The second weekend without sports is gone and done with, but we were sent into it with more depressing items on the college football front. First, one of the most powerful voices in college football media Kirk Herbstreit said on ESPN Radio he would be surprised if college football was played this season. Then, Michael Smith of the Sports Business Journal said conference commissioners and athletic directors will discuss the possibility of a shortened summer college football season.
Despite having zero evidence to back this up, I think both of them are wrong strictly because I don’t want either of them to happen. The summer idea is far more ridiculous than no football because if the coronavirus is no longer a major issue in a couple months, why wouldn’t everybody be confident enough to play the season as regularly scheduled? Plus, the Pac-12 just announced they’re suspending all team activities through the end of May.
There will be a college football season, whether it’s in the fall, winter or spring. The NCAA, schools and conferences already took a massive hit losing March Madness, which is the most profitable postseason TV deal in all of sports. If you combine that with no college football season, athletic departments are screwed in a big way and I’m not sure how you come back from that.
Herbstreit’s comments could make more people take this more seriously. I already had a few scares with people I’m close with and know several who would be at serious risk if the coronavirus spreads their way, so I’m committed to following the rules and as much as it sucks, I will not leave my apartment anytime soon aside from trips to the grocery store. Life isn’t normal for a while and the more we break the rules, the longer it will take before getting back to normal.
Financially, tons of people are taking a big hit including me. Two months ago I decided to go full-time on Deceptive Speed to try to develop this into a legitimate business. It’s been a fantastic start with numbers growing by the month, but a college football-less fall would only add to the thousands of dollars I’ve already lost out on since the coronavirus canceled everything 18 days ago. Luckily for me, I can keep working hard and not panic for the time being because I don’t have a family to support.
If the 155,969 confirmed cases and 2,854 of deaths from the coronavirus in the United States as of Monday afternoon won’t make people listen to what the experts are telling us to do, the possibility of no college football of any sort should do it.
Kirk Herbstreit is among the kings of college football, so listen to his message even though he’s wrong. Keep your ass inside except for getting your food and water and let’s forward to watching Notre Dame vs. Navy on college football’s opening weekend on August 29.
Keep the conversation going by reaching out to Erik Buchinger on Twitter or email erik@deceptivespeed.com.