Big 12 Tourney Cancelled?

Ugh. This is very worrying for the Dance.

I was feeling pretty good about the tourney still going on after yesterday's move (playing the games with just a small contingent of families and staff). But then the NBA news hit last night, with an actual player infected, and I began to get nervous.

Now this. I'm definitely worried.

Dr. Anthony Fauci of the NIH is recognized as the leading national expert on infectious disease. In his congressional testimony yesterday, he recommended against large gatherings:

www.statnews.com/2020/03/11/fauci-recomm...-crowds-coronavirus/

That said, the governor of Washington (where the outbreak has been most lethal so far) limited large gathering bans to those over 250. I'm not sure why that's a magical number, but if it is, perhaps there is still hope for the NCAA tourney idea proffered yesterday. As a counterpoint, though, why would they have canceled the conference tourneys, which were to be played without fans?

I hope this is the ultimate decision. I know it won't be easy logistically, but honestly, it comes with the least amount of risk and yet still ensures that a full season of spirited competition is not flushed down the toilet.



For KU, which goes in as the top favorite to cut down the nets, this would clearly be the best possibility (if the option of playing in empty arenas won't suffice).

Fingers crossed that we'll still have a tourney - even if it's postponed (to once the pandemic danger zone has passed*) and it looks and feels a little different than what we're accustomed to - e.g., smaller venues or whatever.

The NCAA needs to think creatively here. Where there's a will, there's a way.

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* Objectively speaking, we're nowhere near that stage yet - in fact, we're very much in the upward/exponential growth stage of the virus's spread here in the US. But with the proper amount of social distancing measures taken on a wide enough scale, the science of pandemics and epidemics holds that you can eventually "flatten the curve" of growth until it ultimately levels off and then declines. Time + aggressive proper measures that are taken across the system are the key.

Jeff Goodman adds to the idea. I like this and hope the NCAA is paying attention.

ESPN sources are reporting that the various schools - their coaches and players - want to see a postponement, not a cancellation. They are reportedly lobbying the NCAA in Indianapolis to consider this. They noted that the idea would be to pause the situation and see where things stood in a month. (That is, could it go on in a month?)

The unanimous view was the tourney definitely will not be held next week, and it’s only a matter of time for the NCAA to announce that.

Depressed. Bummed. Bewildered.

It could’ve been our year.

I feel so deeply sad for Dok. Words fail. Dotson.

I can’t even muster up a positive thought.