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Donning my actual "academic training" hat, despite the ever-growing knowledge base on COVID-19, it's probably difficult to limit the amount of uncertainty inherent to playing football in an ongoing pandemic.
B1G administrators know that there will be short and long-term health consequences for players and personnel. The extent of those consequences is unknown, especially regarding chronic conditions that COVID-19 may cause. We're barely grappling with it because it's been 9 months.
Another issue worth considering is placing the players in a bubble and what that does to the current "student-athlete" model, and the tacit admission by schools that players are separate and apart from the general student pop. They're loath to do that.
A series of bubbles could and probably would work. But it would fly in the face of the current amateurism model. So it's probably a no-go for perception reasons, especially as some state legislatures are trying to erode the NCAA's power as is.
Circling back: B1G consultation with medical personnel probably included a lot of "we don't know" in the long term with signals leaning towards "it could be bad." We do know a lot about COVID-19, but we also don't know what we don't know. That's a big sticking point!
I love college football. If you've known me for any length of time, you know it's my raison d'ĂȘtre. I don't want the season to be canceled. But sometimes, the circumstances/available evidence or lack thereof in a situation points to one logical conclusion, and I think we're here.
