The Reporter (Vacaville)

College football now is insane

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I am probably beating a dead horse, but I am not the only one who thinks playing college football in the midst of a pandemic is a bad idea.

Since many are making the case more eloquently than I, I will quote a few.

Writing for USA Today, Christine Brennan said, “These schools are going to ridiculous lengths, twisting themselves into pretzels, hiding COVID-19 test results and cobbling together starting lineups with those who aren’t quarantine­d, to justify the unjustifia­ble: allowing student-athletes to play a sport that is the antithesis of social distancing on campuses teeming with coronaviru­s. College presidents at these schools, including the entire ACC, SEC and Big 12, are making the biggest gamble of their careers: That their decision to play football this fall won’t kill people.”

Ross Dellenger wrote in Sports Illustrate­d, “About half of the 77 teams planning to play this fall are located in towns with an infection rate of 15 or more, which Harvard describes as ‘dangerous levels’ of spread. With students returning to campuses and in the wake of the Labor Day holiday, more spikes are expected, medical experts say.”

Will Leitch of New York Magazine stated, “The impulse to close your eyes and wish the coronaviru­s away (while understand­able) has been the source of a great deal of pain and suffering over the past five months in this country. Yet, college football seems to be forging ahead with this exact strategy.”

Ken Goe of The Oregonian wrote, “I think it’s insane that some college football programs are going forward with games this fall while the country is in the midst of the coronaviru­s pandemic… Nothing in the evidence I see suggests it is safe or desirable to be playing a contact sport until we have a widelyavai­lable vaccine or, at minimum, effective treatments that

 ?? BRETT CARLSEN — GETTY IMAGES ?? Arkansas State head coach Blake Anderson and Memphis head coach Ryan Silverfiel­d bump fists after the game at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 5, in Memphis, Tenn. Memphis defeated Arkansas State 37-24.
BRETT CARLSEN — GETTY IMAGES Arkansas State head coach Blake Anderson and Memphis head coach Ryan Silverfiel­d bump fists after the game at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 5, in Memphis, Tenn. Memphis defeated Arkansas State 37-24.
 ??  ?? Matt Sieger
Matt Sieger

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