NU Football Players Want to Play

[BleedingPurple15]

For those looking for a convenient place to see how Northwestern's football players have reacted to the recent push by players to play this fall under robust and consistently enforced safety conditions, here's a wrap-up by Inside NU:

Northwestern players speak out as college football season teeters

Wildcats took to Twitter to express their opinions before a decision comes down.

www.insidenu.com

 

[CatManTrue]

For those looking for a convenient place to see how Northwestern's football players have reacted to the recent push by players to play this fall under robust and consistently enforced safety conditions, here's a wrap-up by Inside NU:

Northwestern players speak out as college football season teeters

Wildcats took to Twitter to express their opinions before a decision comes down.

www.insidenu.com

It’s pretty “no bueno” that the players like TJ Green are getting their updates from Twitter. But that’s the age we live in.

However without a bubble and rigorous testing, there’s no way that we will have college football in the fall. And there’s no complex like the WWOS for basketball with multiple indoor football fields for both practicing and games for a bubble-type situation.

There were probably things that could be done, but we are in a pandemic and football is a privilege - not a right. Our country has botched this response and football is a minor loss when people are dying by the thousands.

Hopefully we’ll have a vaccine and return to normalcy at some point.

 

[Titanium999]

Just a complete mess that will be much worse when all kids and students come to school in the fall!

 

[Fitz51]

And stupid kids want to go to parties and the beach. People need to be saved from themselves.

 

[willycat]

Just a complete mess that will be much worse when all kids and students come to school in the fall!

Simple answer... don't open.

 

[Mr Wickerpark]

For those looking for a convenient place to see how Northwestern's football players have reacted to the recent push by players to play this fall under robust and consistently enforced safety conditions, here's a wrap-up by Inside NU:

Northwestern players speak out as college football season teeters

Wildcats took to Twitter to express their opinions before a decision comes down.

www.insidenu.com

Unlike the team in early 2000s who voted not to make up a game.

 

[Sheffielder]

Of course players want to play. So do injured players, fortunately doctors and coaches get to decide that instead of the players.

If we proceed with a season, people will assert the CFB gods prioritized money over safety...but those people clearly aren't taking time to think about where many (not all, but many) CFB scholarship players come from and where they will be in the absence of the structure that football has provided for most of their lives. I work at a university and can tell you that there many, many compelling and interesting stories why certain students want to return to campus at all costs to escape their alternatives. It's definitely not as black and white as anyone wants it to be for the convenience of their argument.

I'm less inclined to criticize the process and the "leadership" because this is an impossible decision to make especially well - any scenario will have about a 40% approval rate which could skyrocket or plummet to zero after we see everything play out. What if 80% of players become infected but 0 die and 2% exhibit long-term medical issues? How does 2% compare to long-term medical issues generated by a regular football season of concussions, broken bones, fractures, etc?

I will say this - I would love to see some college football this season if it can be played under reasonably safe circumstances. I think we should take zero risk with students who are known to have any pre-existing conditions that may obviously be exacerbated by an infection (I trust NU to make this decision prudently. Alabama?) Frankly, I don't care about the quality of football that gets played - this is where I think every fan/idiot needs to remember that these are college students playing a game that will still be coaches by millions of dollars worth of coaching talent. If only 73 guys can play for NU after we remove those with health conditions or other considerations (i.e. live in household with high risk individuals, simply don't want to be forced to take the risk)... so be it. Only four games this season with no live fans? So be it. No bowl games or the insistence on a playoff/national championship? That's fine too, despite what Bubba the SEC fan insists.

 

[loyolacat]

two things
1. we should not be in this situation.New Zealand who had their first 4 cases in over 110 days are playing all sports with full un-masked crowds.....this is of our own making
2. When leadership at the top (of our country) abdicated their responsibility and left it to others who neither had the information or resources to deal with this,,,thus creating a crisis, which is what he does well....and now will blame the universities, their presidents and Ads for not being tough.....Im not going to forget who this is on
gonna miss the season....hopefully if someone steps up we will some solutions and a vaccine and a Spring Season.....

 

[Gladeskat]

Unlike the team in early 2000s who voted not to make up a game.

What game was that? In 2001, NU traded Navy for Bowling Green after the Navy game was canceled by 9/11.

 

[Titanium999]

two things
1. we should not be in this situation.New Zealand who had their first 4 cases in over 110 days are playing all sports with full un-masked crowds.....this is of our own making
2. When leadership at the top (of our country) abdicated their responsibility and left it to others who neither had the information or resources to deal with this,,,thus creating a crisis, which is what he does well....and now will blame the universities, their presidents and Ads for not being tough.....Im not going to forget who this is on
gonna miss the season....hopefully if someone steps up we will some solutions and a vaccine and a Spring Season.....

Wow! New Zealand is playing without masks? What's up with that? My guess is the BT Universities don't want to get sued! Litigation likely in USA

 

[Fitz51]

two things
1. we should not be in this situation.New Zealand who had their first 4 cases in over 110 days are playing all sports with full un-masked crowds.....this is of our own making
2. When leadership at the top (of our country) abdicated their responsibility and left it to others who neither had the information or resources to deal with this,,,thus creating a crisis, which is what he does well....and now will blame the universities, their presidents and Ads for not being tough.....Im not going to forget who this is on
gonna miss the season....hopefully if someone steps up we will some solutions and a vaccine and a Spring Season.....

Yes to all this. Americans should blame themselves for not being able to have nice things.

 

[FanatiCat]

How about a brief spring exhibition season, 4 games in April. This could salvage some of the 2020-2021 season, could help some underclassmen player development, and could help the stock of NFL-bound players.
This would allow players to preserve a year of eligibility since it is only 4 games.
2021 NCAA football season could be 9 games starting late September.
The combine/draft could be moved later since maybe the NFL would not have a 2021 preseason either.

 

[phatcat]

How about a brief spring exhibition season, 4 games in April. This could salvage some of the 2020-2021 season, could help some underclassmen player development, and could help the stock of NFL-bound players.
This would allow players to preserve a year of eligibility since it is only 4 games.
2021 NCAA football season could be 9 games starting late September.
The combine/draft could be moved later since maybe the NFL would not have a 2021 preseason either.

I like your idea of a "lighter" season in the spring, but I am not worried about any NCAA eligibilty or other rules. I'm ready for the conferences to tell the NCAA to take a hike. See Lou's article. They are as useless as a certain female body part on male cattle.

But - yes - generally, we don't need to have these kids have a full season of up to 14-15 games. I'd continue to skip non-con, and, for the players' sake, skip the hot weather bowls. No need to substitute Covid for heat stroke.

I foresee a lot of night games if they pull off a spring season.

 

[plstrmn27]

I don’t think there’s any way they play in spring, but.....No player with NFL aspirations is going to play in the Spring. 4th yr or 5th yr. 4th yr guys will sit and Redshirt. 5th yr guys aren’t going to risk injury so close to mini camps.

 

[TejasCat]

Player safety is the issue, oh but teams can still practice 20 hrs a week during the fall.

 

[ricko654321]

Of course players want to play. So do injured players, fortunately doctors and coaches get to decide that instead of the players.

If we proceed with a season, people will assert the CFB gods prioritized money over safety...but those people clearly aren't taking time to think about where many (not all, but many) CFB scholarship players come from and where they will be in the absence of the structure that football has provided for most of their lives. I work at a university and can tell you that there many, many compelling and interesting stories why certain students want to return to campus at all costs to escape their alternatives. It's definitely not as black and white as anyone wants it to be for the convenience of their argument.

I'm less inclined to criticize the process and the "leadership" because this is an impossible decision to make especially well - any scenario will have about a 40% approval rate which could skyrocket or plummet to zero after we see everything play out. What if 80% of players become infected but 0 die and 2% exhibit long-term medical issues? How does 2% compare to long-term medical issues generated by a regular football season of concussions, broken bones, fractures, etc?

I will say this - I would love to see some college football this season if it can be played under reasonably safe circumstances. I think we should take zero risk with students who are known to have any pre-existing conditions that may obviously be exacerbated by an infection (I trust NU to make this decision prudently. Alabama?) Frankly, I don't care about the quality of football that gets played - this is where I think every fan/idiot needs to remember that these are college students playing a game that will still be coaches by millions of dollars worth of coaching talent. If only 73 guys can play for NU after we remove those with health conditions or other considerations (i.e. live in household with high risk individuals, simply don't want to be forced to take the risk)... so be it. Only four games this season with no live fans? So be it. No bowl games or the insistence on a playoff/national championship? That's fine too, despite what Bubba the SEC fan insists.

I very much agree with this comment - and that there are no good answers. I think it was worth trying to play in some form (you can always stop / postpone if and when problems arise), and I think canceling or going full virtual school causes more problems than it creates (not just at the college level - more so for younger kids). But it's a very difficult time for anyone in a position to try to make those decisions, so I'm not inclined to second-guess Warren and the university presidents. They evaluated the information they had, and made a decision based on that - I trust it was done in good faith and for the right reasons.

I'm guessing that the liability aspect played a meaningful part in that, along with the concerns about myocarditis. The SEC has said all players get an EKG before each season, and will get new EKG work done if they test positive, so as of now they are still tentatively planning to move forward. But it sounds very fluid, still waiting and evaluating... anyways I'm inclined to trust that they are also making decisions in good faith and for the right reasons.

It's just that no matter what you do, a whole lot of people will immediately be mad. Tough situation with no good decision.

 

[Cat In The Cradle]

Doubt much changes Covid-wise by the spring. Add our regular flu season to the equation and you're going to have even edgier folks. Still, maybe Genie can be put back into the bottle. Maybe folks decide to take a live and let-live attitude like the Swedes. Maybe media, government, and other mouthpieces calm down post election. Doubt it. With all the interminable and growing rage and fear out there, I sadly reckon we'll be lucky if we see college football in the fall of 2021.

 

[ricko654321]

Doubt much changes Covid-wise by the spring. Add our regular flu season to the equation and you're going to have even edgier folks. Still, maybe Genie can be put back into the bottle. Maybe folks decide to take a live and let-live attitude like the Swedes. Maybe media, government, and other mouthpieces calm down post election. Doubt it. With all the interminable and growing rage and fear out there, I sadly reckon we'll be lucky if we see college football in the fall of 2021.

I agree with you that I don't think the risk profile will be hugely different by next fall, but I think that there's a good chance folks will have come to terms with Covid as another iteration of the flu, and hopefully life will go partially back to normal. And therefore likely to be able to play college football. But who knows.

I don't see spring happening. It would be kind of hilarious and hypocritical if they do decide to play a spring season after cancelling in the name of "player safety" in the fall - the spring would definitely be worse in that regard. Maybe they can do a few exhibitions or a 3-4 game mini tune-up / showcase for draft scouts basically (subject to games being postponed if outbreaks happen), but playing an 8-10 game season + CCG in spring and then playing again fall 2021 seems comical as an idea after cancelling this fall for health purposes.

 

[Fitz51]

but I think that there's a good chance folks will have come to terms with Covid as another iteration of the flu

Huh?

 

[St_Henry_Buckeye]

I don't think they have any intention of playing in the spring. They came out with that just to placate the fans.

 

[Cat In The Cradle]

Huh?

I think the poster means an eventual societal acceptance of a Covid mortality rate trending closer to fatalities from the flu than, say, ebola.

 

[ricko654321]

I think the poster means an eventual societal acceptance of a Covid mortality rate trending closer to fatalities from the flu than, say, ebola.

Yeah. There are lots of deaths from flu and pneumonia each year and society has come to terms with that. I don't think Covid is going away, even if we get a vaccine (we have a flu vaccine! health professionals work really hard to adjust it each year to treat an ever-evolving threat). Respiratory virus "vaccines" aren't usually perfect, it's different than e.g. measles. So even if we have a bunch of versions of vaccine (dozens are being worked on right), that helps but likely won't get rid of the problem, not to mention the virus will be constantly mutating and creating different strains (as the flu does every year). So lots will still get Covid next year, vaccine or no, but we will be better prepared to manage and treat it in hospitals, so lots will die again (50-100k? wild guess) but not as many as 2020. Death rate in the second wave has been waaaaaay lower than the first initial spike (1-2% vs 4-8%), but hopefully we can get it even lower in winter 2020 and into 2021. And then my guess is that society will start to come to terms with it - more mask usage than prior to March 2020, much more WFH (definitely when sick), more online shopping rather than in-store, more precautions generally, but not permanently taking measures that will kill the restaurant, hospitality, travel, etc segments of our economy. And hopefully any discussion on how to manage the virus won't be so politically charged.

Who knows though, could be totally wrong about any of those elements. This is trending into Rant Board territory so I'll stop after this message.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Player safety is the issue, oh but teams can still practice 20 hrs a week during the fall.

Yes, because that is under as much control as possible with minimal variables.

 

[CatManTrue]

Player safety is the issue, oh but teams can still practice 20 hrs a week during the fall.

Hell yes keep them practicing.

That will keep the team in the protocol, with regular testing and immediate medical attention should any outbreaks occur.

I wish we could do it for all students returning to campus, and feel for all parents sending their children back to college. I really hope they have plenty of space and masks.

 

[Cornmaker]

If northwestern wants to play football then they need to call their board of regents and get a new president, because their president voted to cancel.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

If northwestern wants to play football then they need to call their board of regents and get a new president, because their president voted to cancel.

No.

 

[willycat]

Yes to all this. Americans should blame themselves for not being able to have nice things.

And for who they elected as their leader.

 

[Fitz51]

If northwestern wants to play football then they need to call their board of regents and get a new president, because their president voted to cancel.

Good!

 

[willycat]

Good!

And he did the right thing!!!

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Was there ever a vote to cancel? I thought the vote was to postpone.

 

[willycat]

Was there ever a vote to cancel? I thought the vote was to postpone.

Stop with the semantics, please. No Big Ten football until 2021, maybe. The vote was 12-2.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

OK so I was not mistaken.

 

[Gladeskat]

I very much agree with this comment - and that there are no good answers. I think it was worth trying to play in some form (you can always stop / postpone if and when problems arise), and I think canceling or going full virtual school causes more problems than it creates (not just at the college level - more so for younger kids). But it's a very difficult time for anyone in a position to try to make those decisions, so I'm not inclined to second-guess Warren and the university presidents. They evaluated the information they had, and made a decision based on that - I trust it was done in good faith and for the right reasons.

I'm guessing that the liability aspect played a meaningful part in that, along with the concerns about myocarditis. The SEC has said all players get an EKG before each season, and will get new EKG work done if they test positive, so as of now they are still tentatively planning to move forward. But it sounds very fluid, still waiting and evaluating... anyways I'm inclined to trust that they are also making decisions in good faith and for the right reasons.

It's just that no matter what you do, a whole lot of people will immediately be mad. Tough situation with no good decision.

By the way, everybody at NU got an EKG as part of a full physical before every season, or at least that was the case back in the day. Therefore, not impressed with SEC efforts that are routine elsewhere. I don't see the value of an EKG after getting COVID unless for research purposes or to assess how much damage they might have avoided?

 

[CatVideos]

Stop with the semantics, please. No Big Ten football until 2021, maybe. The vote was 12-2.

Shoot. Semantics is what we do.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Was there ever a vote to cancel? I thought the vote was to postpone.

The hypocrisy of these Universities knows no bounds.

 

[ricko654321]

By the way, everybody at NU got an EKG as part of a full physical before every season, or at least that was the case back in the day. Therefore, not impressed with SEC efforts that are routine elsewhere. I don't see the value of an EKG after getting COVID unless for research purposes or to assess how much damage they might have avoided?

I thought the point was that myocarditis (swollen heart) has propped up on occasion as a side effect / after effect of Covid (among a number of other respiratory viruses). So if anyone tests positive they will do an EKG to confirm status of the heart, and need a "clean" EKG in addition to X number of consecutive negative Covid tests before being cleared to play.

I agree with you that I would think nearly every school is doing an EKG on each player before the start of the season, but not sure if the rest of the country is up to the level of the NU medical standards.

(just to be clear I do not know the details of how an EKG works so I may be misinterpreting this)

 

[Gladeskat]

Yes, that's the point of the test. There's just something I find unsettling about testing for COVID and then testing to see how much damage a player received to his heart afterward. Though the players are likely safer from COVID than the average student, it reeks of exploitation considering little is known about COVID caused myocarditis and other complications in young people, but these are the times we're living in right now.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Yes, that's the point of the test. There's just something I find unsettling about testing for COVID and then testing to see how much damage a player received to his heart afterward. Though the players are likely safer from COVID than the average student, it reeks of exploitation considering little is known about COVID caused myocarditis and other complications in young people, but these are the times we're living in right now.

Correct. Playing now without significant research in hand would open schools/programs to potentially decades of lawsuits.

 

[ricko654321]

Yes, that's the point of the test. There's just something I find unsettling about testing for COVID and then testing to see how much damage a player received to his heart afterward. Though the players are likely safer from COVID than the average student, it reeks of exploitation considering little is known about COVID caused myocarditis and other complications in young people, but these are the times we're living in right now.

But then isn’t the point that if any possible heart issues show up in the post Covid EKG, you don’t let them back on the field? If the heart appears swollen at all, or the doctors are unsure, then you hold them out.

Again, not an expert at all on myocarditis, but if it is a swollen heart, that seems like the type of thing that would be pretty obvious on an EKG? If so then you tell the player he can’t play if that is a possible issue.

I agree to a certain extent that power 5 football has been “exploitation” of the kids in some way for quite a while. But the players are well aware of that, have every option of opting out in the current circumstances, with no consequences, and quite a few of them (a significant majority) still want to play.

 

[Gladeskat]

I agree to a certain extent that power 5 football has been “exploitation” of the kids in some way for quite a while. But the players are well aware of that, have every option of opting out in the current circumstances, with no consequences, and quite a few of them (a significant majority) still want to play.

Yup. They can always opt-out easily with no consequences. No pressure at all because Fitz said so. Football under Fitz is easy-peasy that way.


To be fair, I haven't settled on a position about playing football this year. Initially, I was against it. I actually think they can do this fairly safely if the rest of the students weren't on campus. They're young and most will fend COVID off well.

Providing heart exams to check for heart damage for playing football with COVID is a good thing but it's not good if a player suffers heart damage. The prevailing thinking is that the initial dose of SARS-CoV-2 can affect the severity of the disease. COVID is highly contagious and I can imagine the dosage one might receive playing across from someone who's contagious during a 15-play drive down the field, let alone an entire game.