FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[lumbercat]

Yes, great news. So happy for Jack and his family.

Thanks for posting NESCAC1. I got the news the other day and was remiss in not posting. Bobcat Lax coach Lasagna has always handled himself and the Bates Lacrosse program at the highest level. He maintains a very strong commitment to his players before, during and after their 4 years wearing the Garnet. He is a great credit to Bates athletics.
Best of luck to Jack Allard in the final stages of his recovery.

[gridiron]

Yes, everyone in the NESCAC community has been pulling for him. Great news for all to hear.

[The Mole]

Recruiting changes are taking place all over D3. Many schools are "offering" the commitment/support of the admissions process much earlier for 2021 than usual given the circumstances we are all experiencing. Trying to get that student athlete that may slip through the cracks from a higher level like the Ivy or Patriot League.
I know a few NESCAC schools that are hosting ZOOM and other virtual meetings to get in front of these recruits in lieu of the campus visit and discuss their programs. With more test optional policies, an uncertain timeline and slots to fill, this could be a feast or famine recruiting cycle for 2021. Have even heard about many colleges in general still taking applications to fill the classes for 2020 and some closing down (McMurray, Urbana OH).
Will be very interesting to see how it all shakes out. Hopefully we have a season.
Hope everyone is safe and healthy.

[nescac1]

At this point, my very rough guess is that there is a 25 percent chance fall semester is cancelled or remote, a 25 percent chance that students return but that the season is cancelled entirely, a 25 percent chance that players play in front of enforced limits on fans (maybe just family members, spaced out in the stands, or maybe no fans at all), and a 25 percent chance that players play with open field access, but much lower voluntary attendance than usual.  As a Williams fan, given that this is the senior class that turned the entire program around and features a slew of 3-4 year starters, I sure hope the players get a chance to compete in their senior fall!  They've certainly earned it.  But certainly out of any NESCAC institution's control, alas. 

[amh63]

Another slow day watching reruns....and the new norm...the NFL draft on some Zoom app.  Did read a WSJ sports article by Gay wrt the draft.  He is aware of the Nescac.  Writing that the HC of the Patriots may...jokingly... draft a lacrosse player from Williams...as a WR?.  Gay is most humorous when writing about the Big Ten battles between the Badgers...his school...and the Wolverines.

[ColbyFootball]

At this point, my very rough guess is that there is a 25 percent chance fall semester is cancelled or remote, a 25 percent chance that students return but that the season is cancelled entirely, a 25 percent chance that players play in front of enforced limits on fans (maybe just family members, spaced out in the stands, or maybe no fans at all), and a 25 percent chance that players play with open field access, but much lower voluntary attendance than usual.  As a Williams fan, given that this is the senior class that turned the entire program around and features a slew of 3-4 year starters, I sure hope the players get a chance to compete in their senior fall!  They've certainly earned it.  But certainly out of any NESCAC institution's control, alas.

I hope you're wrong. This Country needs to focus on the highly at risk individuals that make up 90% of the deaths. And the rest of the population needs to get back to some sort of normal with smart sensible precautions being taken. Keeping our Colleges and Universities closed or running remotely, and their sports and other activities shut down, should be a true last resort. Just my opinion.

[nescac1]

No one can predict with any degree of certainty what will happen in September.  But alas, the overwhelming consensus is that coronavirus is likely to still be prevalent, and more than likely have a very dangerous resurgence, in late fall into the winter.  Unfortunately, a significant percentage of this country, which has a very aged population and a very high rate of obesity and diabeties, among other pre-existing conditions, is part of the group of highly at-risk individuals. 

Who knows what kind of treatment options we will have by that time, and how deadly this disease will ultimately proven to be over the next six months.  It's only been on our shores in any significant way for around two months, so the future is incredibly hard to predict.  All of us, of course, are desperate to return to normal.  But realistically, the very LAST thing that is going to return to normal are sporting events, concerts, conferences, and other events involving large numbers of people closely grouped together.  We should all be prepared for the worst, even as we all very much hope for the best. 

[Bucket]

No one can predict with any degree of certainty what will happen in September.  But alas, the overwhelming consensus is that coronavirus is likely to still be prevalent, and more than likely have a very dangerous resurgence, in late fall into the winter.  Unfortunately, a significant percentage of this country, which has a very aged population and a very high rate of obesity and diabeties, among other pre-existing conditions, is part of the group of highly at-risk individuals. 

Who knows what kind of treatment options we will have by that time, and how deadly this disease will ultimately proven to be over the next six months.  It's only been on our shores in any significant way for around two months, so the future is incredibly hard to predict.  All of us, of course, are desperate to return to normal.  But realistically, the very LAST thing that is going to return to normal are sporting events, concerts, conferences, and other events involving large numbers of people closely grouped together.  We should all be prepared for the worst, even as we all very much hope for the best.

Agreed. I think we need to become as comfortable as possible with the idea that things will not be close to "normal," for quite some time. It won't happen until there is vaccine for this insidious disease or some semblance of herd immunity or some combination of the two.

Honestly, I don't think we'll see life as we have known it on college campuses, for instance, until the fall of 2021 at the earliest. I'm not saying we won't see students on campus until then; optimistic, best-case scenarios do see students returning in some capacity. But in what capacity? Half the student body on campus and half off for rotating semesters to ensure social distancing as needed and allowing to set aside dorms as quarantine space for sick students as needed? Changing the yearly academic calendar entirely allowing for the requisite semester loads but not bound by a September-May calendar?

Again, until this virus is controlled—and it won't be controlled until a vaccine is present—nothing will be entirely normal.

As for sports, I have no specific information, but I know sports won't be a priority at the Division III level. I can see DI competing in an environment similar to professional sports—athletes tested or strictly monitored before each contest, basically living quarantined lives on their respective campuses, with learning remote from other students, games before empty arenas and stands, but with the cameras rolling for tv dollars. Even then, my guess is DI college football won't be played this fall;I bet the season kicks off in January, around the same time a limited hoop season would tip.

More pertinent for this board, what about DIII? If there is a delayed opening to the academic session 2020-21, I don't see how you could have fall sports in the NESCAC, even if all public health concerns were satisfied. The meteorological calendar wouldn't allow it. And if there is some other creative approach to opening the academic year in September, I don't see special accommodations being made for fall sports, especially in the NESCAC. For instance, if there is some sort of staggered enrollment for the student body, would NESCAC presidents allow for fall athletics teams to all be on campus and compete as normal, even with a ban on fans? Perhaps. Perhaps if there was strict monitoring and/or testing of all student-athletes on a weekly basis. But would NESCAC schools go to such lengths when there will be so many other conditions/extenuating circumstances—first among them, a financial crisis—on our respective campuses? Would any school struggling and doing everything in its power to avoid layoffs consent to the fiscal cost of a football team's travel (x4). Honestly, I don't see it.

As we move into the winter, maybe, maybe winter teams could compete, again with rigorous testing and monitoring, but without any semblance of fan attendance. And that's if there's not a resurgence—not a return, it's not going anywhere—of the virus in the fall and winter months. There are models and historical precedents to suggest a second wave could be far more virulent than the first and, as the head of the CDC pointed out, such a wave would be concurrent with flu season and all its implications on the health care system. It's possible, from all that I've read, that a second quarantine, shelter-in-place order, one potentially more restrictive than our current one, may be necessary in 8 months. God, I hope not. First and formost because that would mean COVID-19 was still killing people by the thousands. But we at least have to consider (and prepare for) worst case scenarios, and then hope and do everything we can to arrive at a different outcome.

I hate to be the voice of doom and gloom; I would love for this nightmare to be over right now. But I've read enough, studied enough, and am currently living and working in the heart of one of our communities to believe that a return to "normalcy" is a long way's off. I would be so happy if I were proven wrong about this.

[Pat Coleman]

No one can predict with any degree of certainty what will happen in September.  But alas, the overwhelming consensus is that coronavirus is likely to still be prevalent, and more than likely have a very dangerous resurgence, in late fall into the winter.  Unfortunately, a significant percentage of this country, which has a very aged population and a very high rate of obesity and diabeties, among other pre-existing conditions, is part of the group of highly at-risk individuals. 

Who knows what kind of treatment options we will have by that time, and how deadly this disease will ultimately proven to be over the next six months.  It's only been on our shores in any significant way for around two months, so the future is incredibly hard to predict.  All of us, of course, are desperate to return to normal.  But realistically, the very LAST thing that is going to return to normal are sporting events, concerts, conferences, and other events involving large numbers of people closely grouped together.  We should all be prepared for the worst, even as we all very much hope for the best.

Agreed. I think we need to become as comfortable as possible with the idea that things will not be close to "normal," for quite some time. It won't happen until there is vaccine for this insidious disease or some semblance of herd immunity or some combination of the two.

Honestly, I don't think we'll see life as we have known it on college campuses, for instance, until the fall of 2021 at the earliest. I'm not saying we won't see students on campus until then; optimistic, best-case scenarios do see students returning in some capacity. But in what capacity? Half the student body on campus and half off for rotating semesters to ensure social distancing as needed and allowing to set aside dorms as quarantine space for sick students as needed? Changing the yearly academic calendar entirely allowing for the requisite semester loads but not bound by a September-May calendar?

I'm of a similar mind-set. Hoping that a vaccine comes soon!

[nescac1]

Everything that Bucket writes strikes me as dead on.  Which sucks, but better I think to prepare ourselves for reality.  Now, there always a chance that medical science devises something that can control this disease before a vaccine is developed, to the point that its combination of communicability and severity is more in line with seasonal flu.  But that does seem unlikely.  Sadly. 

[jmcozenlaw]

I read an article last night about what a 'vaccine' will mean, and unfortunately, what it won't. These were Harvard, M.I.T. and Johns Hopkins cats so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

The vaccine will not be near the panacea that most think it will be. As they stated:

1. A vaccine will not mean that those inoculated can not get the virus. Similar to the flu, it could (a) prevent some from getting it; (2) lessen the severity for some others and (3) have no effect at all.

2. Only 43% of the U.S. population gets the annual flu vaccine. Most projections show, at the highest, that the vaccination rate for this virus could be 50% - 55% at the highest. Many do not get the flu shot for various reasons and the same will happen for this vaccine. We obviously can not make anybody get the flu or a COVID vaccination.

3. There is a growing concern that immunity may not automatically come from getting the virus. There are people who have gotten it a second time as it is showing to stay in people for as long as two months from the original date of getting it. THIS is a major concern.

4. Massive, frequent testing will be mandatory across the country for a long time as many will get it and be asymptomatic.

5. The mutation of this virus is already concerning, this early into it. Also, it is showing nasty side affects such as blood clotting and strokes..........across all age groups.

A vaccine will be a nice weapon to add to the arsenal but a therapeutic (or therapeutics) will be much more important.........and it, or they, are far off.

I've resigned myself to the feeling that things will get back to "normal" (our "old normal".......not a "new normal") in the Spring or Fall of 2022. I am personally planning (and I mean planning........personally, professionally, financially, etc.) for this scenario..................while hoping for something sooner.

[ColbyFootball]

I can't help but to be optimistic. We have immune systems for a reason. 90% of fatalities are connected to nursing homes and/or those who have serious underlying health conditions. We need to focus on that 90%. I'm in the hotbed of NY/NJ so I understand the impact. But if we think we have to wait for a vaccine we may never get back to normal. Who's to say they will find a safe effective vaccine soon or at all. We need to adapt society and start opening things up.

[amh63]

ColbyFootball.....right on!  Plus K
Since the shut down, there has been several personal positive things.  First, my class has a listserv...first Amherst class that has proved to be useful for reunion, etc. contact.  The e-mails have been buzzing constantly between classmates since the virus19 crisis.  Over 90 percent of the posts are classmates that have medical degrees and some still teach and practice around the country.  A number of them have not been heard from for sometime...positive #1.  Their comments/thoughts on the pandemic and related topics wrt other classmates' opinions/thoughts is positive#2.  Having been a class agent for many years before retiring....it is nice to hear from classmates that are connecting again...with each other, etc.  Oh yes, comments have been non political in general and more technical in nature imo.

[gridiron]

A couple of scenarios being bounced around privately by some of the NESCAC include a shorter season if the players can't report back to school in the fall until the rest of the student body. Another more radical is if the schools don't physically go back in the fall perhaps they could run three semesters in 2021 using up the summer. Some in the league are brainstorming with time on their hands No Doubt.

[ColbyFootball]

I believe the University of Alabama announced today that it's planning for students to be on campus attending classes in the Fall. They've broken the ice. So, absent a terrible negative turn of events, I expect others to follow. It will then offer "cover" for others to do likewise. If it's safe enough to have students back on campus, it makes sense sports will be part of it.