COVID cluster connected to Football team

[pop5app]

I read the above Watauga Dem article. Since June, 30 THIRTY athletes and 4 staff hAve tested positive. I worry about the health of these young men a lot.

How many people are in the group? The “football program “? 150-200? That 34 seems Like a pretty high number. If 200 people are associated with the football program then that is 17.5%. June thru mid August would appear to be the best results we could expect. At this rate practically everyone in the group will be positive by the end of the season .

[appdaze]

Vaccine or no vaccine,what if this is just the way it's going to be , we live with COVID from now on , does college football or even college athletics as a whole survive?

I think college sports are currently inflated with teams. I think before covid that there were too many schools who could not truly afford athletics, but were leaching funds from everything possible to have them. UAB being one of the more high profile cases.

I stand by my earlier statement that college sports need to become their own entity, separate from the college itself in all financial matters so that players can be paid and it would then become its own pro league. I also think its only a matter of time before there is a D and/or G league for the NFL like there is for the NBA. That will eventually destroy whatever college sports look like at that point the way it is now starting to chip away at basketball. The NFL will make more money and be in control of the athletes progression.

Whether or not my prediction comes true, I still believe that the current iteration of college athletics is going to have to change for any kind of longevity. I think Covid is just going to speed up this process.

[appdaze]

What truly matters more to App, the players well being, or money. If they decide the latter then I don't ever want to hear them claim a thing about how much they care for students and athletes.

Please get off your high horse. You think we are raking in cash with our Sunbelt TV deal and our road trip to Marshall? We are playing because our players, coaches, and university love this game. This virus is little to no threat to guys our players age.

My apologies, I did not realize that caring for other people including our student athletes was being on my high horse. I will remember that for the future and send my high horse to the glue factory.

[bcoach]

I read the above Watauga Dem article. Since June, 30 THIRTY athletes and 4 staff hAve tested positive. I worry about the health of these young men a lot.

I do NOT, statistically speaking, nothing to worry about that has been proven at this time.

Nothing to worry about with a virus where so much is unknown? Really?

[WASU 93]

Without turning this into a political argument that will get sent to the open thread... we'd be in a much better place had we as a nation taken this virus more serious earlier in the year. People insisted on not believing it was real, refuse to wear masks, refuse to socially distance, etc. There were people who went to their respective state capitals with AR-15s claiming having to wear a mask and stores being closed was taking their rights away. My sister and her family live in the Philippines, where if you don't abide by the COVID rules (wearing a mask, abiding by curfew), you're thrown in prison, or in a few cases killed. Her husband works for Cargill which placed them over there...she has now bought a townhouse in the USA and plans to bring the kids back stateside. My point is, people who want to be defiant have no idea. I'm not suggesting our country should have completely shut down for two months, but people should have been more abiding by the rules and suggested precautions months ago.

All it would take is for one player on the team to die, and who will have to take the blame? The fans and players that wanted to continue or the universities who did nothing? Do what just write it off as a cost to giving his all for Appalachian State? I'd assume regardless of your position on this issue you understand how liability works.

Hopefully people will take COVID-19 as a lesson. In many Asian countries even before Covid people wore masks even when they had non life threatening illnesses. Time to have respect for others and not just be selfish because the mask feels uncomfortable.

Lastly, MLS, NBA, NHL all created bubbles which have proven to be effective. That's not a realistic possibility for college football.

I am in no way attacking you or being negative: But, ponder what you just said. The Philippines, in this case were militant about their approach. In the next sentence, you said that your sister bought a house a plans to move stateside. That infers that she'd rather live in the US with rights and freedom, than live there although their approach was better. (It may not have been what you meant, but it's how it reads)

I agree with you about respect. I was raised to be a Southern gentleman, which means I open doors for anyone, regardless of who they are and tend to let other's go first, carry heavy items for people who are struggling to carry them, lend a helping hand, etc. Hence, I wear a mask when it's required/requested. Although I believe that Social Distancing, proper ventilation, etc are as important as masks, I do it because it may help and it may help people feel more comfortable. (I don't see value in wearing masks outdoors in a ventilated, Social Distanced setting, so I just avoid anywhere where that it a requirement. But, again, I'm not imposing on others)

My question is this: These players are tested very regularly (daily, three times a week, whatever the protocol is). If all of society were tested in the same way, would these results be below average, the norm, or above average? Relativity is a very important thing in this regard. Keeping in mind that other 18-24 year olds are not sheltering in place, nor is most of Society that is not at high risk: Is football (practice, training, etc.) really increasing the spread of the virus compared to current "day-to-day" life?

[Rekdiver]

Well.....Apps cluster was just plastered all over CNN.

[appstate24]

Judging by the players reactions, sounds like typical media taking a story and pumping it to make it seem like it’s worse than it is. These clusters are going to happen on every campus in America and with every team in America. We all knew these small clusters would happen, yet we act surprised and freak out when we hear it. Just take necessary precautions and move on once that cluster is taken care of.

GO APPS!!

[Rekdiver]

Well it must be something with 30 players with positive tests since June and practice closed indefinitely.

[GregPercussion]

#1 This is a big issue: the safety of the student-athletes is a top priority to App.
#2 However, other colleges are experiencing this same issue, we are not alone in this. Procedures are in place for frequent testing. Anyone who tests positive is moved to isolation, anyone negative moves on. It's the "next man up" situation, that colleges and the NFL are trying to roll with.
#3 Don't judge too harshly on the decisions being made. People making these decisions are trying to decide what's "best", even though that can be subjective.

[NavyApp]

Well it must be something with 30 players with positive tests since June and practice closed indefinitely.

Please don't read this as an attack. How are we just now learning about 30 players testing positive since June, when everything we have been told is the exact opposite?

[appdaze]

https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... l-program/

This is happening at a lot of universities as others have mentioned. I do hate that the national media has singled out us to plaster across the internet.


https://www.si.com/college/2020/08/19/u ... s-outbreak

Here is another story I found interesting.

[BeauFoster]

Well it must be something with 30 players with positive tests since June and practice closed indefinitely.

Please don't read this as an attack. How are we just now learning about 30 players testing positive since June, when everything we have been told is the exact opposite?

This number has been out there, and reported. It’s getting extra steam right now because there are some who are looking for stories about “clusters” at schools that are just opening up.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

Without turning this into a political argument that will get sent to the open thread... we'd be in a much better place had we as a nation taken this virus more serious earlier in the year. People insisted on not believing it was real, refuse to wear masks, refuse to socially distance, etc. There were people who went to their respective state capitals with AR-15s claiming having to wear a mask and stores being closed was taking their rights away. My sister and her family live in the Philippines, where if you don't abide by the COVID rules (wearing a mask, abiding by curfew), you're thrown in prison, or in a few cases killed. Her husband works for Cargill which placed them over there...she has now bought a townhouse in the USA and plans to bring the kids back stateside. My point is, people who want to be defiant have no idea. I'm not suggesting our country should have completely shut down for two months, but people should have been more abiding by the rules and suggested precautions months ago.

All it would take is for one player on the team to die, and who will have to take the blame? The fans and players that wanted to continue or the universities who did nothing? Do what just write it off as a cost to giving his all for Appalachian State? I'd assume regardless of your position on this issue you understand how liability works.

Hopefully people will take COVID-19 as a lesson. In many Asian countries even before Covid people wore masks even when they had non life threatening illnesses. Time to have respect for others and not just be selfish because the mask feels uncomfortable.

Lastly, MLS, NBA, NHL all created bubbles which have proven to be effective. That's not a realistic possibility for college football.

I am in no way attacking you or being negative: But, ponder what you just said. The Philippines, in this case were militant about their approach. In the next sentence, you said that your sister bought a house a plans to move stateside. That infers that she'd rather live in the US with rights and freedom, than live there although their approach was better. (It may not have been what you meant, but it's how it reads)

I agree with you about respect. I was raised to be a Southern gentleman, which means I open doors for anyone, regardless of who they are and tend to let other's go first, carry heavy items for people who are struggling to carry them, lend a helping hand, etc. Hence, I wear a mask when it's required/requested. Although I believe that Social Distancing, proper ventilation, etc are as important as masks, I do it because it may help and it may help people feel more comfortable. (I don't see value in wearing masks outdoors in a ventilated, Social Distanced setting, so I just avoid anywhere where that it a requirement. But, again, I'm not imposing on others)

My question is this: These players are tested very regularly (daily, three times a week, whatever the protocol is). If all of society were tested in the same way, would these results be below average, the norm, or above average? Relativity is a very important thing in this regard. Keeping in mind that other 18-24 year olds are not sheltering in place, nor is most of Society that is not at high risk: Is football (practice, training, etc.) really increasing the spread of the virus compared to current "day-to-day" life?

I wasn't trying to suggest the Philippines is better than the U.S.A. I was just trying to point out those people showing up to state capitals with ARs (Which in itself makes no sense) have no idea what it's like for others around the world. Getting upset because you can't get a hair cut when you want or have to do curbside or doordash when you'd rather dine-in is pretty silly and petty. At no point did I feel my rights were taken away, but many people wanted to play that angle. Which was complete b.s.

[Rekdiver]

Well it must be something with 30 players with positive tests since June and practice closed indefinitely.

Please don't read this as an attack. How are we just now learning about 30 players testing positive since June, when everything we have been told is the exact opposite?

This number has been out there, and reported. It’s getting extra steam right now because there are some who are looking for stories about “clusters” at schools that are just opening up.

True. Notre Dame is on the list also.

[BeauFoster]

I wasn't trying to suggest the Philippines is better than the U.S.A. I was just trying to point out those people showing up to state capitals with ARs (Which in itself makes no sense) have no idea what it's like for others around the world. Getting upset because you can't get a hair cut when you want or have to do curbside or doordash when you'd rather dine-in is pretty silly and petty. At no point did I feel my rights were taken away, but many people wanted to play that angle. Which was complete b.s.

Question-what level of accountability should be leveled on the newly arriving college students who are going to bars, throwing parties, etc without taking proper precautions? Is that not in the same level as others who are refusing to do so? Or is this still someone else’s fault?

[WVAPPeer]

Well Chapel Hill has been blasted more than any other university in the national news I have seen or read -

[BeauFoster]

Well Chapel Hill has been blasted more than any other university in the national news I have seen or read -

Yep-I got a CNN breaking news alert on my phone when they announced online only.

[ggasu]

This is a nothing virus to athletes....I feel like everyone is taking crazy pills.

Let it roll

[WVAPPeer]

Vaccine or no vaccine,what if this is just the way it's going to be , we live with COVID from now on , does college football or even college athletics as a whole survive?

I think your premise is absolutely correct on this - I think we will all be living with Covid for years to come - I hope I am wrong --- I think they will eventually find a vaccine which will work and can be distributed to everyone but there is no way this is "just around the corner". I do think if they can find a reasonable cure which can keep this akin to some other diseases where if one gets infected steps can quickly be taken to stop any type of serious complications would certainly help with the continuation of athletics being that young people are generally much more healthier.

[roachgone]

My son just texted one of the players and this latest “cluster” is a complete fabrication. Said Zac, Noah and other seniors are blowing up Twitter about this. I am so sick of this hysteria over this virus. Age 0 to 44 are just as likely to die in an auto accident as this virus so nobody should be driving because somebody is gonna die.