[teejers1]

MLB is expected to suspend its operations indefinitely.

I think we are rapidly heading to the position where all organized sporting events are suspended for the time being.

BC

Okay, so Rudy is diagnosed with the virus - pretty obvious why NBA freaks out and suspends games (though I don't expect any NBAers to be severely affected by the virus - i.e., do you expect any players to die?  Get really sick, as opposed to being asymptomatic or having milder symptoms?).  There is a lot of body contact/banging/bodily fluids all over everywhere, etc.  Why risk spread to other players and refs and coaches?

But I heard an immunologist on ESPN say that the fan ban is a social distancing thing - there is no real risk of transmission from competitors to fans . . . which makes some intuitive sense.  So the fan ban is all about keeping large groups from congregating in tight quarters.  I get it.

So if you test all NBA players over reasonable period and they all come up negative, is it acceptable to play those games and televise them?  Before no fans?  Before an acceptably low number of fans spaced out?  Is the reason for canceling due to fear of transmission in getting teams from A to B (though they all have charter flights, right?).  Is it fear of transmission from teams staying in hotels?  From going to clubs?  I assume it's all the stuff associated with teams going from A to B and competing.  And f so, then isn't the ultimate conclusion: everyone just stay home and do nothing?

It's a surrender monkey mentality - to use a well-worn term on Stanford fan boards - but perhaps that is what is required.  It strikes me as pretty extreme, but I'm looking for a principle here.  Is it stay home and do nothing? I have been going to Safeway and Costco to do my daily/weekly shopping.  Why isn't the prudent thing to just forego all that, too?

P.S.  Baseball is even more curious.  The sport itself has way less contact; it's outdoors; and in many venues the attendance is really bad.  Hard to see what the principle here is.  Maybe the pro sports' principle is this:  'we don't want to play in front of no one; therefore, we're suspending things for now.'

[teejers1]

MLB is expected to suspend its operations indefinitely.

I think we are rapidly heading to the position where all organized sporting events are suspended for the time being.

BC

Okay, so Rudy is diagnosed with the virus - pretty obvious why NBA freaks out and suspends games (though I don't expect any NBAers to be severely affected by the virus - i.e., do you expect any players to die?  Get really sick, as opposed to being asymptomatic or having milder symptoms?).  There is a lot of body contact/banging/bodily fluids all over everywhere, etc.  Why risk spread to other players and refs and coaches?

But I heard an immunologist on ESPN say that the fan ban is a social distancing thing - there is no real risk of transmission from competitors to fans . . . which makes some intuitive sense.  So the fan ban is all about keeping large groups from congregating in tight quarters.  I get it.

So if you test all NBA players over reasonable period and they all come up negative, is it acceptable to play those games and televise them?  Before no fans?  Before an acceptably low number of fans spaced out?  Is the reason for canceling due to fear of transmission in getting teams from A to B (though they all have charter flights, right?).  Is it fear of transmission from teams staying in hotels?  From going to clubs?  I assume it's all the stuff associated with teams going from A to B and competing.  And f so, then isn't the ultimate conclusion: everyone just stay home and do nothing?

It's a surrender monkey mentality - to use a well-worn term on Stanford fan boards - but perhaps that is what is required.  It strikes me as pretty extreme, but I'm looking for a principle here.  Is it stay home and do nothing? I have been going to Safeway and Costco to do my daily/weekly shopping.  Why isn't the prudent thing to just forego all that, too?

P.S.  Baseball is even more curious.  The sport itself has way less contact; it's outdoors; and in many venues the attendance is really bad.  Hard to see what the principle here is.  Maybe the pro sports' principle is this:  'we don't want to play in front of no one; therefore, we're suspending things for now.'