NCAA tournament update

[Fatroony5]

It is very real/a cause for concern but it is also overblown. Both can be true. If nothing is done it will spread like wildfire. But there’s no reason for the media to cause panic convincing us this is the end of the world. The fear-mongering induced by the media is more dangerous than the virus itself. Take commonsense precautions and avoid large gatherings of people. If everyone does that the virus will be contained. If they don’t, well that’s a different story.

Yeah I’m not really watching the CNN, Fox News of the world, they do that for sure to boost their ratings, it’s awful. I just go right to the source, aka the experts in the field. That’s why I suggested listening to Joe Rogans podcast with Michael osterholm whose actually on the front lines of this. If anyone hasn’t listened to it, they should, it was a really good interview I like the way he broke it down with real data, projections, impact on healthcare systems, and debunking myths. His projections were pretty startling. No clue what this means for the actual tournament but it seems like it’s at least trending towards playing in empty arenas. I’m in favor of proactive thinking and measures. Because sure, maybe young people (or kids) won’t get sick/die if they get it but it also means a higher likelihood it gets spread to our more vulnerable community members. That’s the real danger. That and not having enough hospital beds, so hopefully that can be avoided. So I get people’s frustration with the shutting down of these events but look no further than Italy who now is working backwards to prevent it from becoming even bigger. We don’t know what the long term effects are so if it means short term things like shutting off the tournament to the public, I’m in favor of that. For now anyway.

 

[cohenzone]

We’ve officially devolved into hysterical people with no backbone who have cast aside any logic in favor of drama. Wash your hands, don’t shake hands, and carry on.

Are you an MD or public health official? You realize the whole population of Italy is basically quarantined. Who knows what makes sense!

 

[caw]

Update: Arizona, Duke, UNC, Kansas, Kentucky and a few other schools are debating self-ban from NCAAT due to currently undeclared violations which at this time may, or may not have occurred. All is contingent on NCAA .

Side note: Duke is also debating hanging a banner bc they like meaningless banners.

The above was tongue in cheek, though I could see it happening.

 

[JB75]

0 chance they cancel it unless the colleges themselves pull out.

TV contract is just too much money.

Just have the teams and coaches. No fans. Imagine the tv ratings if everyone is at home on lockdown. It will more than make up for no ticket sales.

 

[BlueDogs]

Are you an MD or public health official? You realize the whole population of Italy is basically quarantined. Who knows what makes sense!

You realize the Italians also switched sides in WWII the minute things got rough.

 

[Rico444]

You realize the Italians also switched sides in WWII the minute things got rough.

What does this even mean?

In the most heavily hit province of Italy, 80% of the hospital beds are in use by COVID-19 patients. That's not taking into account any other sick patients, JUST the Coronavirus! Do you think they're all pretending to be sick?

It's amazing how people just bury their heads into the sand in situations like this.

 

[BlueDogs]

What does this even mean?

In the most heavily hit province of Italy, 80% of the hospital beds are in use by COVID-19 patients. That's not taking into account any other sick patients, JUST the Coronavirus! Do you think they're all pretending to be sick?

It's amazing how people just bury their heads into the sand in situations like this.

Burying your head means choosing to ignore and not act on information. Hysteria means choosing to ignore information and taking irrational actions based on emotion. You’re an idiot. Understand the information, appreciate that the disease has little serious impact on most cohorts, and take reasonable precautions. So, stop fueling nonsense when you’re a clueless headline reader.

 

[BlueMAB]

take reasonable precautions.

If I have a virus for 10-14 days and show no symptoms, what reasonable precautions specifically should I be taking? This virus is so easily spread that those with it are being quarantined. So what should we do for the 1-2 weeks that we have it without knowing?

 

[auror]

If I have a virus for 10-14 days and show no symptoms, what reasonable precautions specifically should I be taking? This virus is so easily spread that those with it are being quarantined. So what should we do for the 1-2 weeks that we have it without knowing?

Wash your hands frequently so you minimize chance you accidentally touch others with virus hands, keep a reasonable distance from people. Don't go to large gatherings, especially if confined in indoor spaces. Stop shaking hands. Work from home if possible. Don't ride public transit. Check your own temperature daily.

The median time to show symptoms is 5 days and 99% of people show symptoms by day 11 I believe. Which is why a 2 week self quarantine for those in contact with a suspected carrier works.

If you do have it, you'll probably infect some of your loved ones, but when you start showing symptoms, you and them both can be quarantined and hopefully they spread it to no people. One way to stop an exponential community spread is by minimizing the spread of the NEXT person.

 

[BlueMAB]

Wash your hands frequently so you minimize chance you accidentally touch others with virus hands, keep a reasonable distance from people. Don't go to large gatherings, especially if confined in indoor spaces. Stop shaking hands. Work from home if possible. Don't ride public transit. Check your own temperature daily.

The median time to show symptoms is 5 days and 99% of people show symptoms by day 11 I believe. Which is why a 2 week self quarantine for those in contact with a suspected carrier works.

If you do have it, you'll probably infect some of your loved ones, but when you start showing symptoms, you and them both can be quarantined and hopefully they spread it to no people. One way to stop an exponential community spread is by minimizing the spread of the NEXT person.

In other words, do the things that @BlueDogs seems to be mocking by resorting to WWII jokes?

 

[FatHank]

Speaking of first four...

"UD also announced it would close campus housing at 6 p.m. Wednesday, two days before spring break begins. The notice gives students less than 24 hours to leave campus housing."

 

[intlzncster]

Burying your head means choosing to ignore and not act on information. Hysteria means choosing to ignore information and taking irrational actions based on emotion. You’re an idiot. Understand the information, appreciate that the disease has little serious impact on most cohorts, and take reasonable precautions. So, stop fueling nonsense when you’re a clueless headline reader.

This is a dumb statement. Young kid gets virus is probably fine for now. But he can pass it on. You cool with his grandparents dying? His aged neighbors?

And are you an expert on viral mutations? What if this thing mutates into something more dangerous to more cohorts? And you've failed to contain it up to that point.

Taking reasonable precautions = stopping the spread as best as you can. Anything else is straight dumbarsedry

EDIT: if a few fans don't attend a f@#$%ing game is that a big deal in teh long run? No. No it's not.

 

[cohenzone]

You realize the Italians also switched sides in WWII the minute things got rough.

Great thought. Try making a real point about disease transmission.

 

[Rico444]

Burying your head means choosing to ignore and not act on information. Hysteria means choosing to ignore information and taking irrational actions based on emotion. You’re an idiot. Understand the information, appreciate that the disease has little serious impact on most cohorts, and take reasonable precautions. So, stop fueling nonsense when you’re a clueless headline reader.

Three weeks ago in Italy there were single-digit confirmed cases, now hospitals are at capacity and the country is in a full quarantine. Tell me exactly how I am overreacting to those two facts.

 

[UConnRock]

Three weeks ago in Italy there were single-digit confirmed cases, now hospitals are at capacity and the country is in a full quarantine. Tell me exactly how I am overreacting to those two facts.

Italians kiss each other on the cheeks. Americans don't

 

[auror]

Italians kiss each other on the cheeks. Americans don't

And they're known for their public affection in Iran, right?

 

[Zissou]

Italians kiss each other on the cheeks. Americans don't

The French are really going to be in trouble.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Site of the NCAA first round

I understand the taking precautions and limiting large crowds. I wouldn't do it, but I'm not in charge. I would be interested in having a reporter ask how they came up with the 250 as size limit. Why not 100? Why not 500? Answer is the number is arbitrary based off hunches or guesses. Wouldn't change anything but I'd like the decision makers to go on record saying their crowed cut off size is based solely on a number that seems to placate the masses.

 

[businesslawyer]

I understand the taking precautions and limiting large crowds. I wouldn't do it, but I'm not in charge. I would be interested in having a reporter ask how they came up with the 250 as size limit. Why not 100? Why not 500? Answer is the number is arbitrary based off hunches or guesses. Wouldn't change anything but I'd like the decision makers to go on record saying their crowed cut off size is based solely on a number that seems to placate the masses.

It's not arbitrary based on hunches and guesses. It's arbitrary trying to strike a balance between protecting lives and shutting society down for a month with limited information.

It's often rational to draw arbitrary lines, even if the lines themselves are arbitrary.

 

[intlzncster]

I understand the taking precautions and limiting large crowds. I wouldn't do it, but I'm not in charge.

Do you like old people?

I would be interested in having a reporter ask how they came up with the 250 as size limit. Why not 100? Why not 500? Answer is the number is arbitrary based off hunches or guesses. Wouldn't change anything but I'd like the decision makers to go on record saying their crowed cut off size is based solely on a number that seems to placate the masses.

Should be nobody if we are being honest. Essential personnel only.

 

[UConn Dan]

0 chance they cancel it unless the colleges themselves pull out.

TV contract is just too much money.

The NCAA has insurance to cover itself for losses even if they have to fully cancel the event. Not a zero chance at all, but my guess is they still play without general public in attendance.

 

[CTMike]

You realize the Italians also switched sides in WWII the minute things got rough.

What an out and out hilarious response.

 

[auror]

The NCAA has insurance to cover itself for losses even if they have to fully cancel the event. Not a zero chance at all, but my guess is they still play without general public in attendance.

The insurance company is going to pay out a billion dollars?

 

[Husky25]

If they play to empty arenas, they should just give the top 4 seeds in each region a bye. 1st round upsets are predicated on the lower seeds feeding off the crowd's energy. Minus the crowd, the talent gap is just too wide. Those games should be taken off the Vegas board.

If I do a bracket this year, it will be absolute chalk.

 

[Marbles90]

Speaking of first four...

"UD also announced it would close campus housing at 6 p.m. Wednesday, two days before spring break begins. The notice gives students less than 24 hours to leave campus housing."

Yep. My daughter goes to Dayton and now she is scrambling to get on a flight back to CT. They are also doing remote online classes for 2 weeks after Spring Break. The last thing she wants to do is be at home in CT during her junior year of college with no friends here, etc. It really kinda sux for these students.

 

[Dogdeacon]

It is shocking to me that the type of news people receive combined with people's political opinions influence the way they see this thing. For example, I work with a very smart guy in TX, he & his wife got on a plane to Israel on Sunday. I think if he lived in the northeast, he does not get on that plane. I am concerned about elderly family members in FL and worry about the quality of their information & lack of knowledge, local groupthink.

Complaining about media hysteria is especially weird - So you you are worried that people will be too cautious? The economic downside of that is worse than the potential health benefits?! When 'the media' over-hypes things that end up being nothing burgers like traffic or snowstorms it isn't political. And our current over-reactions to snowstorms saves lives and makes the long-term cleanup more efficient.
Why is this different? In this case I think there are many more important positives to come from being overly careful and taking this seriously vs downplaying it.

 

[UConnRock]

Yep. My daughter goes to Dayton and now she is scrambling to get on a flight back to CT. They are also doing remote online classes for 2 weeks after Spring Break. The last thing she wants to do is be at home in CT during her junior year of college with no friends here, etc. It really kinda sux for these students.

My son is a freshman at Northeastern. Harvard, MIT, Tufts, Babson and others are all going online and shutting down dorms. BU, BC and NEU are still doing in-person classes. We think it is just a matter of time. The flights back to Nashville are cheap, but I just don't know how much notice we will have. Seems like they would have to provide at least a week's notice. As a freshman, he still doesn't mind coming home. Interesting to compare a freshman reaction to that of a junior.

 

[Edward Sargent]

It is very real/a cause for concern but it is also overblown. Both can be true. If nothing is done it will spread like wildfire. But there’s no reason for the media to cause panic convincing us this is the end of the world. The fear-mongering induced by the media is more dangerous than the virus itself. Take commonsense precautions and avoid large gatherings of people. If everyone does that the virus will be contained. If they don’t, well that’s a different story.

As I said before our Government officials haven't helped in calming the public in any way

 

[Edward Sargent]

It is shocking to me that the type of news people receive combined with people's political opinions influence the way they see this thing. For example, I work with a very smart guy in TX, he & his wife got on a plane to Israel on Sunday. I think if he lived in the northeast, he does not get on that plane. I am concerned about elderly family members in FL and worry about the quality of their information & lack of knowledge, local groupthink.

Complaining about media hysteria is especially weird - So you you are worried that people will be too cautious? The economic downside of that is worse than the potential health benefits?! When 'the media' over-hypes things that end up being nothing burgers like traffic or snowstorms it isn't political. And our current over-reactions to snowstorms saves lives and makes the long-term cleanup more efficient.
Why is this different? In this case I think there are many more important positives to come from being overly careful and taking this seriously vs downplaying it.

Well said

 

[Edward Sargent]

Yeah I’m not really watching the CNN, Fox News of the world, they do that for sure to boost their ratings, it’s awful. I just go right to the source, aka the experts in the field. That’s why I suggested listening to Joe Rogans podcast with Michael osterholm whose actually on the front lines of this. If anyone hasn’t listened to it, they should, it was a really good interview I like the way he broke it down with real data, projections, impact on healthcare systems, and debunking myths. His projections were pretty startling. No clue what this means for the actual tournament but it seems like it’s at least trending towards playing in empty arenas. I’m in favor of proactive thinking and measures. Because sure, maybe young people (or kids) won’t get sick/die if they get it but it also means a higher likelihood it gets spread to our more vulnerable community members. That’s the real danger. That and not having enough hospital beds, so hopefully that can be avoided. So I get people’s frustration with the shutting down of these events but look no further than Italy who now is working backwards to prevent it from becoming even bigger. We don’t know what the long term effects are so if it means short term things like shutting off the tournament to the public, I’m in favor of that. For now anyway.

Osterholm is good so is Nancy Messonier at CDC