For The Oswegonian’s first issue this semester, I wrote a piece titled, “College football makes questionable plan.” It was due to the flurry of COVID-19 cases across the nation that I thought it was unsafe and unintelligent for athletic conferences to start playing. I have a heavy heart when I write this, but college sports should not continue, now more than ever, two months later.
To be honest, it is a joke that we as the American people think we can continue to live our lives like we did just two months ago. In September, we had successfully flattened the curve. COVID-19 was declining in the country to a somewhat manageable level of 29,000 cases per day, which is still a lot. Now, we are seeing a second wave before the first really ended, as the United States eclipsed 180,000 new cases daily.
Let us take a look at how college football has fared since returning to action. Last weekend, 15 games were canceled due to COVID-19. Fifteen. That is utterly disgraceful. Hundreds of young student-athletes are infected with a life-altering disease, while they risk elder family members and staffers who could perish.
I do not even need to get into the specifics of whom contracted COVID-19 on these teams, but Trevor Lawrence, the projected No. 1 pick of the NFL draft, had it. He also got to stand on the sidelines while watching his team lose to Notre Dame. Why was he allowed to sit on the sidelines but not play? That is beyond me.
The United States fumbled the ball on COVID-19. It was a Seattle Seahawks circa Super Bowl XLIX level move, a bone-headed one at that, where Russell Wilson threw the ball on the one-yard line. All the United States had to do, like the Seahawks, was run — run from COVID-19 with masks and social distancing.
Back to college athletics, they do not deserve to be played now more than ever. By no means do I say this as a slight to players, coaches and other personnel. Ninety-nine percent of them do the right thing, just like 99% of the American people. But, the 1% ruins it for everyone. The United States does not deserve college athletics right now, as we are on the verge of another lockdown.
Earlier this semester, the SUNYAC canceled winter sports, and like many, I was crushed. I thought it was too early. I hate to admit it, but the SUNYAC was right. Sure, SUNY has the capacity to test student-athletes practically every single day. The athletes could get tested two days before a game, ideally quarantined from those not on their team and faceoff against another clean team. But, in reality, was that going to happen? Without rapid testing, we could see one player cripple not only their whole team but also the opposition. Is that fair to the students who do the right thing? Is it fair to the coaches who are older or those involved with these teams?
By no means is it fair for these teams to lose a season of play. It is not fair for me and others like me to lose out on our final chance to cover teams we adore so much. But life is not fair. May and December graduates lost their in-person graduation ceremonies, but do we see hashtags run rampant trying to change that? Maybe we do, but did they work? Not at SUNY Oswego.
If it sounds harsh, that is because it is a harsh reality. I am not saying that student-athletes do not deserve to play the games they love. What I am saying is that this country failed them and did so from the very beginning. If student-athletes, their families or fans want to be upset at anyone, it is not the SUNYAC. It is the United States of America, as we see nations like Australia able to go back to almost normal with just a handful of new cases.
Photo from Nicole Hube | The Oswegonian
