Pitino: May Madness | The Boneyard

Pitino: May Madness

Joined
Sep 26, 2020
Messages
122
Reaction Score
600
Hey guys,

I completely agree with "Little Ricky" (an old Long Island nickname for Pitino in the 60's because he always "brown-nosed" the coaches at camps):

The 2020-21 college basketball season needs to be postponed indefinitely.

COVID-19 is completely out of control, in the whole world. The coronavirus will tell us when we can return to our normal lives, not before. We don't call the shots this time - it does. And it doesn't give a hoot about college basketball or its fans. Basketball players just have too much prolonged direct contact to avoid getting the virus - all of them! We must protect the kids, from themselves - and their coaches.

We also must use simple common sense based on science & stay away from one another, even families, for a year. We can do it!

Basketball coaches cannot roll out the roundballs just yet. Postpone the college basketball season until science says it can resume!

Fatha Demo
 
Last edited:
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
8,029
Reaction Score
20,704
June madness works also. The kids will be done with spring session. The college World Series is played then.
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
1,205
Reaction Score
4,432
Read Anthony's column in the Courant this morning. It paints a distressing picture for the upcoming season.
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
580
Reaction Score
738
Hey guys,

I completely agree with "Little Ricky" (an old Long Island nickname for Pitino in the 60's because he always "brown-nosed" the coaches at camps):

The 2020-21 college basketball season needs to be postponed indefinitely.

COVID-19 is completely out of control, in the whole world. The coronavirus will tell us when we can return to our normal lives, not before. We don't call the shots this time - it does. And it doesn't give a hoot about college basketball or its fans. Basketball players just have too much prolonged direct contact to avoid getting the virus - all of them! We must protect the kids, from themselves - and their coaches.

We also must use simple common sense based on science & stay away from one another, even families, for a year. We can do it!

Basketball coaches cannot roll out the roundballs just yet. Postpone the college basketball season until science says it can resume!

Fatha Demo
It’s not the science, it’s the interpretation of the science by the “experts”. There are examples of differing interpretation from all over the world. Lots of flip flopping about what to do, like fish out of water, from the “experts”. Getting COVID is usually an annoyance for younger people. Let them play.
 
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
1,259
Reaction Score
4,783
Read Anthony's column in the Courant this morning. It paints a distressing picture for the upcoming season.

I mean by this point in the fall season, with much better COVID numbers throughout the country and especially here he was outright calling for the cancellation of the football season. I thought it was interesting to see him make many of the same points, but stop short of calling for the cancellation of the basketball seasons... seemed a bit inconsistent and certainly like he was trying to dodge the backlash (or the guarantee of being "wrong", since he knows there is zero appetite within the state/school to be out in front of calling for the cancellation of UConn hoops) he'd get for calling for a cancellation of a much more popular set of team's seasons.
 
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
535
Reaction Score
1,124
It’s not the science, it’s the interpretation of the science by the “experts”. There are examples of differing interpretation from all over the world. Lots of flip flopping about what to do, like fish out of water, from the “experts”. Getting COVID is usually an annoyance for younger people. Let them play.


BUT, a younger person can be a spreader to old farts like me. And there are a number of young people who have experienced more than an "annoyance". Nothing returns to normal until the pandemic is under control. Look at the big picture. Sermon over.
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
580
Reaction Score
738
BUT, a younger person can be a spreader to old farts like me. And there are a number of young people who have experienced more than an "annoyance". Nothing returns to normal until the pandemic is under control. Look at the big picture. Sermon over.

So you’re right there on the bench, or at practice or even allowed at the game?
If you’re going to give sermons, common sense would be a good thing to include.
 

cohenzone

Old Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
18,696
Reaction Score
21,134
It’s not the science, it’s the interpretation of the science by the “experts”. There are examples of differing interpretation from all over the world. Lots of flip flopping about what to do, like fish out of water, from the “experts”. Getting COVID is usually an annoyance for younger people. Let them play.
The damn epidemic getting controlled is, it seems to me, a bit more relevant than throwing a ball through a hoop. These young people have family and friends. Besides, what the heck is a spectator sport with no spectators (ok, it was UConn football the last 5-6 years). And in case you haven’t noticed, pro and college games in every sport continue to be cancelled. It’s chaotic in an effort to try and make things seem normal when they aren’t. We all love sports and UConn sports in particular, but right now it’s trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Personally. I’m more unhappy that I haven’t been able to fly to see my west coast family since last Feb and I just had to go to a funeral through Zoom for a friend who died. Oh, died of COVID-19 alone in a convalescent facility.
 
Joined
Jan 6, 2015
Messages
6,881
Reaction Score
54,906
One idea:

Start 11/25 but then give the season time to build and finish in May or June. 90% of D1 teams are running-as-planned, so it gives those teams and the teams soon to return from quarantine time to get PT under their belts.

Nothing wrong with playing the 2-3 weeks of bubble non-conferences and maybe a bubble start to conference play to use as a "preseason" to regroup, heal and work on deficiencies over a quarantined January, February and maybe March.

Then, if/when virus clears out in the spring, resume in mid-March or April for the meat and potatoes of conference play and have the tournament in May for a one-year expansion of 96 teams.

All conference winners earn a "bye" as 30 of the top 32 teams and then the top-two remaining teams earn the other bye. Have 64 other teams earn at-large bids. With the cluster-F scheduling, it will be fairer to more tournament worthy teams who may or may not have developed proper portfolios: I'm looking at teams like Murray State, UNC-Greensboro, Lipscomb, etc.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Sep 16, 2011
Messages
48,016
Reaction Score
161,504
The damn epidemic getting controlled is, it seems to me, a bit more relevant than throwing a ball through a hoop. These young people have family and friends. Besides, what the heck is a spectator sport with no spectators (ok, it was UConn football the last 5-6 years). And in case you haven’t noticed, pro and college games in every sport continue to be cancelled. It’s chaotic in an effort to try and make things seem normal when they aren’t. We all love sports and UConn sports in particular, but right now it’s trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Personally. I’m more unhappy that I haven’t been able to fly to see my west coast family since last Feb and I just had to go to a funeral through Zoom for a friend who died. Oh, died of COVID-19 alone in a convalescent facility.
You're wrong on all of this and every sport is being played, just watched Bud Crawford knock out Kell Brook last night and Notre Dame beat up on BC yesterday.
 

BGesus4

Running everywhere
Joined
Apr 21, 2016
Messages
2,756
Reaction Score
16,669
The fact is, even though for any one individual kid, it's not likely to be a big problem, if COVID rips through college basketball it's likely to cause major problems and even death for at least a few kids/coaches in the full landscape of college basketball, and is it worth it?

If people were told there was a murderer loose at a huge college bball event with tons of games involving all schools and of they continued the event it was likely a few people would be badly hurt or even killed, how fast would everyone agree to shut that event down?
 

CTBasketball

Former Owner of the Pizza Thread
Joined
Aug 27, 2012
Messages
9,670
Reaction Score
31,250
The damn epidemic getting controlled is, it seems to me, a bit more relevant than throwing a ball through a hoop. These young people have family and friends. Besides, what the heck is a spectator sport with no spectators (ok, it was UConn football the last 5-6 years). And in case you haven’t noticed, pro and college games in every sport continue to be cancelled. It’s chaotic in an effort to try and make things seem normal when they aren’t. We all love sports and UConn sports in particular, but right now it’s trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Personally. I’m more unhappy that I haven’t been able to fly to see my west coast family since last Feb and I just had to go to a funeral through Zoom for a friend who died. Oh, died of COVID-19 alone in a convalescent facility.
People who are afraid should stay home, people who think they’re at-risk should stay home, people should wear masks, but otherwise let’s play the games and get reduced capacity for fans. It’s working elsewhere.
 

cohenzone

Old Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
18,696
Reaction Score
21,134
You're wrong on all of this and every sport is being played, just watched Bud Crawford knock out Kell Brook last night and Notre Dame beat up on BC yesterday.
Sorry, but the fact that some sports are being played doesn’t negate the fact that many games are being cancelled on the eve of the game. UConn itself is in a growing dorm quarantine. My son, a college prof in NY state is contorting his teaching to pull off virtual presentations. My other son, a lawyer in NYC hasn’t had his rather large firm open in person since April while his kids were running around his makeshift home office all summer because their camp was cancelled and now their reduced in person school schedule might be going back to all virtual. All 3 of his kids play soccer, which is underway, and just last week all practices were cancelled because of what was a relatively isolated COVID case for a player. So great, most games manage to be played, with no or very limited spectators. UConn hoops, if played, will have zero spectators save for a small handful. They are still trying to figure out if some games might have to be cancelled. Yesterday, Coast Guard played its annual rivalry football game against I think Maine Maritime. The only game on both teams’ 2020 schedule. Nothing unusual there.
 

cohenzone

Old Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
18,696
Reaction Score
21,134
People who are afraid should stay home, people who think they’re at-risk should stay home, people should wear masks, but otherwise let’s play the games and get reduced capacity for fans. It’s working elsewhere.
It’s getting limited attendance games played if that is what you mean by “working”. In the meantime. businesses are having trouble staying open as are schools and again hospital capacities are being taxed. I love UConn sports. But this year isn’t normal because we have an uncontrolled epidemic.
 
Joined
Sep 16, 2011
Messages
48,016
Reaction Score
161,504
Sorry, but the fact that some sports are being played doesn’t negate the fact that many games are being cancelled on the eve of the game. UConn itself is in a growing dorm quarantine. My son, a college prof in NY state is contorting his teaching to pull off virtual presentations. My other son, a lawyer in NYC hasn’t had his rather large firm open in person since April while his kids were running around his makeshift home office all summer because their camp was cancelled and now their reduced in person school schedule might be going back to all virtual. All 3 of his kids play soccer, which is underway, and just last week all practices were cancelled because of what was a relatively isolated COVID case for a player. So great, most games manage to be played, with no or very limited spectators. UConn hoops, if played, will have zero spectators save for a small handful. They are still trying to figure out if some games might have to be cancelled. Yesterday, Coast Guard played its annual rivalry football game against I think Maine Maritime. The only game on both teams’ 2020 schedule. Nothing unusual there.
Every sport is being played, I could care less if there are no fans. Not trying to be a jerk but I could care less about your son's law firm, everyone's life is more difficult right now but there's no reason sports can't be played...I think it's important they are played.
 

cohenzone

Old Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
18,696
Reaction Score
21,134
Every sport is being played, I could care less if there are no fans. Not trying to be a jerk but I could care less about your son's law firm, everyone's life is more difficult right now but there's no reason sports can't be played...I think it's important they are played.
Why is it important? Symbolism? Trying to seem normal? I guess people have different definitions of important. I wasn’t expecting you to care about my son’s firm. I kinda think you’re smart enough to figure out the reason businesses are going through this crap is because we are trying to make abnormal seem normal. It’s totally normal that athletes can’t be anywhere near the rest of the student body. Let’s suit up the football marching bands and have cheerleaders lead nobody in cheers. Those kids want to do their thing too along with the music majors who don’t have an orchestra or choral group or the players of sub major sports or the players at lower level college divisions who also don’t get to play. I guess they aren’t important.
 
Joined
Sep 16, 2011
Messages
48,016
Reaction Score
161,504
Why is it important? Symbolism? Trying to seem normal? I guess people have different definitions of important. I wasn’t expecting you to care about my son’s firm. I kinda think you’re smart enough to figure out the reason businesses are going through this crap is because we are trying to make abnormal seem normal. It’s totally normal that athletes can’t be anywhere near the rest of the student body. Let’s suit up the football marching bands and have cheerleaders lead nobody in cheers. Those kids want to do their thing too along with the music majors who don’t have an orchestra or choral group or the players of sub major sports or the players at lower level college divisions who also don’t get to play. I guess they aren’t important.
Because it's incredibly important for the kid's, they dedicate their lives to this. They all want to play and the virus isn't a threat to them. They already let the virus ruin one season for them, it would be ridiculous to let the virus ruin another season for them.

Every kid should be playing sports but to pretend it's not a little more important to major D1 basketball players is silly, their future earnings depend on it.
 
Joined
Aug 22, 2016
Messages
3,280
Reaction Score
19,726
Covid sucks. It’s a serious and deadly pandemic that has had horrible effects throughout the world. One of those effects which we don’t even know the extent of yet is the mental and stress toll that it has produced on everyone, especially young people. Kids from elementary school to college have had all of their activities cancelled or stopped and restarted and stopped again, including school...dreams and goals of their pursuits have been shattered...poor kids or kids with problems at home are exposed to less healthy activities, more abuse, more time witnessing domestic violence...there are more examples I can go through.
Anyone who has a school aged child right now knows that they are withdrawn and somewhat depressed no matter how positive of an attitude they usually have. They feel at any given moment school, sports, activities that they do will be cancelled and their outlook is becoming so negative. This is dangerous for their future. There has to be some kind of balance between being careful, smart, respecting the vulnerable and allowing kids to have a chance at living a fulfilling life. Sports should be played if possible. The whole team quarantining for 14 days after one positive makes it unlikely a college basketball season can be played though. If that remains the rule, I can’t see this working out...or maybe the ncaa tournament will begin with some teams having played 10 regular season games. This is all so wild.
 

cohenzone

Old Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
18,696
Reaction Score
21,134
Because it's incredibly important for the kid's, they dedicate their lives to this. They all want to play and the virus isn't a threat to them. They already let the virus ruin one season for them, it would be ridiculous to let the virus ruin another season for them.

Every kid should be playing sports but to pretend it's not a little more important to major D1 basketball players is silly, their future earnings depend on it.

Did you know that the UConn Marching band, of which I am a long ago alum, has more members than all of the major varsity sports of both genders and several of the less major (but not to the kids who play them) combined including coaching staffs? Those band kids love it and I’m not sure you understand how much practice they put in. Nobody gives a crap about that but you’re concerned about the future earnings of athletes, many of them,, especially in men’s hoops, aren’t that interested in staying through graduation or who will jump to another school to get playing time. As I said, I love the games, but we have different definitions of important when it comes to making sense of COVID control. Hopefully this will all be a bad memory next season.
 
Joined
Sep 16, 2011
Messages
48,016
Reaction Score
161,504
Did you know that the UConn Marching band, of which I am a long ago alum, has more members than all of the major varsity sports of both genders and several of the less major (but not to the kids who play them) combined including coaching staffs? Those band kids love it and I’m not sure you understand how much practice they put in. Nobody gives a crap about that but you’re concerned about the future earnings of athletes, many of them,, especially in men’s hoops, aren’t that interested in staying through graduation or who will jump to another school to get playing time. As I said, I love the games, but we have different definitions of important when it comes to making sense of COVID control. Hopefully this will all be a bad memory next season.
You're all over the place.

Yes, I care about major D1 basketball players and their future earnings in basketball, no I don't really care about band kids future earnings in band. What does players leaving early or transferring have to do with anything?
 

cohenzone

Old Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
18,696
Reaction Score
21,134
You're all over the place.

Yes, I care about major D1 basketball players and their future earnings in basketball, no I don't really care about band kids future earnings in band. What does players leaving early or transferring have to do with anything?
Ok. You are concerned about the future earnings of how many kids who might not get to play for one year. At the moment they will be playing. Maybe one, tops two potential NBA kids for this years draft who are on full scholarship, play or not this year. The whole men’s team will find a spot overseas even if they never play another college game. They all will have an extra year to play college if they want. How many Potential NFL players who could be drafted this year out of 85 or whatever on the team. This isn’t meant to be a pissing contest, the point was about delaying things. And I know that other things are unimportant to you, but for the record about my sons gigantic international law firm, almost all of just the NYC branch several hundred members support staff of paralegals, secretaries, clerks have been laid off since March. But a few kids not getting to showcase for a year their wares for a future millions of dollars a year is important. I cant tell you you should think that’s unimportant. Our definitions differ. Peace and love and GO HUSKIES.
 

Online statistics

Members online
569
Guests online
3,756
Total visitors
4,325

Forum statistics

Threads
155,779
Messages
4,031,373
Members
9,864
Latest member
Sad Tiger


Top Bottom