OT: Johnasia Cash (Swin's cousin) refuses to sign SMU's COVID liability waiver

[Plebe]

Putting this on the general board because it raises compelling questions about COVID-19 liability across the board in college athletics.

‘There’s a huge lack of trust': SMU star Johnasia Cash opens up about why she hasn’t returned to campus

The root of Johnasia Cash’s distrust of SMU started at about 5 p.m. on June 12. It was three days before she would return to campus for voluntary workouts. It...

www.dallasnews.com

Cash believes SMU is not providing a safe environment for student-athletes, not doing enough testing, and has been disingenuous about the ramifications of the liability waiver.​

​

“Like we’re putting our lives on the line to come work out to prepare for a season,” Cash said. “This is our life. We’re what? 18-to-22 years old? These are our lives that we’re putting on the line.​

 

[hoopsfan22]

If you refuse to sign the waiver, does that mean you sit the season or forfeit your scholarship or a year of eligibility?

 

[Plebe]

If you refuse to sign the waiver, does that mean you sit the season or forfeit your scholarship or a year of eligibility?

Per the article: "Student-athletes that do not sign the waiver will not lose eligibility or their scholarship."

 

[eebmg]

Gee, what a surprise, abusive coach Travis May in the center of not providing a safe environment. And he is a pro in not taking any responsibility with medical issues. From his playbook

Court docs: SMU, head coach Travis Mays argue they cannot be responsible for medical negligence

Former SMU women’s basketball player Dai’ja Thomas is suing head coach Travis Mays, Southern Methodist University and team physician Dr. John Baker for...

www.dallasnews.com

How does anyone go there?? Especially someone related to Swin who should have a good view of the College Basketball scene???

 

[Plebe]

Gee, what a surprise, abusive coach Travis May in the center of not providing a safe environment. And he is a pro in not taking any responsibility with medical issues. From his playbook

How does anyone go there?? Especially someone related to Swin who should have a good view of the College Basketball scene???

To be fair, the use of COVID waivers is not unique to coach Mays (the athletic department is requiring them of all student-athletes for summer workouts) or to SMU (most schools across the country are reportedly using similar waivers).

From this interesting article in the Sharon (PA) Herald:

"Colleges around the country still have had athletes sign pledge waivers before returning to workouts, which have come under scrutiny as to whether they are binding legal documents."​

As sports slowly reopen, liability concerns remain

BLOOMINGTON – It’s the nightmare scenario, one in the back of the mind of every professional team executive or college athletic administrator.

www.sharonherald.com

 

[EdSaid]

Unable to open the top article. Just as well, I probably don't want to read it and have to think about it. If you need to have student athletes sign hold harmless agreements, then you probably need to shut down

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Unable to open the top article. Just as well, I probably don't want to read it and have to think about it. If you need to have student athletes sign hold harmless agreements, then you probably need to shut down

Same here regarding the article. I read elsewhere a hold harmless agreement promulgated by a school board for students participating in secondary school sports this year, holding the school harmless if the student dies as a result of Covid19, even if directly the result of the participation. The article suggested this sort of thing will be common. So I agree with the rest of your sentiment as well.

 

[bballnut90]

Gee, what a surprise, abusive coach Travis May in the center of not providing a safe environment. And he is a pro in not taking any responsibility with medical issues. From his playbook

Court docs: SMU, head coach Travis Mays argue they cannot be responsible for medical negligence

Former SMU women’s basketball player Dai’ja Thomas is suing head coach Travis Mays, Southern Methodist University and team physician Dr. John Baker for...

www.dallasnews.com

How does anyone go there?? Especially someone related to Swin who should have a good view of the College Basketball scene???

...how is he still coaching?

 

[Alydar]

So at least one Cash refuses to "walk the line".

 

[VaConnFan11]

Why is this even news?

If you don't sign, you don't lose a year of eligibility or scholarship. The same results if the school decided not to play at all.

There is no one pointing a gun at these athletes' head and saying "play or else".

 

[Alydar]

Why is this even news?

If you don't sign, you don't lose a year of eligibility or scholarship. The same results if the school decided not to play at all.

There is no one pointing a gun at these athletes' head and saying "play or else".

No gun but pressure nonetheless. For a rising senior who aspires to a pro career this year may be their best shot at impressing anyone. If they wait and sit they will have to compete against 2 years worth of draft candidates. To me a year's wait is nothing but to a 21 year old it may be too long.

 

[vtcwbuff]

"These are our lives that we’re putting on the line." A little overly dramatic? Covid 19 deaths among that age group is miniscule. Doctors, nurses, EMTs are all putting their lives on the line. Cash is presumptuous putting herself in that category.

 

[bballnut90]

"These are our lives that we’re putting on the line." A little overly dramatic? Covid 19 deaths among that age group is miniscule. Doctors, nurses, EMTs are all putting their lives on the line. Cash is presumptuous putting herself in that category.

I wouldn't say it's overdramatic at all considering we know nothing about long term effects and the virus has killed over 130,000 Americans in the last 4 months. SMU is also in one of the biggest hotspots for covid right now. We also have no idea if she has any medical conditions that make her higher risk.

 

[Bama fan]

Unable to open the top article. Just as well, I probably don't want to read it and have to think about it. If you need to have student athletes sign hold harmless agreements, then you probably need to shut down

When I see institutions lead with the legal eagles to protect themselves above all, I sometimes think Dick the Butcher had it right all those years ago.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I wouldn't say it's overdramatic at all considering we know nothing about long term effects and the virus has killed over 130,000 Americans in the last 4 months. SMU is also in one of the biggest hotspots for covid right now. We also have no idea if she has any medical conditions that make her higher risk.

Did you miss the part of "deaths by age"??? Of those 130,000 deaths 157 were in her age group.

 

[MSGRET]

Did you miss the part of "deaths by age"??? Of those 130,000 deaths 157 were in her age group.

More people in the age group died by the flu than COVID-19 last flu season according to the CDC.

 

[Plebe]

More people in the age group died by the flu than COVID-19 last flu season according to the CDC.

Not a valid comparison because no social distancing measures were taken during flu season.

 

[bballnut90]

Did you miss the part of "deaths by age"??? Of those 130,000 deaths 157 were in her age group.

You're really sticking to your guns and calling a college aged girl dramatic for prioritizing her health? Again, we know nothing about long term effects of this. Not. One. Thing.

 

[VaConnFan11]

You're really sticking to your guns and calling a college aged girl dramatic for prioritizing her health? Again, we know nothing about long term effects of this. Not. One. Thing.

We also don't know the long term effects of our kids being locked up with no social interactions. Physical effects are more easily treatable than mental ones.

 

[bballnut90]

We also don't know the long term effects of our kids being locked up with no social interactions. Physical effects are more easily treatable than mental ones.

She is not opting to be locked up with no social interaction--she's making a personal choice to not move to Dallas and participate in offseason workouts.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

"These are our lives that we’re putting on the line." A little overly dramatic? Covid 19 deaths among that age group is miniscule. Doctors, nurses, EMTs are all putting their lives on the line. Cash is presumptuous putting herself in that category.

OF all the arguments in this thread, this I do agree with, it sounds over-the-top. OTH, had she said "I'm risking my health", that would be true, since, inherently, the point of all these waivers is an admission that suggested measures such as social distancing, hand washing and masks are not going to be happening - and she has no control over where the other folks she is interacting with have been.

She may have been influenced by the 20 year old San Antonio resident that my family in that area told me about - he went to a "Covid" party hosted by someone that was ill and he became infected and died.

 

[Dokey]

Did you miss the part of "deaths by age"??? Of those 130,000 deaths 157 were in her age group.

Now there’s 157 and there is some question of permanent lung damage among survivors of any age, not something an athlete especially wants.

 

[DaBball]

 

[CocoHusky]

Ok I'm going to say what I and maybe some others are thinking. Johnasia Cash would make a great addition to UCONN's roster for 20-21 season. COVID-19 would be an excellent justification for immediate eligibility. If there is not going to be a season or the waiver is denied she can still be a contributor in 21-22 season.