Just when you think the NCAA can’t mismanage another situation worse than their series of mis-steps in 2021, they find a way to one up themselves.
You know the story by now – NC State due to COVID protocols has been removed from the CWS one game from the National Title Series. SaturdayDownSouth does an excellent job of laying out the sequence of events that led to the unfortunate and sportswise tragic event.
Here is the section from the NCAA’s COVID guidelines, from the SDS article – that is clear as mud.
“If there is evidence of substantial or high transmission in the community, or if there are COVID-19 variants that escape the effect of the vaccine, then testing may need to resume for fully vaccinated individuals. Such decisions will be made in conjunction with local public health authorities and/or federal guidance.”
From the Worldometer.info site – yesterday there were 20 recorded cases of COVID in the state of Nebraska – population nearly 2 Million with a 7 day rolling average for daily cases in the state at less than 50. I’m no epidemiologist and I’m as pro-safety measure as you’ll find, but that doesn’t sound like high transmission in the community.
How does the NCAA allow 25,000 unmasked untested fans to attend the CWS? The fact is you can punch holes left and right on the NCAA’s institution of their vague and confusing protocols. NC State unfairly had to pay for it in an embarrassing moment for the NCAA.
In a stunning quote from this USA Today article on the topic, it’s clear the NCAA basically acted alone in removing NC State from the CWS.
“Douglas County Health Department spokesman Phil Rooney said the health department did not recommend NC State’s removal but told the NCAA the department would support whatever decision the NCAA made.”
That’s just par for the course this year though isn’t it though for the NCAA.
Several examples of NCAA incompetence are on display in 2021.
The inferior facilities at the women’s NCAA basketball tournament.
Softball Game Ending at 3:18 AM EST only to play next day at 3:30 PM EST
Softball Players deserve so much better – not to mention a championship game that was played at 3 PM EST – when most of America is at work or school.
NCAA Cancels women NCAA regional event calling course unplayable.
If I keep digging, I’m sure I’ll find another 20 examples of NCAA ineptness just in 2021.
Across a variety sports, there’s one consistency you’ll get from the NCAA. They are going to screw things up, and in the end it is the student athletes that always end up suffering.
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