2020 Nebraska - An Independent Season?

[The Dude]

It's total insanity to suggest we can't have some sort of football season without overwhelming the hospital system.  Which was the entire point of social distancing in the first place.  It was never about ensuring nobody gets sick ever.  That's not a reasonable goal.

 

[NM11046]

I am not being disingenuous with this question: I wonder, then, if we should also feel some kind of complicit guilt in the potentially hundreds of former players with some degree of permanent CTE damage? And in all seriousness, maybe we really do?

And maybe players will rise up and take matters into their own hands as a result of some of these questions finally being asked on a broader scale. Because really, they put in a lot of work for our entertainment for arguably not a whole lot to show for it (most of them, anyway).

The thing about the concept of "safety" is that it's not exactly an extremely easy thing to navigate. 

I think that's a fair question.  I can only speak for myself; I do feel guilt with how much I've enjoyed the sport and seeing the very real tie to CTE.  I feel worse every time someone I remember playing gets diagnosed, or someone  younger than me announces they'e got it.  Watching "Concussion" in the theatre and seeing the physicians at Boston College/BMC talk on 60 minutes about their research took the wind out of me.  Have you listened to the podcast about Aaron Hernandez?  Watched the HBO special on Lawrence Phillips?  The hits they took during their football careers did not help their already fragile mental situations.

And I was accused of posting an emotional argument above - what about this isnt emotional?  It's Husker FB!   I remember Sam Foltz, I knew Brook Berringer - their deaths were total random accidents and the state was crushed.  Do you think if there was a 1% chance that the university could have helped them avoid their accidents we would all be telling them to do so?  We can lessen the chances of players, families and fans getting sick - to me it's an easy decision.  Does it take away all risk?  No, but don't you want to know you did all you could rather than look back and think, "if I'd only ..."  

 

[krc1995]

I think that's a fair question.  I can only speak for myself; I do feel guilt with how much I've enjoyed the sport and seeing the very real tie to CTE.  I feel worse every time someone I remember playing gets diagnosed, or someone  younger than me announces they'e got it.  Watching "Concussion" in the theatre and seeing the physicians at Boston College/BMC talk on 60 minutes about their research took the wind out of me.  Have you listened to the podcast about Aaron Hernandez?  Watched the HBO special on Lawrence Phillips?  The hits they took during their football careers did not help their already fragile mental situations.

And I was accused of posting an emotional argument above - what about this isnt emotional?  It's Husker FB!   I remember Sam Foltz, I knew Brook Berringer - their deaths were total random accidents and the state was crushed.  Do you think if there was a 1% chance that the university could have helped them avoid their accidents we would all be telling them to do so?  We can lessen the chances of players, families and fans getting sick - to me it's an easy decision.  Does it take away all risk?  No, but don't you want to know you did all you could rather than look back and think, "if I'd only ..."  

I get it. 
 

I enjoy a game that will not let my son play.  Seems exploitive. 

 

[Rochelobe]

The interesting thing is how the MLB publishes the test results every week, with names. Isn’t there some hippa violations in that? I do t think colleges could do that. 

Most likely we'd have to turn the game on and just figure it out by who is not playing (when a starter tests positive).  Agree that release of PHI would be restricted for the schools unless the player agrees to have the information released.

 

[Atbone95]

Seems like our lawyers either disagree with the interpretation, are stringing Frost/Moos along, or Frost was just bluffing to try and save the Big Ten season. Also how does non-conference work under that interpretation? We play 3 games a year outside of the conference, so if the Big Ten cancels this season can we keep those 3? Or are the non-conference games individually approved and the Big Ten would deny them?

We have amazing lawyers working at UNL (specifically, teaching law at the law college). 

Hearing the story of the contract loophole we found to exit the Big 12 without penalty (mostly) is pretty cool. They'll find an out to the B1G contract if we're serious and there are other options outside. 

 

[Head Coach Scott Frost]

We have amazing lawyers working at UNL (specifically, teaching law at the law college). 

Hearing the story of the contract loophole we found to exit the Big 12 without penalty (mostly) is pretty cool. They'll find an out to the B1G contract if we're serious and there are other options outside. 

Perlman was a dean of the college of law maybe we should put him in charge

/s

 

[Atbone95]

Perlman was a dean of the college of law maybe we should put him in charge

/s

You can have your opinions about Perlman being the source of our athletic woes (and you'd be right, he is). 

But as a lawyer, Perlman was a genius in navigating the Big 12 contract. Still teaches at the law college too. Cuts both ways, I guess

 

[Undone]

 Iremember Sam Foltz, I knew Brook Berringer - their deaths were total random accidents and the state was crushed.  Do you think if there was a 1% chance that the university could have helped them avoid their accidents we would all be telling them to do so?  We can lessen the chances of players, families and fans getting sick - to me it's an easy decision.  Does it take away all risk?  No, but don't you want to know you did all you could rather than look back and think, "if I'd only ..."  

By the way, quality dialog like this makes this forum really great to be a part of.

I’ve been on this board long enough to know you’re a pretty genuine person and I really believe you when you say those things.

I do wonder though if there is some “question begging” in the notion that because we couldn’t reasonably protect players from covid damage that it’s wrong on a moral level because of how inherently dangerous the sport is.

Maybe that line of thinking ventures into the territory of “two wrongs don’t make a right.” I guess I’ll have to spin it around in my head a bit more before I come to a conclusion there.

But where I really land though is in a place where it seems more obvious that the conferences most likely care more about being sued and optics than actual safety...because again, that’s kind of disingenuous to the inherent danger level of football to begin with IMO.

 

[WyoHusker56]

Between reports NU has alreadt spoken to NDSU about playing and got the ok from Regents to pursue playing you have to think they have a strong case they can do this. It doesn't seem like just bluffing. 

 

[bugeater17]

Between reports NU has alreadt spoken to NDSU about playing and got the ok from Regents to pursue playing you have to think they have a strong case they can do this. It doesn't seem like just bluffing. 

Also interesting no comment aside from the initial joint comment has been made from DONU. Multiple other Ads and coaches have given interviews. It seems we are truly working behind the scenes to figure out potential options or avenues to play before making further comment.

 

[NM11046]

By the way, quality dialog like this makes this forum really great to be a part of.

I’ve been on this board long enough to know you’re a pretty genuine person and I really believe you when you say those things.

I do wonder though if there is some “question begging” in the notion that because we couldn’t reasonably protect players from covid damage that it’s wrong on a moral level because of how inherently dangerous the sport is.

Maybe that line of thinking ventures into the territory of “two wrongs don’t make a right.” I guess I’ll have to spin it around in my head a bit more before I come to a conclusion there.

But where I really land though is in a place where it seems more obvious that the conferences most likely care more about being sued and optics than actual safety...because again, that’s kind of disingenuous to the inherent danger level of football to begin with IMO.

Agreed and likewise Undone.

I do think the reason for the decision was probably more concern around financial risk; long and short term  We are not yet seeing the long term effects of covid on those who live through it (whether the were sick or not), but the speculation around impact on organs in the down the road is terrifying.  I'm sure it was modeled a number of ways and the potential financial losses vs gain was just not worth the risk.  Which is sad and not how I wished college sports worked.  

 

[Notre Dame Joe]

Agreed and likewise Undone.

I do think the reason for the decision was probably more concern around financial risk; long and short term  We are not yet seeing the long term effects of covid on those who live through it (whether the were sick or not), but the speculation around impact on organs in the down the road .  I'm sure it was modeled a number of ways and the potential financial losses vs gain was just not worth the risk.  Which is sad and not how I wished college sports worked.  

Has your Conference issued a statement that sounds like "It's not about the money"?

in re: Indpendence.  The problem with it is that you still need someone to play.  IF you can solve that hurdle I'd go for an Orange Bowl featuring ACC Champion Notre Dame hosting an independent Nebraska.

 

[Undone]

Has your Conference issued a statement that sounds like "It's not about the money"?

in re: Indpendence.  The problem with it is that you still need someone to play.  IF you can solve that hurdle I'd go for an Orange Bowl featuring ACC Champion Notre Dame hosting an independent Nebraska.

If you think Notre Dame is playing any football games this year, you’re crazy.

And if you think Notre Dame would actually win the ACC if the hypothetical games were played, you’re even crazier.  

 

[JJ Husker]

I don't think it can realistically happen.

But if it could, playing maybe even 6-8 games when the majority of other programs didn't play could give our team a big broken leg or critical injury.

FIFY 

 

[Undone]

FIFY 

Yeah if a dude gets a bad injury, there’s not much chance of healing up for a full season for fall 2021.