NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?
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I moved this from another thread… just too important…
Let’s get a vote on what we think will happen:
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The NCAA Tournament will continue as usual but with a few adjustments, like hand sanitizers at every gate. Maybe require masks.
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The NCAA Tournament will continue but without an audience.
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The NCAA Tournament will be cancelled all together.
Let’s face it… our country was caught off guard. We didn’t take the threat serious after facing two other versions of coronavirus; MERS and SARS.
But lets move forward and say, “it is what it is.”
And what it is… is a death threat to the elderly and those with a compromised immune system.
We don’t feel like hanging up the season without a conclusion. And neither does any other fan, coach, player, school or the NCAA.
If you examine the last 48 hours you will find that events are being cancelled almost across the board.
Can we find a safe compromise?
I would like your ideas on how we can make March Madness happen while protecting the safety of all.
Fans:
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Fans are temperature screened before entering the arena. A specific temperature will disqualify fans from entering.
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Fans are required to wear a mask. If they didn’t bring one, one will be provided at the gate, perhaps for a fee.
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All fans get a healthy splash of sanitizer as they enter the arena. They are also given a small bottle of sanitizer to take with them to their seat.
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Extra personnel are on hand to walk around and keep sanitizing commonly touched areas during the game.
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Public address will run constant messages before every game and at half time and after conclusion on safety policies.
Teams:
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Coaches and players will be tested before games. They will also be screened for temperature right before games.
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Coaches and bench players wear a mask.
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Hand sanitizer is in constant use on the bench as players enter and exit the game.
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Players and coaches are instructed on safety protocols prior to the game.
Arena Personnel:
Follows the same protocol as teams.
This virus may diminish soon, especially as warmer weather comes, but it is here and it is likely to be here to stay. Excellent chance we will face this same situation after the summer. We will have to learn to adjust our lifestyles while still living them!
Why not make March Madness the experimental public event?
I bet many of you have ideas to add into this!
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Or - people could wash their hands, cough/sneeze into their elbows, not freak out - and watch KU win another National Championship.
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Unfortunately… coughing into your elbow is not a perfect solution.
Personally, I have no fear of this virus bothering me. But I do fear it bothering my 87 yr old dad and others!
I always have a fever when watching KU basketball! I’m serious. My adrenaline kicks in and I’m a sweaty mess!
BTW: Doke actually looks more menacing with the mask!
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https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/10/us/march-madness-coronavirus-spt-trnd/index.html
https://www.si.com/college/2020/03/10/coronavirus-impact-ncaa-conference-tournament-march-madness
Not exactly offering much info - http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news
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I have a follow-up. Would you rather the tournament be canceled and KU be crowned champ since they’re the unanimous #1 or play it out, knowing there’s less than a 50% chance we cut down the nets in Atlanta?
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@drgnslayr I hear you, I’m worried about my parents as well. Do I think that this could be our year? Damn right I do, and would like for them win it all - but not at the expense of our country.
If it spreads much more (already even in BFE Kansas) they might have to cancel. The dance is a nationwide event, and the dumb fucks - yeah, I said it - just won’t fucking stay at home (and I’m not talking about the elderly, who are paying a dear price). Imagination how many people could be infected, not just at the games but afterwards.
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@drgnslayr With all due respect to your father (my dad is 84, I get where you’re coming from) they’re probably much more likely to be exposed to the flu. We’re not screening anyone for the flu. I’m not a doctor, but the numbers seem to back that up.
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Naaaaa… feels like we will just be adding another Helms Foundation trophy!
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@drgnslayr Sadly, you’re probably right.
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You are probably right. I’ve said along that this version of coronavirus will make us more alert to all flu! They all kill elders and those with weak immunity.
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I’m having a bad thought… that the tourney continues but all players are screened and we lose Doke and Devon to the virus so they are sidelined.
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Except for in the test tube… how would someone know their clogged nose is Corona or Type A flu?
Why would the average Joe get tested? His parents are at risk regardless of the type of flu!
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@drgnslayr Yeah, but this fucker kills alot quicker and more efficiently. It is not the flu.
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I’m wondering that because 13 people died from that one facility in Seattle. Maybe we should know more about that situation before we pass judgment on the harshness of this bug.
I don’t think we really understand the fatality rate when looking at deaths compared to those tested and found to have it. That accuracy is at best a guess because most of the population doesn’t even have side effects and the ones who do probably most don’t get tested.
My gut says it’s less fatal than Type A and B… but everyone on this site knows how accurate my gut is from previous seasons!
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@drgnslayr I hope you are right.
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Freaking scary
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@Crimsonorblue22 We agree on that, girl. Very fucking scary.
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@Marco you watched that in 1 minute?
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@Crimsonorblue22 watching it now.
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@Crimsonorblue22 Yeah, I would say that qualifies as freaking scary.
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The NCAA has said as of today that they plan to move forward as usual. They have consulted the CDC and health department. One thing to consider is this most is a small sum of around 20k people. The subways in major cities run millions of individuals each day and are still going. If you are sick or elderly, I’d advise not to go. If it was in Wichita, I’d still go.
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Yikes. At first I didn’t know what to think of that guy… then as it progressed and he spoke further it is obvious he knows what he is talking about.
That ending…
I hope our country, the wealthiest nation on earth, starts realizing we need to push a large chunk of our military spending into solving problems like this.
I support our military but how safe can they keep us when all the medical supplies we need are being made overseas and those supply lines get cut off?
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@drgnslayr it scared me.
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@FarmerJayhawk Ofcourse I would rather us play it out. But to be honest, Farmer, it’s not about what I want at this point.
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@Marco said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:
@drgnslayr Yeah, but this fucker kills alot quicker and more efficiently. It is not the flu.
Again CDC has come out since this has started and now say this is TEN TIMES a deadly as the flu
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I could be wrong (for the millionth time)… but I still feel that saving lives must first start with the individual.
Many people are old or sick and they are at a disadvantage. But everyone, especially those at a disadvantage, must put their focus on health and building their immunity.
After watching many around me die from cancer, I started focusing on health. I quickly realized that what we put in our bodies is key. We need exercise, fresh air, a sense of humor, and safe healthy food and drink. I made that my life’s mission as I became a late-blooming father. More than anything, I want my kids to be healthy. So I turned my home into our life source! I transformed the land into a growing space. Fruit trees, berry patches, figs, huge vegetable garden, herbs, grapes, and medicinal plants. All organic, and requiring a lot of extra effort in composting and developing soil. Okay… I know what you are thinking… and you can call me a weirdo!
I have an indoor garden for the winter. Sprouts, wheatgrass (and other grasses) and micro greens. I can my harvest to get me through the winter and I dry herbs for teas and live on root plants. I make kombucha and other ferments. Big on all kinds of kimchi. Big on smoothies… Big on drinking distilled water… Big on air filtering machines in every room to improve air quality indoors.
I don’t take pharma because I don’t need pharma. Obviously, that day may change as I age… but it’s my goal to keep it natural and every health issue I’ve had to face (so far) I’ve been able to substitute synthetic medicine for a natural solution.
The real wake-up around this situation is one of personal responsibility (for most of us). For those who are less fortunate, we should do whatever we can to help them though we all must realize death is a part of life. I know my dad would be pissed off if the tournament isn’t played in an effort to save his life! He’s a Korean Vet and great human being and he’s had his day in the sun.
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@Marco said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:
@FarmerJayhawk Ofcourse I would rather us play it out. But to be honest, Farmer, it’s not about what I want at this point.
For sure, just a hypothetical! There are certainly much bigger issues than basketball games around this deal
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@jayballer73 link to it bring ten times deadlier? Outside of China the morality rate is less than double of the flu. Not sure how that could be 10 times more deadly. https://www.livescience.com/new-coronavirus-compare-with-flu.html
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What happens with the NCAA Tournament is largely going to be dependent other number of infections in the area where games are being played.
Here in Houston, there’s been 14 confirmed cases, all travel related, out of a population of about 7 million people. We also currently have a much larger event than the NCAA Tournament going right now with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo which is a 3 week event held at NRG Stadium that draws upwards of 80,000 people daily to the venue for the show and carnival around the grounds. Since that hasn’t been affected yet, I can’t see the NCAA banning fans from games here in 2 weeks unless something drastic happens with an outbreak here in the city.
I was also at the Rockets game tonight, go Ben McLemore, and there didn’t appear to be any extra precautions being taken other than the PA guy and some graphics reminding people to wash their hands.
I can’t speak for other cities, but I don’t see the NCAA banning fans from attending the S16 and E8 games in Houston at this point.
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This is my irritable gut again… my gut thinks that over the next week or two the gov will be releasing a million or so test kits and then the infection numbers explode. Then the NCAA is in real trouble. They’ve kept everything moving along with the belief that games will have fans in places that are not hot spots for the virus and then suddenly that changes. Last second cancellations for fans? Imagine that. Imagine all those fans spending money and traveling at risk then being cancelled at the end.
Could we see protests at arenas? Maybe even violence?
I know the NCAA isn’t exactly loved by many. If what I mention happens, there will be some extremely upset fans.
Many “experts” on this are already past thinking we can strive for localized virus control. They are on to mitigation as the strategy.
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@Crimsonorblue22 said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:
Freaking scary
The whole podcast is worth a listen. Also a really informative segment on CWD in deer, which is active in parts of central and western Kansas.
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600 confirmed infected in the US yesterday. If we are like Italy we will have 9,000 cases in 10 more days.
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Heard on Fox this morning they were talking to the Secetary of medical health. Was ask about the sports field and not allowing large groups of people to advents. he was ask who makes that determination, and responded that is left up to State and local authorities not the Federal Govt.
They said even with that being said that a Gov in the State of Ohio was saying they were host/site to NCAA and that he was recommending that NO fans be allowed in attendance . - which they said they certainly wouldn’t 2nd guess decisions made by local authorities.
I also heard there are going to be conditions to the Big 12 tourney - - limited people to be able to attend team practices - -limited media access. I still am fully believing when it is done I just don’t think they are going to have fans attend games.
Going to be interesting because some of the places hardest hit NY - - - Seattle - and possibly Florida? - -all NCAA sites right?
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Don’t play and give the national championship to the highest ranked team in both polls.
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@kjayhawks said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:
If you are sick or elderly, I’d advise not to go.
Your post reflects a common if understandable misperception. The problem for large events isn’t primarily the risk to attendees. It is that perfectly healthy people get infected at a high rate, then infect others, some of whom are high risk.
Consider, the New Rochelle, NY, area has been locked down Italy-style due to an outbreak that has been traced to a single⁸ 50 year old lawyer. First his entire family – son, wife, daughter – then the friend who drove him to the hospital, then other friends, colleagues, and synagogue acquaintances all ended up positive in less than a week. 108 cases in the county! And they don’t even know where he got it.
So, assume just 5 people who unknowingly have been exposed go to an arena with 20,000 people–and they go to both sessions on a weekend. With the fast spread rate of this thing, assuming each sick person infects only 2, how many could be infected within a week? And how many down the line might visit a nursing home or live with cancer patients or, travelling to or from, just touch things at the store or the gas pump after coughing into their hands?
Unfortunately, there is a reason why eliminating large gatherings is virtually always a vital step in stopping epidemics–because it works. It slows down transmission so that resources can be marshalled and so the disease can be studied and more effective treatments can be developed for the symptoms, and eventually, hopefully, a vaccine.
Bottom line, many perfectly healthy people can acquire the virus and end up killing a large number of others. Will the NCAA want to deal with the PR of dozens, perhaps hundreds or even thousands, of cases ultimately tracked to the tourney?
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@drgnslayr You may find it interesting to read the section on how they calculate the lethality rate in this site (which is the best site for all stats and info showing how it spreads, too; many links there full of great info).
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-death-rate/#correct
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Big West & Mid American restricting no fans at Post Season tourneys. - - -USC & UCLA restricting fans from all sporting advents. - -NBA having conference call with owners about no fans at games.
Seattle possibly looking at restricting capacity of 250 fans at games. Pro and otherwise
NBA - - NFL - - MLB - - NSL restricting media from locker rooms. -NBA discussing about suspending Season
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Thanks for the link.
I believe these formulas will change considerably as the outbreak continues.
These current formulas do not consider testing accuracy confidence data which come from a positive/negative control input (which is used to calculate testing accuracy).
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@drgnslayr It will probably have to run its course this time around before any reliable stat is finalized.
Lack of accurate testing is a big bugaboo. For all of our uncertainty about unreported cases where people got no med care, there have got to also be deaths in some locations that no one even associated with COVID-19. Someone already ill with pneumonia or other resp distress that just took a turn without any known contact with travellers, etc. I even wonder if the flu stats have been affected by misdiagnoses. Lots of misunderstandings were evident in news reports in Jan and Feb.
Someone on my cruise forum just posted a rant about this just being a news hype and saying it is not even a epidemic. 120,000 infected, 7 billion not. More of a chance to be hit by lightning. Claims to be a first responder.
I asked him if the extremely low chance of being hit by lightning meant he stands under tall trees or on open hilltops during thunderstorms, or if he takes reasonable precautions like a sane person would?
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@mayjay well my neighbor has been struck by lightening 4 times… some people never learn. His brother won’t stand near him during a storm. Others learn fast. Lol
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All the stats are necessary for scientific evaluation. But it’s being used as fuel for the fire of fear with the public.
Is that a good thing? On one hand, it stays in the short attention span of the public and may entice them to follow rules of social distancing, etc. On the other hand… it’s chasing off confidence in the stock market, creating supplies shortages, killing business in almost every sector.
We are struggling to survive two separate viruses; the coronavirus, and the juxtavirus of the coronavirus (public reaction).
We live in a time of “frenzy logic.” Science used to be something exercised behind closed doors and then only leaked to the public carefully. Today we have “science” from legit sources and questionable sources and often directly released to the public, who are untrained in science and easily taken advantage of by those with a specific motive. Science isn’t supposed to be a tool of motive. It’s a tool striving to limit bias. “Facts” are replaced with “levels of confidence.” Knowledge is building blocks, a stream of studies both supporting and not-supporting ideas. The goal is to take ideas (hypothesis) through a conversion into logic statements, building empirical data, injecting into mathematical formulas to reach conclusions within a structure of confidence levels. Results aren’t based on the way most minds work with analysis. We see what follows: misunderstanding, fear, misdirection, etc etc etc.
Look how quickly the public turns “science findings” into illogical decisions as they go from a feeling of safety to danger. Let’s look at TOILET PAPER consumption. We did not have a toilet paper shortage in America. We have enough… during calm times. Then we go into “frenzy logic.” The public no longer stays calm and the beast comes out. GO BUY TOILET PAPER! So you have that initial group of buyers who are completely without trust of others, buying up TP. Then you have the next group in… those hearing from the media that TP is flying off the shelves so they go stock up “just in time.” Then you have the victims… those who didn’t react and run out. I’m probably missing a group or two… like those hoping to profit over this by selling TP on the black market, or should I say “brown market.”
There was a reason why science used to be safely buffered from the public.
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@drgnslayr Much of those reactions are due to society, government, and business refusing to prepare for this. Heath officials and epidemiologists have warned of pandemics for years. Many have warned that disruptions from being unprepared will be catastrophic compared to prepping ahead of time and getting people conditioned to the necessity of coordinated responses that include restrictions on gatherings and movement.
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@drgnslayr TP is even funnier during forecasted snowstorms. At least this one could involve being quarantined for weeks. Snowstorms, not so much…
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Yes… It is tragic that we have to push people to react on social distancing, etc., while suffer catastrophic results in other areas because of the frenzy mentality.
There is no going back so we should continue giving info and hope some of it sticks…
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Maybe we shouldn’t be discussing these runs so much.
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At least toilet paper is decent insulation! Fill the room with TP, just leaving a squatting space in the center. hahahaaa… Kind of sounds like I know from experience! (not going to say)
(proper social distancing)
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New definition acquired after Coronavirus:
“Consumer confidence” = Standing in checkout line at the market and noticing the person in front of you with a shopping cart full of toilet paper. Then deciding that consumer looks like he/she knows something special so pull out of line to add more toilet paper to your cart.
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@drgnslayr said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:
New definition acquired after Coronavirus:
“Consumer confidence” = Standing in checkout line at the market and noticing the person in front of you with a shopping cart full of toilet paper. Then deciding that consumer looks like he/she knows something special so pull out of line to add more toilet paper to your cart.
See like my neighbor said what the hell does toilet paper got to do with anything. - -You can’t fid any toilet paper ? - - Corona virus doesn’t give you instant Dirrea - kind of thinking so myself what the hell
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Been training for my first half marathon. It’s in 3 weeks. It’s also going to be my last. I ran 11.5 on Saturday which is my all time high. I’ll be beyond upset if they cancel.
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@wissox If they do, run it anyway. You won’t have to worry about catching anything from anyone. Or catching anyone.
