NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?
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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.
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Just announced - NCAA recommends no fans at the NCAA tournament. As of now it’s it’s just Ohio ncaa games that will have no fans. https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28885087/governor-no-fans-ohio-ncaa-tournament-games
Re-listened I did hear right to first time. Mark Emmert says no fans at the NCAA tournament.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28885422/ncaa-says-tournament-go-fans
Wow
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yep no fans for women or mens just came across TV & read article it’s all games
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I wish they’d do an Olympic village type setting - all games one venue. Then you could test enough people to fill that sucker a couple times over with sequestered, healthy people for the duration of the tourney.
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@dylans said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:
I wish they’d do an Olympic village type setting - all games one venue. Then you could test enough people to fill that sucker a couple times over with sequestered, healthy people for the duration of the tourney.
So since there’s no point in playing the games in big domes, I move we play the whole thing at Allen. It’s reasonably sized and about halfway for everyone. And since there’s only 1 case in Kansas and it only kills old folks, just let the students in. Can’t hurt anything.
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NCAA tournament will be played without fans.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28885422/ncaa-says-tournament-go-fans
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@dylans said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:
I wish they’d do an Olympic village type setting - all games one venue. Then you could test enough people to fill that sucker a couple times over with sequestered, healthy people for the duration of the tourney.
I’m telling ya don’t have a heart attack - it could still very well happen where they cancel completely. - -People say they won’t cancel to big of money maker. - - Well if the fans aren’t allowed to be there then there goes at least half the revenue they make on the tourney - - don’t be surprised with the way this virus is going
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Imagine how it will be winning a title for the team that does in an empty arena.
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@kjayhawks said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:
Imagine how it will be winning a title for the team that does in an empty arena.
kind of sucks huh.
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@kjayhawks said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:
Imagine how it will be winning a title for the team that does in an empty arena.
“And both fans go wild!”
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I’m in minority on this but I think it’s being blown way outta proportion. Death totals for the flu in this country are nearing 50,000 right now for this winter. The coronavirus Death total is less than 10,000 world wide. One could very easily make the case that they never should have played the tournament during flu season.
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So much for the geographic fan advantage. Playing in Omaha might as well be Spokane, save the slight jet lag.
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Heard families will still be allowed in to watch…
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Are cheerleaders essential staff? If so I think we all have a case for admittance!
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We’ll see how much viewers like the sound of squeaking sneakers instead of the roar of the crowd.
Happened to watch a sumo tournament on the NHK Japanese channel the other day where the arena was empty due to the virus. You could actually hear the wrestlers breathing. Very weird.
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@FarmerJayhawk said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:
@dylans said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:
I wish they’d do an Olympic village type setting - all games one venue. Then you could test enough people to fill that sucker a couple times over with sequestered, healthy people for the duration of the tourney.
So since there’s no point in playing the games in big domes, I move we play the whole thing at Allen. It’s reasonably sized and about halfway for everyone. And since there’s only 1 case in Kansas and it only kills old folks, just let the students in. Can’t hurt anything.
I always think the tournament should be held on the favorites home court. Imagine the Allen Fieldhouse crowd cheering on a Final Four game in Lawrence! Rocket sauce
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“Based on their advice and my discussions with the NCAA Board of Governors, I have made the decision to conduct our upcoming championship events, including the Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, with only essential staff and limited family attendance.”
LIMITED FAMILY ATTENDANCE! We’re okay. The Jayhawk Nation is all family!
Question now… We lose our huge fan base wherever they play but will it really be a disadvantage for us? We always get the rest of the crowd against us from the other schools since we are favorites.
Isn’t this the time to have that “chip” kick in totally now that the nerves will be gone?
Might Doke now shoot FTs like he does in practice?
These games will be surreal and so will it be to watch them.
Will the bench (coaches) be on a microphone?
The NCAA could pay a production company to fill in the soundtrack with crowd roar. Won’t be the first time in sports…
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@kjayhawks It will be like any game that Oklahoma State wins at home.
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@benshawks08 said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:
Heard families will still be allowed in to watch…
@benshawks08 The article said “essential staff and limited family attendance.” I’m guessing that means the players’ Moms and Dads only.
@dylans Cheerleaders SHOULD be!
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I can’t wait to hear every word Self yells, the refs probably aren’t as eager.
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SO - does this mean we will actually get to watch the games on TV or will they pull some Pay-Per-View garbage on us ?
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Guess I will have to break the social distancing rules by throwing a huge party and pack my living room elbow to elbow.
Coughing and sneezing allowed only at halftime.
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Gotta be an NCAA conspiracy against KU.
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They’ve got to make up for a lot of lost income. My bet is pay-per-view.
Don’t sweat it… you are officially invited to my party! $1 a head should more than cover the cost.
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@drgnslayr Count me in, brother.
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Think I will see if we can rent AFH for every game.
We will fill it!
Everyone sign a silly waiver and let’s get it on!!!
We’ll have Self bring speakers to each game and we will send a live audio feed for crowd noise!!!
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@drgnslayr You know, that’s really a good idea.
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I’m in!
Anyone else?
Let’s do this! Seriously! There is no law stating we can’t gather.
We will follow the rules above and we will have a safe gathering!
Done!
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@drgnslayr Keep me posted!
