Area51 Board (non-moderated) at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

SNIP:

Instead of real risk assessment backed by data, you get ridiculously stupid stuff like this.

1. The flu isn’t reported consistently nationwide, per the CDC.
2. Car accidents aren’t contagious.
3. Murder isn’t contagious.
4. Alcohol overdoses aren’t contagious.
5. Drug overdoses aren’t contagious.

Pro-tip for the esteemed sports journalist: Something being contagious does not dictate it as being a higher risk than something that isn’t contagious. The spread patterns and death rates among specific demographics are fairly well known at this point. Just because COVID is contagious does nto mean it is more dangerous to a 19 year old than driving a car. Statistically, it’s not. That’s is what matters. Note emotionally tinged idiocy that pretends all risk can be mitigated.

Regardless, the real issue here with all the arguments against playing college football are that they center around a delusion. That delusion is that college football players are going to go lock themselves in their rooms for the next six months if there is no season. Have any of these sports writers been to college in the last, I don’t know, 50 years? You know what young, popular, in shape young men go do when they’ve got nothing else to bide their time like a rigorous football program with rules? They socialize. They go to parties. They go to bars. They end up playing sports informally. I could keep going, but you get the point. The idea that any college football player is at some lesser risk by not playing is not just backed by no evidence, it’s counter intuitive on every level.

And none of that even begins to take into account the other risk associated with not playing, which could leave a lot of college athletes feeling lost.

Canceling sports won't stop a single COVID infection — will probably increase them as students are put into less controlled settings.
It will almost certainly increase suicides, drug overdoses, DUIs, and other dangerous and destructive behaviors.
Not a safety first decision.

https://www.redstate.com/bonchie/2020/08/11/the-arguments-against-playing-college-football-are-idiotic-heres-why/

Given the ease with which covid spreads, based mainly on proximity/interactions with others, sports where a large number of players are crammed together, and breathing heavily in each other's faces, (football being the prime example) seem like an ideal situation to create an outbreak.

For sure but the potential results of that outbreak is really what needs to be examined. 

The concern is that one player infects several, through typical sports activity. Those infected take it to their dorm building, classrooms, etc, pass it onto others, who then pass it on to others, etc.  Because covid is transmitted asymptomatically, the R0 is much higher than other viruses. It wouldn't take much for one player to wreak havoc in the locker room and/or university campus.

Why R0 Is Problematic for Predicting COVID-19 Spread

"But an alternative may have its own flaws, and no model or single metric will ever be able to fully capture the complexity of disease spread or make perfectly accurate predictions about it, says Ridenhour. After all, “all models are wrong, but some are useful,” he notes, citing a popular aphorism. “You just hope you’re in the useful category.”

The concern is that one player infects several, through typical sports activity. Those infected take it to their dorm building, classrooms, etc, pass it onto others, who then pass it on to others, etc.  Because covid is transmitted asymptomatically, the R0 is much higher than other viruses. It wouldn't take much for one player to wreak havoc in the locker room and/or university campus.

If they’re not going to play football they damn well sure shouldn’t be opening up their campuses. It’s not even in the same universe in terms of potential for an outbreak 

Given the ease with which covid spreads, based mainly on proximity/interactions with others, sports where a large number of players are crammed together, and breathing heavily in each other's faces, (football being the prime example) seem like an ideal situation to create an outbreak.

Not after the virus has approached a level of herd immunity, which we have already seen in some States (MI, PA, most of northeast) and are nearing in other major States (CA, AZ, TX, and FL). Stop with the non-scientific scare mongering Crayola, please.

Not after the virus has approached a level of herd immunity, which we have already seen in some States (MI, PA, most of northeast) and are nearing in other major States (CA, AZ, TX, and FL). Stop with the non-scientific scare mongering Crayola, please.

What specifically was non-scientific about what I said? 

There is no herd immunity in Pa. as of today 

I would guess that the majority of the country has not approached herd immunity.  Some parts of some states; yes.  The logistics of football being played across the country are a recipe for disaster, unless you're a scientist like beastdog.