Badger Football 2020 (Latest- Headed to the Duke’s Mayo Bowl (seriously)

[jjfanec]

I am all for them starting the season if they think it is safe but it is ironic to me that Ohio State is part of the huge push to bring football back while indefinitely banning any student organizations from meeting in person. The initial suspension of activities started on August 28th and was supposed to last two weeks but they just continued it indefinitely. So it is only safe for athletes to gather? I get they have testing but every campus I have been at athletes party just like the rest of the student body. I know a guy on a Big Ten football team right now who has been quarantined for 6 straight weeks because his roommates keep getting it. He hasnt had it yet but probably will soon. His campus is also one of the campuses pushing for football to come back

 

Yep, there's a huge disconnect in saying 'it's safe for football' while campuses, including UW-Madison, are having major problems and are actually closing down. We all know what's really going on here.... $$$$$$$$

 

Exactly. I get why they are doing it. The players and parents and many of the fans are pushing hard for it. Other conferences didnt follow suit so they were either going to have to stand by their convictions or cave. They can say their is new science and i hope that is true but a the end of the day in the past week big ten schools have locked down dorms, told student orgs they cannot meet in person, cancelled spring break and have said it is safe for college football. Something seems off there

[pacopete4]

Money talks, always.

[Oxy]

Of course it's the money. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It means that a lot of people care.

[Fear The Chorizo]

What's going to happen when games get canceled because of COVID? This is such a joke, the Big Ten had the right idea to just play in early 2021 when there could have been some fans in the stands and a better chance of getting through the season. Good luck with that now.

 

Uhhh. Then games will be cancelled because of Covid? Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

 

So how do they determine a conference champion then?

 

Play the games they can and then have a conference championship game based on standings to decide the winner? That's a much better way to determine a champion than not trying to play games at all, IMO. Delaying things 3-4 more months guarantees nothing in terms of improved safety specific to COVID because it's still going to be around, so the dynamic of whether fans can or can't be in stadiums isn't a factor in the decision to move forward with a season this fall or waiting until early 2021.

 

The reality of the NHL, NBA, MLS, PGA, tennis, champions league and other soccer leagues, MLB, the NFL and other major college football conferences all resuming games/matches over the past few months without any of these leagues having to shut down again yet due to COVID is what is driving the Big Ten's decision to try having a fall season. That and the TV $$$ that comes with it. Many of these leagues have had games cancelled or players out due to COVID, but they've been able to manage collectively. Football is different than other sports due to fewer games and more players, no doubt - but at some point you've got to weigh and understand the risks, trust the protocols put into place, and just line up and play. If players or coaches aren't comfortable with it due to individual situations, they should have every right to sit out and request a medical redshirt - for the players and coaches who want back on the field, they should be given the opportunity to do so. We have to remember, there was basically no spring football this year either - the roster churn in major college football almost dictates having to play some sort of season this fall to avoid many of the good-not-great upperclassmen completely losing their opportunity to play on the big stage (even if the stands are empty), something they had probably been working towards since the day the signed a letter of intent out of high school 5-6 years ago.

 

Waiting to resume play until late October also gives the Big 10 the benefit of seeing what happens in the SEC/ACC/Big 12 and frankly the NFL over the next 1.5 months, too - if those conferences/league fall flat on their faces in the next few weeks and have to shut down football, it wouldn't be impossible to rethink/regroup and attempt a spring football season, either.

 

I know a guy on a Big Ten football team right now who has been quarantined for 6 straight weeks because his roommates keep getting it. He hasnt had it yet but probably will soon.

 

I'd recommend him finding a 1BR studio for the next month or two - sounds like that apartment's definition of quarantine isn't exactly by the book, or he's got way too many roommates.

[PeaveyFury]

Of course it's the money. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It means that a lot of people care.

 

Care about what? The money?

 

Delaying things 3-4 more months guarantees nothing in terms of improved safety specific to COVID because it's still going to be around, so the dynamic of whether fans can or can't be in stadiums isn't a factor in the decision to move forward with a season this fall or waiting until early 2021.

 

I think it should have been a huge factor. You're right, nothing is guaranteed by waiting another 4 months. But there's a much stronger possibility that there will be a vaccine that might allow for more significant numbers of fans in the stands, which would have led to more revenue. Starting in October truly guarantees nothing, but creates a lesser chance of fans in the stands and a higher chance that the season will be cancelled early or that games will be missed.

[JosephC]

But in this case the $$$$$$$$$'s could easily end up saving hundreds of jobs in athletic departments across the Big 10, this isn't just a case of institutions building up billion dollar slush funds. Not to mention that this could get now unmotivated boosters and alumni to donate some money to help the academic side of things as well.

 

One could easily argue the original postponement was even more dollar driven than the decision to play. Do you think when school presidents voted not to play in the fall, that they were looking at empty stadiums in October/November but also were thinking of a vaccine and the potential of playing in front of packed stadiums in March/April/May? Quick search shows that the Big 10 share of college football playoff money last year was 90 million. On average a Big 10 game has an attendance of 65,000 at say $50 a pop (actual figure way, way, way higher when adding in the PSL's and an additional donation on top of that)...revenue from tickets alone would be way, way north of 200 million. And with the SEC, ACC and Big 12 out of the picture, they lose out on the college football playoff money but could possibly make a big chunk back by selling more games for big network broadcast since there wouldn't be the option of showing SEC, ACC and Big 12 games in the spring.

 

This has been the heavy speculation in Madison since the original postponement. Why play in front of empty stadiums now when you might be able to play in front of fans in March? Delay the decision as long as you can and play when the finances say it makes the most sense to play.

 

No doubt the problems they've encountered with re-openings campuses, in addition to more questions regarding the availability of an effective vaccine, has convinced them that live attendance in March/April/May is a long shot so they've made the decision to jump in and try to net that 100 million in college football playoff money.

[Fear The Chorizo]

But there's a much stronger possibility that there will be a vaccine that might allow for more significant numbers of fans in the stands, which would have led to more revenue. Starting in October truly guarantees nothing, but creates a lesser chance of fans in the stands and a higher chance that the season will be cancelled early or that games will be missed.

 

I'll just agree to disagree with you on that - the Fall 2021 football season will be the one a potential vaccine will allow to have fans in larger numbers return to the stands, assuming the initial vaccine is effective enough to enable large crowds gatherings to resume. Based on everything we've seen since March, I'd wager stadiums aren't allowed to have anywhere near full capacities by Fall 2021, vaccine or no vaccine. Delaying an attempted start date for the Big Ten season to January or February doesn't alter that mentality. It's not like we get a vaccine in November and then instantly arenas are getting sold out for games 1-2 months later.

 

Some NFL stadiums had some fans in the stands this past week - let's see how that continues to play out before stating a game on October 24th in no way can have 25,000 fans in a stadium that can hold 100K.

[PeaveyFury]

I'll just agree to disagree with you on that - the Fall 2021 football season will be the one a potential vaccine will allow to have fans in larger numbers return to the stands, assuming the initial vaccine is effective enough to enable large crowds gatherings to resume. Based on everything we've seen since March, I'd wager stadiums aren't allowed to have anywhere near full capacities by Fall 2021, vaccine or no vaccine. Delaying an attempted start date for the Big Ten season to January or February doesn't alter that mentality. It's not like we get a vaccine in November and then instantly arenas are getting sold out for games 1-2 months later.

 

Some NFL stadiums had some fans in the stands this past week - let's see how that continues to play out before stating a game on October 24th in no way can have 25,000 fans in a stadium that can hold 100K.

 

Seems like there's a contradiction within your post itself, actually. No larger number of fans in the stands before fall 2021, but "let's see if we can have 25k fans on 10/24" seems at odds with each other.

 

I tend to agree with your basic point about capacity in the spring, though. I just think that taking a virtually 0% chance of having large crowds in 5 weeks up to even a 5-10% chance may have been worth the wait financially.

 

This has been the heavy speculation in Madison since the original postponement. Why play in front of empty stadiums now when you might be able to play in front of fans in March? Delay the decision as long as you can and play when the finances say it makes the most sense to play.

 

This sums up my position fairly well, actually.

[JimH5]

The lead guy on the medical subcommittee who presented the "return to play" case to the Big Ten chancellors was Dr. James Borchers from Ohio State.

 

Is he an unbiased 3rd party specializing in infectious diseases?

 

No. His practice is in sports medicine at Ohio State and he's a former long snapper on their football team. So we knew where this was going.

 

The case centered around newly available rapid tests for the virus. Those tests have shown to be less accurate than lab tests, and I suspect that they'll be administered by people who are disinclined to report bad news to anyone outside of the football programs.

 

Maybe it will all work out, but fans and players should be very suspect that player safety had anything to do with this.

[3and2Fastball]

The Vaccine will be administered at about a rate of one million per month. It’s a huge assumption to think that there won’t be major complications and side effects with a rushed vaccine, but even if there is not any, it will likely take 18 months to get half the US population vaccinated.

 

Then there is the reality of scientists saying “normally we like to see a 75% success rate in this type of vaccine, but considering things, a 50% success rate is acceptable.”

 

I know that people are busy these days, and get their “news” from click bait, social media, and TV snippets. “We are getting a vaccine by November or December” without delving critically into the reality.

 

The fantasy of packed football stadiums in the spring is just that, a fantasy. This is about TV money. Stadiums likely won’t be filled until 2023.

[pacopete4]

Here's to having Ohio State's entire team come down with false positives all season long!

[homer]

Man the players could get paid so fast if they just all decided to sit out one week. The money is everything here. They have so much leverage that they don't even know they have.

[PeaveyFury]

The fantasy of packed football stadiums in the spring is just that, a fantasy. This is about TV money. Stadiums likely won’t be filled until 2023.

 

I disagree with most of this paragraph, save for maybe the first sentence. TV money would be there either now or in the spring, perhaps more so since there's no competition at that point. 'Packed football stadiums' is a bit of a straw-man as well, as no one is claiming that it's anything other than highly doubtful there'll be 100k fans in stadiums in the spring. But is it at least somewhat more possible that you'd be able to have 10-15k fans then, vs. the zero that I'll assume most/all Big Ten schools will have this fall? I'd certainly say there's at least a somewhat higher possibility.

[pacopete4]

Man the players could get paid so fast if they just all decided to sit out one week. The money is everything here. They have so much leverage that they don't even know they have.

 

Yep. If this doesn't show them that they have all the power, nothing will.

[owbc]

Specifically, the potential lost money was the bowl games, which could not be easily rescheduled.

[stoutdude04]

42 players and staff have tested positive. 29 in the last 2 weeks.

[PeaveyFury]

I can’t express how delightful it has been to watch Nebraska’s negative reaction to their updated schedule today after pouting more than any other Big Ten school about the cancellation.

 

“We want to play football not matter what! Oh, but we don’t want to play a schedule that’s sooooo hard....”

[tmwiese55]

Its so overblown too. Everyone got 2/3 of their original crossover games, then they worked backwards to eliminate games. Nebraska had a rough one to begin with and they still do.

[LouisEly]

I can’t express how delightful it has been to watch Nebraska’s negative reaction to their updated schedule today after pouting more than any other Big Ten school about the cancellation.

 

“We want to play football not matter what! Oh, but we don’t want to play a schedule that’s sooooo hard....”

Someone called this a month ago when Nebraska was chirping about leaving the Big Ten. Some writer, could have been on Twitter, but he said something along the lines that if some guy who used to be the Big Ten commissioner (don't remember who, but the implication was that this guy could hold a grudge) was still the commissioner he would give Nebraska Ohio State, Wisconsin, and either Penn State or Michigan for their first three games.

 

Two out of three ain't bad.

[LouisEly]

The fall roster was released today, and by far the biggest news is that starting strong safety Reggie Pearson is not on the roster. He sent out a cryptic tweet today that said, "Things will be addressed soon. #OnWisconsin". The fact that he said "On Wisconsin" suggests that he has no animosity towards the school. Maybe he opted out or has a family situation he needs to attend to. Fortunately, it's a position where they have a lot of depth (Burrell, Nelson, Wilder, Cone, Torchio, Toler, Blaylock, Mais).

 

The next biggest news is that Jon Dietzen is back. Apparently he has returned for his last year of eligibility, having taken last year off to recover from injuries. With the losses of Biadasz, Erdmann, and Moorman, and the injuries to Lyles, having another experienced interior OL certainly won't hurt.

 

No surprise, but Emmett Perry is no longer on the team. He and the other Texas WR from that class, Cade Green, each only saw action in one game in their career and never caught a pass.

[JosephC]

Pearson has an undisclosed "medical condition" and he won't be cleared to play this season. He is still enrolled and Chryst has been quoted as saying that he still wants Pearson around the program. I can't figure out why they would remove him from the roster if this was the case, but this is what is being reported.

[tmwiese55]

A few days ago it was reported an undisclosed player had sickle cell and couldn't play. Then this news on Pearson, probably a safe guess there but I'm sure it'll come out eventually. But I guess the Jazz Peavy stuff never came out. That said, I don't think we need to know everyone's personal medical stuff for amateur athletes.

[homer]

A few days ago it was reported an undisclosed player had sickle cell and couldn't play. Then this news on Pearson, probably a safe guess there but I'm sure it'll come out eventually. But I guess the Jazz Peavy stuff never came out. That said, I don't think we need to know everyone's personal medical stuff for amature athletes.

 

Seeing Peavy's name got me wondering what he's been up to. A quick Google search gave me this:

 

http://www.norriscenter.org/slider/employee-spotlight-jazz-peavy-residential-care-specialist/

 

Good for him.

[HiAndTight]

Pearson has an undisclosed "medical condition" and he won't be cleared to play this season. He is still enrolled and Chryst has been quoted as saying that he still wants Pearson around the program. I can't figure out why they would remove him from the roster if this was the case, but this is what is being reported.

 

I'm pretty sure if a guy has an illness that prevents them from competing, they'll allow him to stay on scholarship, but not count against the scholarship limit for the team. Wisconsin definitely used to do this and I doubt they'd have stopped.

 

Otherwise it's possible they didn't renew his scholarship and he lost it. A lot of Colleges will do this when someone gets injured. I think most Colleges will honor the scholarship provided the injury happened while competing or the illness is something they couldn't have prevented.

[tmwiese55]

Yes, that is exactly how it works and WI is about as player/kid friendly on that as possible.