2020 NCAA Tournament

[WUPHF]

Otherwise, this decision was certainly made at the Chancellor level with the lawyers and public relations staff involved.

Elite universities such as John Hopkins are under the microscope (pun intended) in a way that schools such as Penn State Harrisburg are not.  They are incredibly risk averse.

It does seem crazy, but what will we know in hindsight a few weeks from now?  Hard to say.

[CNU85]

Does this have something to do with why Yeshiva is being singled out?

https://nypost.com/2020/03/04/yeshiva-university-cancels-classes-after-student-diagnosed-with-coronavirus/

It's a concern for sure.  CNU is on spring break and students are traveling all over. One university trip to Italy this week was diverted to London. We have training sessions for professors next week on how to use on line technology in case classes have to be canceled and the campus shuts down. The plan is to continue on line (which is NOT a current option for any classes at CNU). Also, it is for any student that may have to self quarantine so they can keep up.

Again my comments are centered around the selectivity. If you have a lanyard with a card in it that says "Media"...sure come on in and be exposed. If you have a kid playing...nope....stand outside this door and wait. And go ahead and play a D1 sport on campus since it will be on an ESPN channel of some sort (delayed). Either there is an exposure issue or there is not.

Either way, my opinions truly do not matter. Let the games begin. I'm closing my office door at 4pm, getting the snacks out and sitting at my desk at work to watch the men play. Women start at 5 so I will bounce between games then rush home around halftime of Lady Captains game (end of men's game) to finish at home with a coldie.

BTW - good luck to everyone's teams today - except Colby men and Widener Women. haha!

[AO]

Let's not forget that some DI basketball games have also been cancelled. CHicago State and Missouri-KC pulled out of games at Seattle University.

I think Chicago State just wanted their miserable season to be over.

[CNU85]

Let's not forget that some DI basketball games have also been cancelled. CHicago State and Missouri-KC pulled out of games at Seattle University.

I think Chicago State just wanted their miserable season to be over.

[WUPHF]

Again my comments are centered around the selectivity. If you have a lanyard with a card in it that says "Media"...sure come on in and be exposed. If you have a kid playing...nope....stand outside this door and wait.

This demonstrates that the threat is not imminent, but that they have decided to go with precautionary measures.  Our pandemic plan involves cancelling non-academic events and programs at one stage or another.

[CNU85]

So - if you're a journalist(media) its ok to be potentially exposed.
If you are a player or coach its ok to be potentially exposed
If you are an official or time keeper its ok to be potentially exposed
If you are a parent of a player it is not ok to be potentially exposed
If you are a fan it is not ok to be potentially exposed.

Media are probably free to skip the event of their own volition. If we're being honest, at this level they don't need to be there for the event to happen (and a lot of the games played this weekend won't have media other than in-house staff).

I guess they could tell everyone else to stay home and cancel the event altogether. Would that be better than taking a more measured approach?

Media is always free to skip the event.

And depending on the desired outcome of what you're trying to do accomplish would be the answer to your question about canceling the event.

[CNU85]

BTW - I truly enjoy reading everyone's thoughts on this. It is very interesting. And often I see things in a different light. So thanks to all for your input.

[gordonmann]

Agreed. This is the type of civil conversation that's hard to have online nowadays.

[Gregory Sager]

This is what really bothers me.  It seems, from the outside, like they're targeting Yeshiva and any fans who might come from NY.  If it's a general concern, they should ban fans from Lacrosse, too, right?

Absolutely. And fans from Platteville, River Falls, Stevens Point, and Whitewater as well. Quarantine all cheeseheads!

[CNU85]

This is what really bothers me.  It seems, from the outside, like they're targeting Yeshiva and any fans who might come from NY.  If it's a general concern, they should ban fans from Lacrosse, too, right?

Absolutely. And fans from Platteville, River Falls, Stevens Point, and Whitewater as well. Quarantine all cheeseheads!

Skol!!

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Otherwise, this decision was certainly made at the Chancellor level with the lawyers and public relations staff involved.

Elite universities such as John Hopkins are under the microscope (pun intended) in a way that schools such as Penn State Harrisburg are not.  They are incredibly risk averse.

It does seem crazy, but what will we know in hindsight a few weeks from now?  Hard to say.

I don't like so many rash cancellations, but I've learned to live with things like this.  If they banned spectators at all campus events, I'd disagree with it, but I would recognize it's their right to do.  For them to ban fans (for Friday and Saturday) for basketball, but not for the Lacrosse match right outside the building that happens between the two rounds of NCAAs seems unfair.

It's the lack of consistency that bothers me.  I'll ask about it when I'm there today, but it looks, from the outside, like they're targeting Yeshiva when it's entirely possible people at other events will be coming from similarly virus-connected places.


I had the lacrosse opponent wrong. It's Syracuse.  They're banning fans from one team in NY, but not those from another.  How many of those visiting fans will also be coming from Manhattan?

[Gregory Sager]

Otherwise, this decision was certainly made at the Chancellor level with the lawyers and public relations staff involved.

Elite universities such as John Hopkins are under the microscope (pun intended) in a way that schools such as Penn State Harrisburg are not.  They are incredibly risk averse.

It does seem crazy, but what will we know in hindsight a few weeks from now?  Hard to say.

I don't like so many rash cancellations, but I've learned to live with things like this.  If they banned spectators at all campus events, I'd disagree with it, but I would recognize it's their right to do.  For them to ban fans (for Friday and Saturday) for basketball, but not for the Lacrosse match right outside the building that happens between the two rounds of NCAAs seems unfair.

It's the lack of consistency that bothers me.  I'll ask about it when I'm there today, but it looks, from the outside, like they're targeting Yeshiva when it's entirely possible people at other events will be coming from similarly virus-connected places.

Here's what I don't get: If the specific concern that is causing JHU to close off this weekend's games to the public is the COVID-19 outbreak at Yeshiva, then why was that not addressed in the school's press release? Instead, the press release specifically mentions COVID-19 diagnoses in Maryland, not in NYC.

Johns Hopkins University is pleased to be hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament this weekend. However, in light of Maryland's recently confirmed cases of COVID-19, and based on CDC guidance for large gatherings, we have determined that it is prudent to hold this tournament without spectators. We are not making any determination about other JHU events at this time; while we await further guidance from public health authorities, we will be assessing large events on a case-by-case basis. We regret any inconvenience to the families and fans of the players.

[WUPHF]

The Yeshiva connection to the changes is speculation.

Let's not conflate the Yeshiva hotel situation and the changes by Johns Hopkins...

At least not yet.

[magicman]

What I find strange is that these 2 DIII games would have drawn around 1000-1300 fans for each game, at the most. (Johns Hopkins' gym only holds 1200 people) So no one is allowed to watch these games in person, because there have been some recently confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Maryland.

Yet tonight, Sunday and Tuesday, approximately 40 miles from Johns Hopkins, when 12,000 to 20,000 people show up to watch the Washington Wizards play 3 home games, well that's OK, they don't need to worry about the coronavirus.

This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.       

[jamtod]

What I find strange is that these 2 DIII games would have drawn around 1000-1300 fans for each game, at the most. (Johns Hopkins' gym only holds 1200 people) So no one is allowed to watch these games in person, because there have been some recently confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Maryland.

Yet tonight, Sunday and Tuesday, approximately 40 miles from Johns Hopkins, when 12,000 to 20,000 people show up to watch the Washington Wizards play 3 home games, well that's OK, they don't need to worry about the coronavirus.

This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.     

From one angle, it's quite illogical. From another perspective, it's a different set of people making the decision, just as you or I might choose to respond differently to this situation.