to someone, it's only a matter of time until it explodes on all collegiate teams and destroys conferences because one team has given it to the next has given it to the next. I'm not sure how they are handling officials this year, but officials handling 6 games a week can also help pass this thing along. The goal needs to be to eliminate the spread among teams, not play a wait and see game. Football (both college and professionally) are more capable of handling a slow trickle of COVID cases because they have some 60+ players. College rosters have what, 90-100 kids? If 30 are COVID positive, you still have 3 strings of offense and 3 strings of defense. Basketball you lose a couple of players, your team has a vastly different identity.

[theblueram]

Elon Musk was tested 4 times, 2 positive and 2 negative. Same test, same nurse and same machine. So if you test 5 times and are 3 negative and 2 positive, what are you? Positive or negative?

[ATPTourFan]

Come on, those quick tests are unlikely to give false positives but the have a high false negative rate. It’s why they are backed up by a PCR test.

It is exactly what you might expect of the quick tests. Elon is too smart to not understand this.

He is highly likely positive because two positive quick tests have near certainly confirmed presence of viral load.

[theblueram]

True, but most people only get one test. I’m waiting to see his results of multiple PCR tests at different labs.

[ATPTourFan]

Yes, which is why if you get a negative quick test you aren’t in the clear until you get the confirmation pcr negative.

If you get a positive quick test you very likely are positive. If you get two quick positives like Elon the chances of false positive is minuscule.

There is nothing interesting or suspicious about Elon’s results.

[rjsuperfly66]

Counties with Big Ten, Big 12 schools see bigger increases in COVID-19 cases
As college football struggles to contain the coronavirus, cases in counties with Power Five programs are significantly outpacing the national rise.

In fact, data analysis conducted by Emory's Rollins School of Public Health for USA TODAY found that the counties in which Power Five schools are located have seen an even larger spike in COVID-19 cases than the nationwide average, with communities in the Big Ten and Big 12 experiencing the most dramatic increases in their seven-day averages of daily new cases per 100,000 residents.

Three Big 12 schools — Oklahoma State, Kansas and Iowa State — have seen the daily COVID-19 cases in their counties more than double from the previous week. And Payne County in Oklahoma, which the Cowboys call home, has seen a spike of 172% — more than four times the national average of 40%.

All told, 59 of the 64 counties that host Power Five schools saw an increase in their average number of daily cases from Nov. 3 to Tuesday. Collectively, the counties reported an increase of 45%.

Big Ten country has seen a continued rise in its COVID-19 caseload since the conference resumed play three weeks ago. Johnson County, home to the University of Iowa, has seen 107 new COVID-19 cases per day on average over the past week. Six other Big Ten counties reported a seven-day average of 65 new cases or more.

The spike in cases has wrecked havoc on college football schedules throughout the country — particularly this week. In the Southeastern Conference alone, four games involving ranked teams have been canceled in recent days due to COVID-19 concerns. A fifth SEC game is still scheduled to occur, but without the head coach of one of the teams — Arkansas' Sam Pittman — because he tested positive for COVID-19.

Big Ten counties saw the largest increase in their average daily cases last week, followed by the Big 12, Pac-12, SEC and Atlantic Coast Conference, respectively.

https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/sport ... 270975002/

[Rhodymob05]

Are teams playing with masks? Also, how have we not figured out a more advanced masking product for athletes? Something that can easily be worn in game, like goggles over glasses concept.

[theblueram]

They should play in MOPP 4.

[section(105)]

.......masks for refs......with hole for the fox 40......?

[NYGFan_Section208]

Elon Musk was tested 4 times, 2 positive and 2 negative. Same test, same nurse and same machine. So if you test 5 times and are 3 negative and 2 positive, what are you? Positive or negative?

Yes

[rhodyruckus]

I got emailed a link to a very detailed survey by the NBA today due to last season's Celtics ticket purchase I suppose. The items ranged from "Will you go back if fans are allowed quickly upon start of the new season?" and a lot of sliding answers from very comfortable to very uncomfortable with you would attend a game if all fans:
* Tested 2 hrs before gametime provided at arena
* Tested 1 hr before gametime provided at arena
* Tested 2 days in advance at arena
* Tested 2 days in advance at a pharmacy chain partnering with the Celtics

And so on, same with the sliding scale for comfort and more/less likely to attend a game if mandatory mask wearing, mandatory testing, lack of food/drink, etc.

Seems like they are doing a deep dive on figuring what the league baseline will be for fans.

[rhodyruckus]

Are teams playing with masks? Also, how have we not figured out a more advanced masking product for athletes? Something that can easily be worn in game, like goggles over glasses concept.

https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/p/ua- ... 68010.html

I saw someone pass this around back in April when it was still in pre-sale mode. It says "airflow you need, cool feel, and the best fit for running or training." I meant to purchase one and may still do so since I still haven't found a terribly great fitting mask even for everyday use.

[ATPTourFan]

Elon Musk was tested 4 times, 2 positive and 2 negative. Same test, same nurse and same machine. So if you test 5 times and are 3 negative and 2 positive, what are you? Positive or negative?

Yes

NO that is not what it means. He is virtually assured to have COVID with two positive quick tests in same day.

Quick tests are unlikely to give false positives but the have a high false negative rate. It’s why they are backed up by a PCR test.

It is exactly what you might expect of the quick tests. Elon is too smart to not understand this.

He is highly likely positive because two positive quick tests have near certainly confirmed presence of viral load.

Which is why if you get a negative quick test you aren’t in the clear until you get the confirmation pcr negative.

If you get a positive quick test you very likely are positive. If you get two quick positives like Elon the chances of false positive is minuscule.

There is nothing interesting or suspicious about Elon’s results.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Elon Musk was tested 4 times, 2 positive and 2 negative. Same test, same nurse and same machine. So if you test 5 times and are 3 negative and 2 positive, what are you? Positive or negative?

Yes

NO that is not what it means. He is virtually assured to have COVID with two positive quick tests in same day.

Quick tests are unlikely to give false positives but the have a high false negative rate. It’s why they are backed up by a PCR test.

It is exactly what you might expect of the quick tests. Elon is too smart to not understand this.

He is highly likely positive because two positive quick tests have near certainly confirmed presence of viral load.

Which is why if you get a negative quick test you aren’t in the clear until you get the confirmation pcr negative.

If you get a positive quick test you very likely are positive. If you get two quick positives like Elon the chances of false positive is minuscule.

There is nothing interesting or suspicious about Elon’s results.

I was just answering a ___ "or" ___ question with a 'yes'...because, I don't know that anyone really knows....

[reef]

With 180,000 cases today it’s only a matter of time when these college hoops players gonna test positive. I wonder how often they are tested right now ??

[RF1]

UMass-Lowell, a Mohegan Sun Bubble participant, announced on 11/13/2020 that it had suspended men's basketball activities after two members tested positive for Covid-19. It expects to resume operations before its first scheduled game.


https://goriverhawks.com/news/2020/11/1 ... ities.aspx

[rjsuperfly66]

UMass-Lowell, a Mohegan Sun Bubble participant, announced on 11/13/2020 that it had suspended men's basketball activities after two members tested positive for Covid-19. It expects to resume operations before its first scheduled game.


https://goriverhawks.com/news/2020/11/1 ... ities.aspx

I don't remember where I saw it (and if was on this thread I apologize), but UCONN has suffered a similar issue and is seriously considering cancelling their first few games of the season.

"Hurley said Thursday that he hopes the team will be able to get back to practice on Nov. 19 and play its first games on Nov. 25 and Nov. 27. But contracts for those games have not been signed.

Hurley said ramping up practice after two weeks off will be difficult and he won't put his team's health in jeopardy to open the season this month.

“Missing two weeks of practice takes weeks to recover from,” Hurley said. “We’re very concerned about the welfare of our guys upon returning, how hard to push them in practice, do we need to adjust our nonconference schedule based on where we are at right now.

“We’ve got to make decisions with scheduling based on what’s in the best interest of our players and their welfare physically,” he said. “I think everything is on the table for us right now.”

https://journalstar.com/sports/uconn-co ... a1f69.html

[RF1]

[ramster]

I thought the Ivy League was out. Don't think they are paused.

[ramster]

science and data based decisions?

[rjsuperfly66]

May Madness?

"Rick Pitino, who took over at Iona earlier this year, tweeted Saturday that college basketball should create "May Madness" and move the Nov. 25 start to accommodate the multitude of delays and challenges numerous teams have faced amid COVID-19.

One high-profile coach recently told ESPN that the current situation for college basketball is "scary." Another coach in a non-Power 5 league said he thinks it's "impossible" for his league to play.

Multiple programs have already been sidelined by the NCAA's recommended 14-day quarantine for teams after a player, coach or staffer (Tier I participants, per the guidelines) tests positive. Iona is currently sidelined for two weeks following a positive test.

With the season set to begin in less than two weeks, dozens of schools have not yet released their schedules for the 2020-2021 season. On Thursday, the Ivy League canceled all winter sports, including men's and women's basketball, amid the ongoing pandemic.

NCAA guidelines strongly encourage schools to test three times per week on nonconsecutive days during the season. It also recommends a two-week quarantine for positive tests. Those guidelines coincide and sometimes compete with local and state regulations.

In September, Dan Gavitt, the NCAA's senior vice president of men's basketball, conveyed the sport's need for flexibility. He said the announcement of the Nov. 25 start was fluid but added the "preference" was to host the NCAA tournament in its traditional slot in March and April.

After a source told ESPN this week, however, the NCAA might have more flexibility with the NCAA tournament, a spokesman responded that the game's power brokers continue to explore their options.

"Nothing has changed with regards to the committee's ongoing study of various contingency plans," said David Worlock."

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... te-madness

[ramster]

Butler of the Big East will allow 25% capacity for fans

Hinkle Field House holds 9,100 so that will be 2,275 fans per game

[Ramulous]

Indiana. Red state.

[rhodyruckus]

May Madness?

"Rick Pitino, who took over at Iona earlier this year, tweeted Saturday that college basketball should create "May Madness" and move the Nov. 25 start to accommodate the multitude of delays and challenges numerous teams have faced amid COVID-19.

One high-profile coach recently told ESPN that the current situation for college basketball is "scary." Another coach in a non-Power 5 league said he thinks it's "impossible" for his league to play.

Multiple programs have already been sidelined by the NCAA's recommended 14-day quarantine for teams after a player, coach or staffer (Tier I participants, per the guidelines) tests positive. Iona is currently sidelined for two weeks following a positive test.

With the season set to begin in less than two weeks, dozens of schools have not yet released their schedules for the 2020-2021 season. On Thursday, the Ivy League canceled all winter sports, including men's and women's basketball, amid the ongoing pandemic.

NCAA guidelines strongly encourage schools to test three times per week on nonconsecutive days during the season. It also recommends a two-week quarantine for positive tests. Those guidelines coincide and sometimes compete with local and state regulations.

In September, Dan Gavitt, the NCAA's senior vice president of men's basketball, conveyed the sport's need for flexibility. He said the announcement of the Nov. 25 start was fluid but added the "preference" was to host the NCAA tournament in its traditional slot in March and April.

After a source told ESPN this week, however, the NCAA might have more flexibility with the NCAA tournament, a spokesman responded that the game's power brokers continue to explore their options.

"Nothing has changed with regards to the committee's ongoing study of various contingency plans," said David Worlock."

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... te-madness

The ideal schedule would actually be a yoyo which many coaches including Pitino may take issue with (but may actually provide more certainty which the coaches would want): play a batch of games within the semester break when campuses can be a true "bubble" for the bball teams, then after late January pause for a few months and pick up games again at the end of winter when the seasonal spike for Covid and illnesses will generally be breaking up a bit.

[section(105)]

......I guess most championships in this Covid year will go into record books with an asterisk to note 2020 as impacted by Covid.......no?

[DanInAZ]

https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/me ... ship-sites

[section(105)]

.......dam, and was again looking forward to going to the Dump for games in the early rounds......

[section(105)]

.......beat the drum slowly for the death of the NIT......among the few unintended positive consequences of this pandemic.......

[ramster]

[raminwarwick]

I Wonder if the NIT would move to someplace like the Mogean Sun with fewer teams. It would be less than what we are hoping for but something to continue a season and prepare for the future.f

[Rhodymob05]

Pump out those vaccines baby! (Dick Vitale voice)

[section(105)]

I Wonder if the NIT would move to someplace like the Mogean Sun with fewer teams. It would be less than what we are hoping for but something to continue a season and prepare for the future.f

......in this Covid impacted season, let’s hope not.....the less NIT, especially this season, the better.....

[RF1]

URI yesterday announced it was moving to remote learning for the remainder of the semester.

URI will switch to virtual learning Monday; urges students not to hold gatherings
https://www.abc6.com/uri-will-switch-to ... ng-monday/

[ramster]

Additionally, the University of Rhode Island identified 415 COVID-19 cases on campus out of 40,821 tests conducted from Labor Day – Sept. 7 – through Nov. 15, according to information on the university’s COVID-19 data portal.

[ramster]

[ramster]

[reef]

LSU v STL will be a war

[Rhodymob05]

Yea it will, two very physical teams.

[Rhody74]

This is so 2020

[McRam]

Elon Musk was tested 4 times, 2 positive and 2 negative. Same test, same nurse and same machine. So if you test 5 times and are 3 negative and 2 positive, what are you? Positive or negative?

Yes

[ATPTourFan]

Positive. We went over this.