Raiders head coach Jon Gruden already has enough to worry about in a season turned on its head as a result of the cornonavirus pandemic. The news Thursday that Nevada set a record for coronavirus cases and hospitalizations adds to his concerns. The news comes at a time when Gruden and his staff are gearing
Record number of Coronavirus cases, hospitalizations in Nevada as Raiders near start of training camp
There are reasons to be concerned. Covid has been found to be much more easily transmitted from person to person. A mask only slows it down and does not prevent transmission. The antibodies do not last for any significant amount of time, maybe 1-3 months at best. Testing still remains a sore spot: diagnostic – to determine if you have it, the best test available is 80% reliable; antibody – to determine whether you have been exposed is reliable only half the time. Recovery time – undetermined.
From the football perspective, players are reluctant to wear a full face shield. The players will be all over each other during the course of a game, but won’t be allowed to shake hands after the game. NFL has said expansion of rosters and practice squads are unlikely. What is the threshold if a team loses too many players?
Solve all of this, the game may happen.
Great stuff, David. Thanks. Yeah, so many unknowns, so many variables, so much to learn in the coming weeks and months.
Football season will not run in its entirety. No way.
I’ve read reports of the delaying the start of the season. Delay to when? The prevalence of the virus will potentially pick up as the weather gets colder and people are inside more. With no vaccine, there is no real benefit to delaying unless NFL needs time for more accommodations.
If SAFETY of all employees was the most important factor, the season would not be held.
I doubt the season will start on time or even if we will have a season this year. I just can’t see how the players, personnel, and fans could be kept safe until the virus is significantly better contained and/or there is a vaccine. I am actually surprised that the teams/league are still talking about camp starting.
It’s been interesting to watch how sports have handled things over here in the UK since our national lockdown has started to be relaxed.
You may have seen soccer matches from the EPL, which seems to have handled things very well, although the absence of crowds does take some getting used to!
Changes to obvious risk points about celebrations etc are picked up but there are so many small things too… for example, all the footballs are sterilized and left placed around the pitch on stands – no ball boys to collect and throw them to players in an attempt to stop too many people touching them. That might seem minor but how many people touch the footballs in an NFL game? Numbers of players, officials etc testing positive have been minimal to pretty much non-existent.
In another of our sports, international cricket, matches have also begun. Containment efforts here are incredibly detailed. Each venue holds two matches (5 days each) pretty much back to back. Everybody from the teams and media stays in a hotel at the ground. One of Englands players sneaked home and was immediately dropped from the team. Testing is constant, bowlers are not allowed to use sweat or saliva to polish the ball, umpires don’t hold bowlers hats…. so many changes but boy, it’s great to have sports back!
Not sure just how the NFL is going to manage getting the show back on when the game involves so much contact and different states and cities show such different profiles. There are so many variables to think about over here in a country where the virus has been slowing down – in sports with far less contact. I can’t see how the NFL can start playing games when the problem is still peaking….