NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?



  • @FarmerJayhawk

    It’s been tough for me to pull away from games whether there is a crowd or not.

    But I’ve come around to thinking it is best to cancel. It’s really about protecting those at risk. I am spending a big chunk of my time now creating a safer environment around my loved ones at risk.



  • I think the debate will be hard to resolve. Even more of a challenge in the future when we look at things retrospectively.

    If the curve flattens and the epidemic in the US turns out to be not as deadly and, instead have an impact that is similar to the common flu, the public health officials will see it as evidence the response was a success and skeptics will see it as evidence that it was overblown and a whole bunch of hooey.



  • @kjayhawks There’s two things going on here. Sporting bodies are not caving to media pressure by cancelling or postponing events, they are listening to groups like the CDC and WHO and following their advice.

    The people going out and buying multiple years with of TP and other sanitation products are the ones buying into the media fear mongering.

    Pushing pause on life for 2-3 weeks to slow down the spread of this disease is a reasonable measure in this case based on what happened in Italy.



  • @Texas-Hawk-10 said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:

    @kjayhawks There’s two things going on here. Sporting bodies are not caving to media pressure by cancelling or postponing events, they are listening to groups like the CDC and WHO and following their advice.

    The people going out and buying multiple years with of TP and other sanitation products are the ones buying into the media fear mongering.

    Pushing pause on life for 2-3 weeks to slow down the spread of this disease is a reasonable measure in this case based on what happened in Italy.

    Agree with the caveat that the people hoarding TP may be victims of anxiety disorders as much as it could be the media. I tend to not blame the media for every stupid thing that people do… just like I don’t blame video games for mass murders, cars for car accidents… guns, etc…

    That said, not all media outlets practice responsible journalism and certainly provoke emotions… which quickly becomes fear for those who are susceptible.



  • I’ll take some flack for this because not everyone shares my beliefs. Here’s what it boils down to for me personally.

    Psalm 64:1 Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

    This applies to this and so many other things in the world. It’s not about the actual “enemy” (coronavirus, in this instance) - it’s about the FEAR of the enemy. The actual enemy is never as big as the fear of it, no matter what it is.

    OK, you can start bashing me now.



  • @nuleafjhawk said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:

    I’ll take some flack for this because not everyone shares my beliefs. Here’s what it boils down to for me personally.

    Psalm 64:1 Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

    This applies to this and so many other things in the world. It’s not about the actual “enemy” (coronavirus, in this instance) - it’s about the FEAR of the enemy. The actual enemy is never as big as the fear of it, no matter what it is.

    OK, you can start bashing me now.

    I think that’s fair. Right now it’s hard to disentangle the impacts of the fear of the virus vs the actual virus.

    The markets are all about speculation. The steep drop is partly — maybe mostly — a reflection of fear.

    The actual impact of the virus is people missing work, racking up medial costs, causing some deaths… etc.



  • If they want to make an actual impact stoppage of a few basketball games isn’t it. That’s just optics. All flights need to be stopped. All public transportation needs to stop. Ban groups of over 100 - sucks for bigger businesses as they won’t even be able to run right. Stop all inter-state traffic. Don’t allow people into or out of areas with known infection. Etc.

    Cancelling games is window dressing and frankly a bunch of crap unless it’s just the start of something more sweeping.



  • @bskeet said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:

    @nuleafjhawk said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:

    I’ll take some flack for this because not everyone shares my beliefs. Here’s what it boils down to for me personally.

    Psalm 64:1 Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

    This applies to this and so many other things in the world. It’s not about the actual “enemy” (coronavirus, in this instance) - it’s about the FEAR of the enemy. The actual enemy is never as big as the fear of it, no matter what it is.

    OK, you can start bashing me now.

    I think that’s fair. Right now it’s hard to disentangle the impacts of the fear of the virus vs the actual virus.

    The markets are all about speculation. The steep drop is partly — maybe mostly — a reflection of fear.

    The actual impact of the virus is people missing work, racking up medial costs, causing some deaths… etc.

    I’m not going to bash you my friend. - your totally fine, we all have our stances - -we just pull together now and make it through this together



  • Well they were talking to the Iowa Coach McCaffery ? - was asking him if he thought or had heard of a time frame where they just might postpone the tourney - play in a couple of Months. He said nothing for sure but said if they might try he said he had heard from a couple of other Coach’s - -and yes a possibility of re-scheduling for MAY. - -Said there would have to be a lot go into re-planning getting things sit -but you JUSTNEVE KNOW - they said though you need facilities to be availibilty - College players concentrating on their NBA future



  • @jayballer73 Hey, KU might be healthy by then!



  • Three new cases of Corona here in Kansas all from Johnson County - -all men from 35-65 - -contacted from a conference in Florida



  • @dylans said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:

    @jayballer73 Hey, KU might be healthy by then!

    YAY , there is a possibility maybe a little better then what some might think - -but yet having said that probably won’t



  • May madness…now that is insane.



  • @dylans said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:

    May madness…now that is insane.

    May Madness™

    Hey-- you better get the TM on that now. You know how the NCAA is about things like that!



  • @bskeet Yeah totally. I’m on a group text with a concert promoter, a project manager at a major movie theater company, a lawyer, a non-profit employee, and a film editor, and just about all of them are voicing fears about the immediate future of their employment and livelihood. Those fears are very real but also hard to gauge the true future impact of this pandemic. Most of us in that text thread have purchased houses within the last 5 years and are still paying mortgages, two couples have kids under 1 who require daycare. And while you might say why would they pay for day care if they have to stay home, well, don’t pay for day care in a city like Austin and watch that spot disappear.

    I’m certainly not going to bash what I think is a pretty sound observation that fear of a thing is usually worse than the thing itself.



  • I’m sure some of you heard the Texas players were quite concerned about Andrew Jones - name right? The player that had cancer who has a compromised immune system. Maybe that should help us think of others for those of us that can’t do that!



  • @dylans said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:

    If they want to make an actual impact stoppage of a few basketball games isn’t it. That’s just optics. All flights need to be stopped. All public transportation needs to stop. Ban groups of over 100 - sucks for bigger businesses as they won’t even be able to run right. Stop all inter-state traffic. Don’t allow people into or out of areas with known infection. Etc.

    Cancelling games is window dressing and frankly a bunch of crap unless it’s just the start of something more sweeping.

    Sports is often the catalyst for social issues in this country rightly or wrongly. The hopeful effect of this will be that without sports around, people will take heed of the warnings given by the CDC and WHO and not flippantly dismiss them because it doesn’t directly affect them. They’ll see people that are generally considered invincible because of the health and conditioning most athletes are in taking precautions and realize they need to as well.

    Rudy Gobert’s story has really pissed me off since it came out that he’d been very dismissive of it and making light of the situation and now he has it and spread it to at least 1 teammate and who knows of he spread it to any opponents yet or not



  • @Texas-Hawk-10 weird he was the one, karma?



  • @dylans said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:

    If they want to make an actual impact stoppage of a few basketball games isn’t it. That’s just optics. All flights need to be stopped. All public transportation needs to stop. Ban groups of over 100 - sucks for bigger businesses as they won’t even be able to run right. Stop all inter-state traffic. Don’t allow people into or out of areas with known infection. Etc.

    Cancelling games is window dressing and frankly a bunch of crap unless it’s just the start of something more sweeping.

    That’s how they seem to be flattening the curve elsewhere. Exponential growth is hard to wrap a brain around.



  • @Crimsonorblue22 and other educators:

    95DF7BF5-2BC2-4C96-9057-81BA57534E98.jpeg

    For all of us @drgnslayr esp. 9E47ABA1-6630-4814-B0DE-B0BACE840253.jpeg

    380C743D-15D4-4AB2-8749-E313E2A81663.jpeg

    Stay safe.



  • Ready or not here it is. I just hope that fear of the virus is worse than the actual virus.



  • @dylans said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:

    Ready or not here it is. I just hope that fear of the virus is worse than the actual virus.

    New Cases of the Virus in NY jumped by like 110 new cases in a 24 hour period. - went to like 330 now



  • Ohio authorities estimate 1% of the state is carrying it. That’s almost 120,000 people.



  • Listening to them talk with Jay Bilas, he is saying that he had been getting quite a few texts within the last 15 minutes and saying they would be all in favor of POSTPONING the tourney not Cancel.

    Like Postponing for like a Month and then seeing where we are at and if no change or thing like that then Cancel





  • KU NATTY CHAMPS



  • ESPN says NCAA cancelled the tournament. Let’s wait a hot minute and see if that is accurate.



  • Welp so much for that. NCAA just announced all winter sports are Cancelled - -not postponed - - FRICK - they were just talking to Mark Few when this came in and he said he was extremely disappointed - -that they Cancelled not Postponed



  • @bskeet said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:

    ESPN says NCAA cancelled the tournament. Let’s wait a hot minute and see if that is accurate.

    it is



  • Way Coach Few sure sounds like from the Coach’s he talked to today , they are truly disappointed about Cancelling instead of Postponing

    This just Sucks for Doke - -Devon



  • @jayballer73 Yeah… I heard it too. Just seems premature to make such a drastic decision.



  • @bskeet It is, NCAA declared cancellation.



  • Gosh. I see the announcement now. Fudge.



  • @bskeet It’s official. It’s cancelled. Not sure if you heard.



  • Well, it’s been a pretty satisfying season with yet another unsatisfying ending. Are we cursed?



  • So, is anyone thinking KU should have just caved and accepted a postseason ban this year?



  • @bskeet said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:

    @jayballer73 Yeah… I heard it too. Just seems premature to make such a drastic decision.

    Jay Bilas is talking about a possible reason for cancellation could be due to contractual and insurance issues the NCAA has.

    Another probable factor would be the logistics of trying to rebook venues in a couple of months down the road when many of those venues are also probably going to be trying to squeeze in NBA and NHL games as well.



  • We are all going to wonder for the rest of our lives whether this was the year we win it, Selfs second championship. What if, what if, what if. We had a pretty damn good shot this year didn’t we? Great defense, best point guard, arguably best big man, a well-balanced well coached core of team guys. And it wasn’t like there was another monster NCAA team that were better really.

    What stunningly incredible bad luck. We will get through this virus, but it will take a few months probably, then hopefully we are wiser about epidemics, and can get on with our lives again. But we will always always wonder what if.



  • @mayjay said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:

    So, is anyone thinking KU should have just caved and accepted a postseason ban this year?

    Hell no, KU needs to raise a national championship banner for this year since we were the unanimous #1 ranked team in the final poll this season. Give the NCAA a middle finger since there’s no chance in hell the NCAA wouldn’t have the balls to declare Kansas and South Carolina the men’s and women’s national champions this season.



  • Leave it to the NCAA to make a decision that is questioned and criticized by many people.

    I mean, look at all the other organizations that have made decisions in the last 24 hours which seem to be universally supported… And then the NCAA does this.



  • This title feels so damn empty. I feel so shitty for all the seniors that worked so hard to get to this point and now it’s just… over. Goes for baseball, softball, track, basketball. The NCAA should do the right thing and give them all an extra year if they want and waive the scholarship cap for a year so no HS kids get left out in the cold.



  • They could have moved the midwest regional to AFH. It’s been hosted there in the past. I think they could have found the venues… but yeah, media contracts and the insurance liability… I’m sure it’s all very intricate. But super disappointing.



  • @FarmerJayhawk said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:

    This title feels so damn empty. I feel so shitty for all the seniors that worked so hard to get to this point and now it’s just… over. Goes for baseball, softball, track, basketball. The NCAA should do the right thing and give them all an extra year if they want and waive the scholarship cap for a year so no HS kids get left out in the cold.

    100% agree with this. Also a great way to get a lot of athletes started in masters programs as well if they did something like this.



  • Another heartbreaking story is Doke. The only way he was going to get to see his mom this spring was if KU reached the Final Four and could pay for his mom to fly in from Nigeria. I’d love to see the NCAA waive this rule for a one time exception and allow KU to fly Doke’s mom in for his graduation.



  • @bskeet said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:

    They could have moved the midwest regional to AFH. It’s been hosted there in the past. I think they could have found the venues… but yeah, media contracts and the insurance liability… I’m sure it’s all very intricate. But super disappointing.

    Hotel capacity in Lawrence is why AFH doesn’t host games anymore. As many fans that travel to the NCAA Tournament now, cities that host games have to have the hotel space and Lawrence doesn’t have the hotel space. That’s a big part of the postponement issue as well.



  • @Texas-Hawk-10 said in NCAA Tournament: Should it happen?:

    Another heartbreaking story is Doke. The only way he was going to get to see his mom this spring was if KU reached the Final Four and could pay for his mom to fly in from Nigeria. I’d love to see the NCAA waive this rule for a one time exception and allow KU to fly Doke’s mom in for his graduation.

    Hope KU still has it!



  • @Bosthawk I posted on here a few days ago that, for the first time in my life, I believed we would win it all if we stayed healthy. Healthy, meaning not injured. I haven’t seen a team anywhere that could stay with us with a healthy Doke and Dotson.

    I’m pretty sure the NCAA invented this virus to keep KU out of the limelight. (not really, but it feels good to say it)



  • The men’s and women’s basketball tournaments have been canceled.



  • Another potential issue with postponing the NCAA Tournament is how many teams would be missing players because of those players focusing on the NBA Draft at that point. Would Doke and Dotson play at that point in May or would they already be off campus at some training facility getting prepared for the NBA Draft Combine.

    There’s just too many factors involved to feasibly host the NCAA Tournament in May.



  • Disney is shutting down Disneyland in California until the end of the month. We’re going to end up like Italy in shutting down the country at this point to slow the rate of infection and not overwhelm our healthcare facilities.


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