It seems like every week brings fresh news about COVID-19. Whether it is a school closure or an NCAA announcement, our lives are still constantly being affected by the pandemic.
NC State has recently been hit by a wave of COVID-19 clusters. As of Aug. 25, 21 clusters have been identified on campus or near it, one of which was found in the NC State Athletics department, with 27 cases, prompting the temporary halt of all athletic activities. Regular season play has not begun yet, and athletics is already struggling to avoid this virus.
However, this is not NC State’s fault; this was the result of a decision made by the ACC and the NCAA, who are both set on marching on through this pandemic.
As I follow the latest update on fall sports, one word comes to my mind when thinking of the NCAA: messy. Here we have a whole nation divided on who is playing and who is not. Division II and III fall sports have been cancelled, the Pac-12 and Big Ten have postponed seasons, while the Big 12, SEC and ACC still plan on participating this fall. Not to mention the fact that all fall sport championships have been canceled, except for football. Seriously, how can you hold college football playoffs without the Big Ten?
This division tangles the whole nation of sports. Whether it is recruitment, transfers or eligibility, no one is on the same page, and the NCAA has sat back and allowed every conference to make its own decision.
In the middle of a pandemic, with every university closing its doors and some conferences backing out already, it’s time to stand up and pull the plug. We must keep consistency in our nation’s sports and, most importantly, protect our players. If we can not have in-person classes, what makes us think a high-contact sport would be any safer?
The NCAA is watching its student-athletes practice every day and risk their safety while wondering if there will even be a season or not. NC State head football coach Dave Doeren has expressed his concerns about the season as well.
“They may not like not playing but at least they know,” Doeren said. “When you’re sitting there thinking you’re going to play and the next day you’re not, then you are, then you’re not, that’s hard on the mental well-being of these guys.”
The NCAA has let the shenanigans go on long enough. Do not sit back and watch every school squirm with their failed attempts to contain the virus. Make the decision to postpone the season and keep the sports, as well as our health, in order.
You canceled the spring season without hesitation last year due to COVID-19. Where is your consistency? Is this about the money or the student-athletes?
