FOOTBALL Monday musings...

[Big Blue]

We can require a vaccine for the same reason we can tell you that you have to carry liability insurance on your car to drive, or that you can't drive 130 mph on the interstate. Or that your children, absent a documented, verified medical condition, have to be vaccinated to attend public schools.

This has been discussed in other threads, but since it keeps getting repeated, I just want to point out its inaccuracy. In Alabama, no documented medical condition is required. A parent can literally just write a note to the school saying their child is opting out of vaccination due to religious beliefs and that is it. It is literally easier than getting an excused absence. No lawyer or doctor is required. It isn't just Alabama either. I think something like 45+ states offer an exemption for religious or personal beliefs. I'm not sure how those exemptions in those states work, but I actually know antivaxxers in this state who have sent their kids to public school without having had to get them all their vaccines. It's so incredibly easy that nobody should be making the claim that children here are required to get vaccines to go to school here, because they are not.

 

[ricedp105]

Because as long as we are below the vaccination threshold our players will get tested. Meaning our team could have just as many a-symptomatic positive COVID cases as Georgia, but they won’t get tested and we will because we are below the threshold.

I don't think that's accurate, check my previous post from Jason Caldwell. All the 85% threshold does is just limits the amount of players that will need to be tested once a week.

If a team has less than 85 percent of its roster unvaccinated, those unvaccinated players are subject to testing at least once a week throughout the year and more often than that during their seasons. If you are vaccinated then you don’t have to test unless you have symptoms. That’s true if your team is at the 85 percent rate or below.

 

[tigerh]

I assume all of the ones bashing Harsin have forced all of their kids and grandkids to get the vaccine?

 

[Stumpfan]

so he did do what he was supposed to and should have because it is a personal decision, right? Is he to be condemned because he isn't forcing young men to go against their personal decisions? I seriously doubt he's advising anyone to not take the vaccine.

He should be doing more encouraging along with getting it himself and stating that publicly. He’s paid to win games.

 

[RistDownAU]

Because the flu and COVID are not on the same level, neither in terms of infectiousness, nor in terms of serious complications or death. The worst flu outbreak in the last 20 years resulted in about 65,000 deaths in the US. We've lost over 630,000 people to COVID in the last 18 months and a similar drastic disparity in hospitalizations between COVID and the flu exist.


I dismiss it because I do understand actual science. I also understand that we are neither a libertarian nor anarchist society. When people's "liberty" puts other people at risk and overwhelms our hospitals, we as a society have a right to say that there are limits to that liberty. We can require a vaccine for the same reason we can tell you that you have to carry liability insurance on your car to drive, or that you can't drive 130 mph on the interstate. Or that your children, absent a documented, verified medical condition, have to be vaccinated to attend public schools.

I get what you’re saying but I don’t think you should just dismiss it. It’s an important thing to keep in mind and it’s scary slippery slope to say society can limits others freedoms just because with no laws. I’m not looking to argue bc I mostly agree with you but, I’m just saying, I don’t think it’s a topic that should just be dismissed and those with concerns about are not stupid to have those concerns.

 

[NashTiger in WilCo]

People, young people, who crusade against the vaccine.

Well, there's people young people
What do they know?
Go to work in some high rise
And vacation down at the Gulf of Mexico,

 

[cookedw]

Look, AU has one of the lowest vax rates in college football and is the lowest in the SEC. The program is facing outright resistance from inside the complex (not talking about Harsin at all) and it’s not getting better.

That’s a fact and the SEC is going to make things harder on AU football this season as a result. That’s also a fact.

I haven’t offered much of an opinion on this because I’m conflicted myself. I don’t personally feel comfortable making a person take a vaccine. I also think the data is clear. Some people think Rush was a terrible band. I can’t help them.

So the rumors of a large number of players saying they would quit/transfer before they get that needle in their arm is true?

 

[WarDamnEagle]

He should be doing more encouraging along with getting it himself and stating that publicly. He’s paid to win games.

It was just said here in this thread by @Jay G. Tate that Harsin is encouraging players to get vaxed. What more should he do? Force them?

 

[stutsman23]

Disagree. He hired these coaches. He should let them deal with their players.

I know you disagree. Thanks for yore opinion. Clearly some folks think the AD should be in charge of certain policy decisions for athletics, as a whole. I would imagine many coaches would welcome that as well, as it would actually allow them to do their job and focus on winning games. I'm perfectly fine if a HC chooses to reach out to the AD and request to handle things on his/her own, and I believe the AD should allow that in most circumstances, but when it comes down to it the AD is in charge of maximizing profits and putting his athletic programs in the best position to win, IMO that includes the issue being discussed.... You'd HOPE that in most cases the AD and coaches would be in agreement on the approach chosen, considering WINNING is in all of their best interests.

 

[penya87]

I appreciate you not dropping trou and threatening to quit the site.

Did this happen?

 

[rampage41]

He has encouraged players to get the vaccine.

Thank you

 

[Stumpfan]

It was just said here in this thread by @Jay G. Tate that Harsin is encouraging players to get vaxed. What more should he do? Force them?

He said he has encouraged players. Hiw do you encourage players with any credibility if you can’t say publicly that you’re vaccinated? I don’t think you can.

 

[Stumpfan]

I know you disagree. Thanks for yore opinion. Clearly some folks think the AD should be in charge of certain policy decisions for athletics, as a whole. I would imagine many coaches would welcome that as well, as it would actually allow them to do their job and focus on winning games. I'm perfectly fine if a HC chooses to reach out to the AD and request to handle things on his/her own, and I believe the AD should allow that in most circumstances, but when it comes down to it the AD is in charge of maximizing profits and putting his athletic programs in the best position to win, IMO that includes the issue being discussed.... You'd HOPE that in most cases the AD and coaches would be in agreement on the approach chosen, considering WINNING is in all of their best interests.

What other universities left it up to the AD? It seems not many so it seems that those that run universities and AD’s agree that it’s not their role to go over a HC’s head.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

He said he has encouraged players. Hiw do you encourage players with any credibility if you can’t say publicly that you’re vaccinated? I don’t think you can.

So now we are back the virtue signaling.

 

[OneWing]

I'm confused how you can combine Harsin testing positive(with little to no symptoms, which could have happened even if vaccinated) vs the team vaccination rate...and why this is an issue with Akron and Georgia State being the first two games of the season. We could win with the towel bowl coaching both games...what if we don't have an outbreak on the team, what then?

This is the point of B Matt's piece. There's just a boatload of people on this board who are absolutely heads in the sand for reasons I will never understand. The head coach is not at practice! He's not with his team, and we could have random players missing every week because of our low vaccination rate. Imagine if Gus just missed a week and a half of fall camp because he had foot surgery that he could have had in June. Bunker would be furious, and rightly so! But because Covid is now a culture war we've got a board of football obsessed people trying to say that in fact having players missing, the DC, and the HC all missing is somehow not a problem when we don't have a set lineup on either side of the ball. Ludicrous.

It's even more ludicrous when you consider that Harsin is absolutely a detail first, accountability guy. So he's so much of an ideologue on this subject he's willing to be worse at his job to see it through. Lincoln Reilly, Kirby, Ryan Day, Saban, and Dabo all just want to win games. As usual, our program is behind them.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

What other universities left it up to the AD? It seems not many so it seems that those that run universities and AD’s agree that it’s not their role to go over a HC’s head.

LOL.

 

[Jay G. Tate]

Did this happen?

Yeah.

 

[Stumpfan]

So now we are back the virtue signaling.

No, it’s not about that. It’s leading by example.

 

[Jay G. Tate]

I've been told from someone at A&M their alleged rate is close to 90%...

Ok.

 

[JRinATL1]

THIS, thank you. Forcing a teenager to get the vaccine isn't leadership. Giving these players the information they need to make a CHOICE is 1000% leadership. Hell Harsin still could have tested positive even if vaccinated, our players also may never miss a game, even if not at the 85% threshold. It's all just a victim mentality now.

Well said @ricedp105

Since said player was referenced... apparently Tank Bigsby and his family 30 minutes away are incapable of making a personal choice. Bo Nix, with his mom and dad right up the road are incapable of making a personal choice, etc. After all, the players are in a complete bubble and are not being given guidance by the university, public health, and essentially every other communication outlet globally. NOTHING Harsin said was wrong or Anti-Vax. He simply did not say it in ways that appease the Vax mob.

In full disclosure, the Monday musings sucked. Take it the the politics board.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

This is the point of B Matt's piece. There's just a boatload of people on this board who are absolutely heads in the sand for reasons I will never understand. The head coach is not at practice! He's not with his team, and we could have random players missing every week because of our low vaccination rate. Imagine if Gus just missed a week and a half of fall camp because he had foot surgery that he could have had in June. Bunker would be furious, and rightly so! But because Covid is now a culture war we've got a board of football obsessed people trying to say that in fact having players missing, the DC, and the HC all missing is somehow not a problem when we don't have a set lineup on either side of the ball. Ludicrous.

It's even more ludicrous when you consider that Harsin is absolutely a detail first, accountability guy. So he's so much of an ideologue on this subject he's willing to be worse at his job to see it through. Lincoln Reilly, Kirby, Ryan Day, Saban, and Dabo all just want to win games. As usual, our program is behind them.

So Harsin should force the players to get vaxed?

 

[Stumpfan]

LOL.

Do you have any examples of other universities having their AD be in charge of it?

 

[William_In_Texas]

He has encouraged players to get the vaccine.

So wherein lies OP’s and others frustrations? If it’s their body for endorsements is it not their body for vaccines? If they have a right to profit of their body as they see fit do they not have a right to protect their body as they see fit?

I’d encourage them all tomrorow to do it, but outside or forcing them to I don’t know what BMatt wants Harsin to do?

 

[WarDamnEagle]

No, it’s not about that. It’s leading by example.

Is Harsin vaxed? Do you know for certain?

 

[penya87]

Yeah.

The silver lining is that the Bunker is such a special place that even the craziest of the crazies come here.

There really isn't anything like this place.

 

[Jay G. Tate]

Well said @ricedp105

Since said player was referenced... apparently Tank Bigsby and his family 30 minutes away are incapable of making a personal choice. Bo Nix, with his mom and dad right up the road are incapable of making a personal choice, etc. After all, the players are in a complete bubble and are not being given guidance by the university, public health, and essentially every other communication outlet globally. NOTHING Harsin said was wrong or Anti-Vax. He simply did not say it in ways that appease the Vax mob.

In full disclosure, the Monday musings sucked. Take it the the politics board.

I respect your opinion about @BryanMatthews’ work sucking, but it’s not at all political. It’s Covid
Corner, maybe.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

So wherein lies OP’s and others frustrations? If it’s their body for endorsements is it not their body for vaccines? If they have a right to profit of their body as they see fit do they not have a right to protect their body as they see fit?

I’d encourage them all tomrorow to do it, but outside or forcing them to I don’t know what BMatt wants Harsin to do?

Be a real leader and force them.

 

[Stumpfan]

Is Harsin vaxed? Do you know for certain?

Then don’t be a pussy and say I’m not vaccinated. People that don’t answer the question are usually not vaccinated and that’s what most of the players think imo.

 

[JRinATL1]

So Coach Harsin's stance is that he's encouraging our players to get the vaccine but he is not bullying them into doing it or threatening them.

Wow, talk about a real extremist.

Yep, this is the world we live in and now being promulgated on here...

 

[WarDamnEagle]

I respect your opinion about @BryanMatthews’ work sucking, but it’s not at all political. It’s Covid
Corner, maybe.

Serious question here, do you and @BryanMatthews talk about AU football?

 

[AUfamily82]

Why is a big deal? Serious question...what exactly can't Harsin do via Zoom and other methods in 2021 that he couldn't on the field during practice? We act like it's 1920 and telephones don't exist, or the entire country hasn't used Zoom and other conference call methods to communicate.

The telephone was invented in 1854 by Charles Bourseul and then AGB had it patented in the US in 1876.

That aside, you're a homer and I am not mad about that. This is an issue right now, and a very delicate one at that. Hopefully, his decision to allow individual choice will benefit him and the team in the future, but it's not a great thing in the short term.

 

[Jpooty]

People, young people, who crusade against the vaccine.

Are these young people employees or athletes for the most part?

 

[Jay G. Tate]

And this is unique to Auburn? That seems odd. We somehow managed to sign a lot of ant vax players?

I think it’s a core group that has convinced others that the government is trying to control everyone with the vaccine.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Then don’t be a pussy and say I’m not vaccinated. People that don’t answer the question are usually not vaccinated and that’s what most of the players think imo.

He never said if he was or wasn't. His answer was a none of your business answer.

 

[Jay G. Tate]

Are these young people employees or athletes for the most part?

Athletes for the full part.

 

[LogicAU]

No, it’s not about that. It’s leading by example.

Like allowing everyone to educate themselves on the vaccine both the pro's and con's and allowing them to a personal decision?

 

[warjags]

KP has nice feet

 

[Stumpfan]

He never said if he was or wasn't. His answer was a none of your business answer.

And do you think the players took that as a no or a yes?

 

[Jim in Scranton]

Like allowing everyone to educate themselves on the vaccine both the pro's and con's and allowing them to a personal decision?

Nah, screw that. Line 'em up and give them the jab like a real leader/dictator would do.

 

[Imthebirdman]

Well said @ricedp105

Since said player was referenced... apparently Tank Bigsby and his family 30 minutes away are incapable of making a personal choice. Bo Nix, with his mom and dad right up the road are incapable of making a personal choice, etc. After all, the players are in a complete bubble and are not being given guidance by the university, public health, and essentially every other communication outlet globally. NOTHING Harsin said was wrong or Anti-Vax. He simply did not say it in ways that appease the Vax mob.

In full disclosure, the Monday musings sucked. Take it the the politics board.

wow, a new low for you here. I liked you better when you were on your hiatus.