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The Big Ten announced today that schools will remain in the “acclimation period” in football practices, requiring that players wear only football helmets, no pads allowed.
Here is the statement in full.
The Big Ten Conference announced today, based on the advice and counsel of the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee, that, until further notice, all institutions will remain in the first two days of the acclimatization period in football (i.e., helmets shall be the only piece of protective equipment student-athletes may wear) as we continue to transition prudently through preseason practice. All other fall sports will continue to work locally with team physicians and athletic trainers to adjust practices to the appropriate level of activity, as necessary, based on current medical protocols. Each new phase of activity provides new intelligence and experience and allows us to evaluate the implementation of our Conference and institutional medical protocols in real-time. In order to make the right health and safety decisions for our student-athletes, we believe it is best to continue in the appropriate phase of activity referenced above while we digest and share information from each campus to ensure we are moving forward cautiously. We understand there are many questions regarding how this impacts schedules, as well as the feasibility of proceeding forward with the season at all. As we have consistently stated, we will continue to evaluate daily, while relying on our medical experts, to make the best decisions possible for the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes.
If that weren’t enough, twitter was set on fire by this tweet from Pete Thamel. Combine the statement above with Thamel’s statement and you have the equivalent of potash and sugar, a fine homemade explosive.
Source: Big Ten presidents are meeting today. All options are on the table. There's some presidential momentum for canceling the fall football season. It's unknown if there's enough support to make that decision today.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 8, 2020
Then he follows it up with this:
I'm told this Big Ten meeting was previously scheduled. So it wasn't emergency meeting. There's a few schools whose leadership has arrived at cancelling. We'll find out later today if there's enough. The no padded/contact practice ruling today underscores the league's hesitancy. https://t.co/Ma4E12nUJg
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 8, 2020
Then I’m gonna throw this one in from Danny Kannel, that really has nothing to do with the issue at hand, but should spur discussion and what the hell are we here for if not that:
Know a lot of college football writers have been accused of rooting against the season. I don’t think that’s necessarily the case but some absolutely want to be able to say “I told you so” because they’ve been peddling only the absolute worst headlines
— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) August 8, 2020
Sadly might cost the season
Will we have a college football season?
Will we not?
WHO KNOWS.
Discuss away, sonsabitches, but be civil about it.