Interesting title to the post, eh? This will likely be the only NCAA-related post I write all fall, unless even more stupidity and absurdity is demonstrated (wait a minute, this is the NCAA we're taking about - absurd and stupid behavior is rampant. Okay, I won't promise that this will be the only NCAA column).
The NCAA has proven during the last couple of months that they do not care about the safety and security of students, not even their precious athletes, by demanding that his football season be played. The NCAA cares only about the money they receive from corporate sponsorships of the bowl games and the money received from televised broadcasting of the games.
My evidence? Their treatment of teams and conferences who have acting in ways to ways to safeguard their students, both the athletes who would play the games and the students who would crowd in socially-unacceptable fashion to watch and enjoy the games. The NCAA pressured the four conferences who chose not to play this fall, and even threatened them. Not only is the NCAA going ahead with FULL postseason plans, which includes all 32 bowl games (who the hell will be playing some of those games? Teams with three or four victories?) and the playoffs, but they threatened the Big Ten and Pac-12 with being blackballed from the 2021 playoffs (and as many bowl games as they could) if they didn't play this season. That's right, the NCAA said, "Play this season or you get no postseason money next year." What a crazy Trumpian form of strong-armed tactics! I fully acknowledge the Big Ten, Pac-12, Mountain West, and Mid-American conferences, as well as half of the independents, for their courage and sensitivity (and common sense) in cancelling or postponing their seasons.
Truthfully, looking at the situations currently experienced by teams that chose to play, more schools should step up. Announced this morning in pre-game shows, many teams have a large number of players unable to play for their teams, either due to Covid quarantine or suspension due to violation of campus social distancing rules. Notre Dame is short at least ten players, both Syracuse and North Carolina (who played each other today) are missing large chunks of their squads, and Iowa State lacks key members of both their offensive and defensive lines, which might explain how Louisiana was able to beat them 31-14. Furthermore, three Big XII schools: TCU, Oklahoma State, and Baylor, announced that they are cancelling their next two games, and perhaps extend it to a third week, although they are attempting to reschedule to play as many games as possible. Those cancellations and hopeful rescheduling measures are due entirely to Covid outbreaks among their players, and that large numbers of their players now need to quarantine for 14 days.
The worst example? Georgia Southern has lost 33 players from their team. That's more than half of their entire squad! Just who will suit up and take the field for the Eagles, second stringers and practice squad members? These guys will be going up against tough, well-conditioned first stringers from their opponents. It's a guarantee that these players will get hurt! But, Georgia Southern doesn't care, because the Sun Belt, basking in a new television contract with ESPN that guarantees broadcast of ALL Sun Belt games all season (since there are so few conferences playing), won't allow the Eagles (or any Sun Belt team) to cancel their season.
The NCAA doesn't care about the risk of Covid to their athletes. I think North Carolina coach (and former Texas Longhorn bigwig) Mack Brown summed it up best during his post-game interview, when he called social distancing practices "social injustice." Yup, the Tarheels coach showed the attitude of both North Carolina and Texas residents when calling measures to keep people safe during the pandemic "injustice." I hope most of his first stringers catch Covid, or throw illegal campus parties and get expelled (and BOY am I happy to hear on the news the number of schools with the backbone to actually enforce their social distancing rules. Across the country over 300 students have been excelled for throwing parties that violated social distancing rules, and I know that number will at least triple before these irresponsible teenagers learn to alter their behavior). Then North Carolina can be a losing team, reflecting the losing personality of their coach, and show they never deserved their preseason Top 25 position to start with.
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