UConn makes a strong statement

[nelsonmuntz]

Cancelling the season is the right move, especially given how irresponsible the P5 is setting up the football season. Going first was brilliant. Be a leader, take a stand for the athletes, and showcase how irresponsible the P5 are behaving.

Playing a 10 or 11 game season against 11 different teams over a wide geographic area while 100+ people associated with each program are socializing at a university is going to fail. It is not a question of if, just when. I hope it does not have catastrophic consequences, but it could.

UConn really stuck it to a lot of people in major college athletics today. If the P5 goes through with their plans, they will be exposing their athletes to a huge risk that UConn was not willing to do. They will also be exposing the leadership of these programs to huge legal liability now that an FBS school decided it wasn't safe to play. If they don't play, they will look weak for caving to pressure.

This was the right decision for player safety, and the right decision strategically.

 

[Alum86]

They made the easy call. It was made for them. This is not UConn being strong in the era of Covid. This is UConn realizing they had nobody to play.

 

[huskysupporter]

My response to the “they are young athletes the risk from serious outcomes from Covid are non existent” talking points is what about offensive linemen? They are 300 pounds and would be considered high risk.

unfortunately we are seeing what can happen:
Indiana Freshman O Lineman Seriously Ill

And all because of money. The Big Ten, SEC, PAC-12, Big 12 and ACC should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[Rocktheworld]

My response to the “they are young athletes the risk from serious outcomes from
Covid are non existent” talking points is what about offensive linemen? They are 300 pounds and would be considered high risk.

unfortunately we are seeing what can happen:
Indiana Freshman O Lineman Seriously Ill

And all because of money. The Big Ten, SEC, PAC-12, Big 12 and ACC should be ashamed of themselves.

Forget the clinically obese guys... some pitcher for the Sox was just shut down last week after he developed myocarditis secondary to COVID

 

[weyuo]

From what I understand no one loses a year of eligibility. They gain a year of shoring up their grades and bodies. And it comes at the perfect time. No conference to haggle with over the decision. Most of the malcontents that didn't want to be part of the Edsall Army are already gone and replaced with men that want to be there. Sure, it sucks for the die-hards that want to see UConn football but it is what it is. It's just a sh!##y situation that every one of us has to deal with this year. So let the politicians and the media beat each other over the head with this Corona thing and with a little luck by next summer we'll be talking about pre-season UConn Football again.

 

[Ldandy]

Cancelling the season is the right move, especially given how irresponsible the P5 is setting up the football season. Going first was brilliant. Be a leader, take a stand for the athletes, and showcase how irresponsible the P5 are behaving.

Playing a 10 or 11 game season against 11 different teams over a wide geographic area while 100+ people associated with each program are socializing at a university is going to fail. It is not a question of if, just when. I hope it does not have catastrophic consequences, but it could.

UConn really stuck it to a lot of people in major college athletics today. If the P5 goes through with their plans, they will be exposing their athletes to a huge risk that UConn was not willing to do. They will also be exposing the leadership of these programs to huge legal liability now that an FBS school decided it wasn't safe to play. If they don't play, they will look weak for caving to pressure.

This was the right decision for player safety, and the right decision strategically.

If Uconn were still in The AAC they would be toeing the company line right until the conference decided to pull the plug on the season. Its a lot easier to make what you deem a brave decision when the decision is effectively made for you. If I announce that I promise to never cheat on my wife with a supermodel does it really carry any weight if I never have the opportunity to meet one?

I give Uconn credit for making the best out of truly bad situation. The AD can now spin this to make the program appear more responsible than others out there still claiming they will play. It beats the alternative of saying "we decided that seeing New Mexico State on our schedule twice in a decade let alone twice in one year appeals to exactly no one. Lets try this again in 2021."

 

[Adios]

If Uconn were still in The AAC they would be toeing the company line until the conference pulled the plug on the season. Its a lot easier to make what you deem a brave decision when the decision is effectively made for you. If I announce that I promise to never cheat on my wife with a supermodel does it really carry any weight if I never even meet one?

The supermodel would be a winning record.

 

[Skiblets]

If Uconn were still in The AAC they would be toeing the company line right until the conference decided to pull the plug on the season. Its a lot easier to make what you deem a brave decision when the decision is effectively made for you. If I announce that I promise to never cheat on my wife with a supermodel does it really carry any weight if I never have the opportunity to even meet one? I'll give Uconn credit for making the best out of bad situation. The AD can now spin this to make the program appear more responsible as opposed to saying we decided playing New Mexico State twice in a decade let alone twice in one year appeals to exactly no one.

I love when people like you apply your rationale to someone else’s decision making processes. Makes for good reading

 

[Ldandy]

I love when people like you apply your rationale to someone else’s decision making processes. Makes for good reading

So you believe that this move was altruistic? Yeah no. Its because you are at 6 games and falling fast. If Uconn were in The ACC or B1G, they would be on board with playing games until the conference said otherwise. All this will be moot soon enough once regular students get on campus and cases spike. Hopefully we'll get football back by 2021.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

If Uconn were still in The AAC they would be toeing the company line right until the conference decided to pull the plug on the season. Its a lot easier to make what you deem a brave decision when the decision is effectively made for you. If I announce that I promise to never cheat on my wife with a supermodel does it really carry any weight if I never have the opportunity to meet one?

I give Uconn credit for making the best out of truly bad situation. The AD can now spin this to make the program appear more responsible than others out there still claiming they will play. It beats the alternative of saying "we decided that seeing New Mexico State on our schedule twice in a decade let alone twice in one year appeals to exactly no one. Lets try this again in 2021."

The P5 schedule is going to fail. The best case for them is an outbreak on one team causing a domino effect of teams cancelling their seasons. The worst case is one or more players or coaches getting critically ill or dying, at which point everyone involved in greenlighting the season could be facing serious consequences.

UConn, and everyone for that matter, should want to get as far away as possible from what is about to happen.

 

[Skiblets]

You don’t choke up when talking about player safety without some degree of altruism. So yes. I do believe Are there other factors that went into it? Of course. Your post was just rife with assumed negative motivations even though you weren’t around the table as this was being decided. Life’s much better when one assumes good intent

 

[Vuce]

Have we cancelled other fall sports yet? If not, why? Those student athletes need to be protected too. UConn needs to be out front there too and lead. No reason to wait.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

This season got on the fast track to disaster when every P5 conference decided their TV contract was the only thing that mattered, and player safety was not even on the list of considerations.

The only smart decision was to have no part of this burgeoning disaster.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Have we cancelled other fall sports yet? If not, why? Those student athletes need to be protected too. UConn needs to be out front there too and lead. No reason to wait.

You don't care about the football players' health or safety. We heard you the first time.

 

[Vuce]

And you don’t care about soccer or field hockey players at all. We heard you loud and clear as well

 

[nelsonmuntz]

And you don’t care about soccer or field hockey players at all. We heard you loud and clear as well

This is a ridiculous straw man argument. Soccer and football are different activities. I would explain it to you but it is easier to just let your tantrum burn itself out.

 

[Vuce]

You would explain it but you can’t. I don’t even disagree with dropping football. The season was over anyway with the games lost. If UConn truly cancelled to protect the kids then they’d cancel ALL fall sports now. When a member of any fall sports team contracts COVID I’ll wait for your “explanation” lol

 

[gtcam]

If anyone thinks UConn did this without a hint of economic implications just doesn't understands athletics as a business.
If UConn was in a P5 this cancellation would have been announced by another indy who wanted to be seen as a "trailblazer" but really is not being forthright
I live and die for as well as bleed UConn but don't buy some of the reasons for this cancellation
The almighty dollar rules, sad but true

 

[superjohn]

They made the easy call. It was made for them. This is not UConn being strong in the era of Covid. This is UConn realizing they had nobody to play.

Anyone who says differently is full of Scal*to.

 

[Ldandy]

You don’t choke up when talking about player safety without some degree of altruism. So yes. I do believe Are there other factors that went into it? Of course. Your post was just rife with assumed negative motivations even though you weren’t around the table as this was being decided. Life’s much better when one assumes good intent

I'm not assuming anything. I'm looking at a program with a dwindling schedule and no legit options to backfill for this year. Had Uconn been in a conference they would be "playing" until told otherwise. They took a bad situation and spun it to get a little good press. Nothing wrong with that. Every school in America would have done the same under similar circumstances. I'm sure that Uconn/Randy care for their players, but they don't have a monopoly on doing so.

 

[gtcam]

This is a ridiculous straw man argument. Soccer and football are different activities. I would explain it to you but it is easier to just let your tantrum burn itself out.

There is still physical contact in both sports - One can catch the flu from another in both sports
Singles tennis has two people playing and it is possible for one to catch something from the other - a whole lot more remote but still possible

 

[Jimdish255]

The P5 schedule is going to fail. The best case for them is an outbreak on one team causing a domino effect of teams cancelling their seasons. The worst case is one or more players or coaches getting critically ill or dying, at which point everyone involved in greenlighting the season could be facing serious consequences.

UConn, and everyone for that matter, should want to get as far away as possible from what is about to happen.

This. And maybe their path to this decision was easier than many, but they still remain the first to take a position against acceptable risk.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Benedict said he had been fielding phone calls, texts and emails from other schools the last couple of weeks and could have played a full schedule. Curious what schools were reaching out.

 

[billybud]

We all knew what the decision would be...

It was the only one...quit and put the best face on it..."it is for the athletes"...although we will have 8,000 students on campus cause we need the money.

....UConn's schedule was a shambles
.....the "pay" games were cancelled
.....not much TV money would be lost
....cancelling saved the strapped athletic department needed monies.
....UConn had not developed internal covid testing with quick turnaround times....
....and the loss of football wasn't the loss it would be ifor many universities and their fans

This decision was the only one that made sense....put the best face on it and move on...and that is what is being done.

 

[billybud]

And...the statement needs to be sold as a strong pro athlete statement. and re sold.

To counter that other strong statement that some twitterati/ and journalists have been interpreting as "We are UConn and it's only football. We are awaiting basketball season".