IU and Purdue jointly cancel their game

[okeefe4prez]

Michigan isn't afraid to play Iowa. Michigan is a blue blood program. This would be like Nebraska being afraid to play Alabama right now. You know Frost would take that game. Somehow Nebraska fans would think, "we're really good, so good we are playing Alabama...just like the old days. Frost has brought us back!"

I know a fair number of Michigan fans. I've heard from 4 of them saying they will get slaughtered if they have to play Iowa and how they think Michigan will cancel. Even some ND fans are saying "why should we play Clemson again?" No upside for them and plenty of downside. Michigan fans (who actually went to Michigan and not Wal-Mart Wolverines) are not dumb people. I would wager that the average Michigan alum has an IQ 1.5 - 2 standard deviations higher than the average Nebraska alum.

 

[okeefe4prez]

IMO its gotten to the point where it seems as though covid is being used as an excuse not to play games by some, while other programs (albeit those with something to play for) are finding ways to push forward.

You don't say? Of course they are using it as an "option."

 

[kicker22]

You don't say? Of course they are using it as an "option."

LOL...I should have expanded on the obvious statement. What I'm getting at is at what point does the conference stop rewarding teams for opting out of games and actually hold them accountable. In a year like this you can't punish a program but it wouldn't be unreasonable to at least go public (if they aren't already) with the actual number of cases that were involved leading up to each team cancellation.

Harbaugh and his AD at Michigan wants to come out and say that "they really hoped to get the OSU game in" or someone else wants to claim that there was no way they could participate then so be it, but have the numbers there to call out the bullshit.

I'm not making OSU into hero's for playing with 33 individuals staying home, but a team should never be rewarded for not playing.

 

[kicker22]

I know a fair number of Michigan fans. I've heard from 4 of them saying they will get slaughtered if they have to play Iowa and how they think Michigan will cancel. Even some ND fans are saying "why should we play Clemson again?" No upside for them and plenty of downside. Michigan fans (who actually went to Michigan and not Wal-Mart Wolverines) are not dumb people. I would wager that the average Michigan alum has an IQ 1.5 - 2 standard deviations higher than the average Nebraska alum.

And as long as those teams backing out of games continue to benefit its going to continue to happen.

 

[uihawk82]

Call me naive but I think this game gets played. And I hope it does.

Yeah, how does the TV money work. Does the Big 10 and the two teams playing all lose out on any money if the game is not played?

 

[okeefe4prez]

Yeah, how does the TV money work. Does the Big 10 and the two teams playing all lose out on any money if the game is not played?

I'll bet they are splitting all TV money equally. I would assume the conference will forfeit the money for the game, though. If the conference financially punished schools for canceling due to The Germ and it caused a school to play through The Germ, the legal liability could be pretty big, which is why there is the ability to cancel penalty free. Lawyers have ruined this once great country.

 

[SomersHawk]

Does anyone know if the conference is publishing the number of confirmed cases within programs of the teams that are cancelling games? I'm not trying to make light of the situation, but all players and coaches opted in at the beginning of the season knowing they could opt out at any time. While doing a quick google search, I saw that it was reported that Wiscy had 17 positive tests within the program when they cancelled the Nebby game, yet OSU is fielding a team missing 33 members of their program vs. MSU.

IMO its gotten to the point where it seems as though covid is being used as an excuse not to play games by some, while other programs (albeit those with something to play for) are finding ways to push forward. So I guess I'm curious as to whether its public knowledge how many cases are shutting down each program. It just seems ironic how it almost feels as though its becoming beneficial to those that are having games cancelled and coming back to bite the programs that haven't encountered it. Never seen a policy work quite like that.

Gotta wonder how much the financial squeeze no fans in the stands is playing into all this. Imagine it costs a small fortune for Michigan to travel to Iowa for yet another ass whooping and to put their budget further in the red on top of it has to factor into it. Covid is an easy out for them. Need to save up to buy out Jimmy.

 

[kicker22]

Gotta wonder how much the financial squeeze no fans in the stands is playing into all this. Imagine it costs a small fortune for Michigan to travel to Iowa for yet another ass whooping and to put their budget further in the red on top of it has to factor into it. Covid is an easy out for them. Need to save up to buy out Jimmy.

Yeah I'm willing to bet since these decisions are made strictly for the wellbeing of the players (who have all opted in and can opt out at any time) if school's like Michigan would show the same integrity if the shared revenue from the conference was distributed based on the number of games your team was willing to play. It's great to see though that Michigan will still cash that check despite the fact they've made it clear week in and week out that they have no intention of playing, because they're going to play the Covid card as long as possible. Ironic, because if I call correctly they were one of the programs advocating to have a season. Funny how becoming one of the conference doormats can change things.