Report: Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz tests positive for COVID-19

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Plato said:
This exactly why I said that the BIG trying to play football in a now worsening pandemic was folly.
This season will have an asterisk next to it and will be meaningless..
In general the saliva test is more accurate than the nasal swab.
WI should send the second sample to the same lab that decided Saban had a false positive test.
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Are you going to complain all season long? Your team may still have a chance for a meaningful season even if the next few games are no contests due to quarantines.


“If a game is canceled, it won't count as a win or loss for either team. Because of the league's truncated schedule, there is no flexibility or bye weeks built in, so conference officials have accounted for the possibility of unbalanced schedules in their lengthy tiebreaker policy. It is similar to that of the Pac-12, which was released earlier this week.

If the average number of Big Ten games falls below six, then teams must play no less than two fewer conference games than the average number of Big Ten games played by all teams to be considered for the league championship. The champion will be determined in each division by its winning percentage, unless there is an unbalanced schedule because of the cancellation of games.

If two or more teams have the same number of conference losses, but a different number of wins, head-to-head results will take precedence over winning percentage. If the canceled game was between the two teams with the same winning percentage, the records of the two tied teams will be compared based on winning percentage within their division.”


www.espn.com

Big Ten: Any COVID cancellations a 'no contest'

If the Big Ten is forced to cancel any football games due to COVID-19 testing positivity rates within a team, the game will be deemed a "no contest," the conference announced on Thursday.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 

The caveat to the above is this:

“In order to compete in the Big Ten championship game, a team must play at least six games, according to conference tiebreaker rules that were also released on Thursday.“
 

Apparently a Wisconsin recruit in Instagram live said there are 9 others who tested positive which would mean they would have to cancel the next 3 games which would make them ineligible for Indy.
 

die hard gopher said:
Apparently a Wisconsin recruit in Instagram live said there are 9 others who tested positive which would mean they would have to cancel the next 3 games which would make them ineligible for Indy.
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Hmm, that’s interesting. If true the question is when the positives occurred and how the Big Ten does their accounting on the 21 day rule.
 

die hard gopher said:
Apparently a Wisconsin recruit in Instagram live said there are 9 others who tested positive which would mean they would have to cancel the next 3 games which would make them ineligible for Indy.
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The rules are the rules. If you can't enforce enough control of your team, those are the consequences.

Somehow ... I just doubt that is going to happen. I foresee the phrase "false positive" leaking into the narrative.
 


Pompous Elitist said:
Are you going to complain all season long? Your team may still have a chance for a meaningful season even if the next few games are no contests due to quarantines.


“If a game is canceled, it won't count as a win or loss for either team. Because of the league's truncated schedule, there is no flexibility or bye weeks built in, so conference officials have accounted for the possibility of unbalanced schedules in their lengthy tiebreaker policy. It is similar to that of the Pac-12, which was released earlier this week.

If the average number of Big Ten games falls below six, then teams must play no less than two fewer conference games than the average number of Big Ten games played by all teams to be considered for the league championship. The champion will be determined in each division by its winning percentage, unless there is an unbalanced schedule because of the cancellation of games.

If two or more teams have the same number of conference losses, but a different number of wins, head-to-head results will take precedence over winning percentage. If the canceled game was between the two teams with the same winning percentage, the records of the two tied teams will be compared based on winning percentage within their division.”


www.espn.com

Big Ten: Any COVID cancellations a 'no contest'

If the Big Ten is forced to cancel any football games due to COVID-19 testing positivity rates within a team, the game will be deemed a "no contest," the conference announced on Thursday.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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First it is not a "season" by any stretch of the imagination.
It is a series of games played to regain some TV money for the ADs.
Second, I am not complaining, I am simply stating a fact well known to those who do not practice delusional thinking-the virus is running rampant in the midwest at levels much higher than July.
It was folly to attempt to play games in that environment.
Third, I and my family including now a grand child have spent more years at the U of MN than any of the posters here have.
I hope WI and other teams do not play because of asymptomatic positive tests to show how wrong it was to play.
The most serious flaw is lack of transparency and enforcement.
Does anyone here doubt that Frost would play a symptom free but virus positive Martinez?
 

die hard gopher said:
Apparently a Wisconsin recruit in Instagram live said there are 9 others who tested positive which would mean they would have to cancel the next 3 games which would make them ineligible for Indy.
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That would be such a shame.
 

die hard gopher said:
Apparently a Wisconsin recruit in Instagram live said there are 9 others who tested positive which would mean they would have to cancel the next 3 games which would make them ineligible for Indy.
Click to expand...

Well no matter what, they won't shut down Wisconsin Badger football. Sweep it under the rug Wisconsin, sweep it under the rug.

They'll figure out a way. Just watch.
 

Plato said:
First it is not a "season" by any stretch of the imagination.
It is a series of games played to regain some TV money for the ADs.
Second, I am not complaining, I am simply stating a fact well known to those who do not practice delusional thinking-the virus is running rampant in the midwest at levels much higher than July.
It was folly to attempt to play games in that environment.
Third, I and my family including now a grand child have spent more years at the U of MN than any of the posters here have.
I hope WI and other teams do not play because of asymptomatic positive tests to show how wrong it was to play.
The most serious flaw is lack of transparency and enforcement.
Does anyone here doubt that Frost would play a symptom free but virus positive Martinez?
Click to expand...
I notice you are really a rather pathetic human being, filled with quite a bit of hate and anger. You should maybe take a break from the internet for a little bit?
 



Polski said:
Well no matter what, they won't shut down Wisconsin Badger football. Sweep it under the rug Wisconsin, sweep it under the rug.

They'll figure out a way. Just watch.
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Guaranteed. Oops, just kidding, it was false positives! Yeah, yeah, that's what it was!

Why is the young man Mertz vomiting during practice and can't taste food? Oh ... that's ... must be nerves! Big game coming up!
 


MplsGopher said:
The rules are the rules. If you can't enforce enough control of your team, those are the consequences.

Somehow ... I just doubt that is going to happen. I foresee the phrase "false positive" leaking into the narrative.
Click to expand...

I believe the current rules do include follow up tests to test for false positives.
 

Plato said:
First it is not a "season" by any stretch of the imagination.
It is a series of games played to regain some TV money for the ADs.
Second, I am not complaining, I am simply stating a fact well known to those who do not practice delusional thinking-the virus is running rampant in the midwest at levels much higher than July.
It was folly to attempt to play games in that environment.
Third, I and my family including now a grand child have spent more years at the U of MN than any of the posters here have.
I hope WI and other teams do not play because of asymptomatic positive tests to show how wrong it was to play.
The most serious flaw is lack of transparency and enforcement.
Does anyone here doubt that Frost would play a symptom free but virus positive Martinez?
Click to expand...
Frost and any other coach would be fired and the school would be subject to big ten sanctions for knowingly playing an athlete who was tested and diagnosed with covid.
 




Just play like the Michael Jordan Flu game! Let everyone play. No one cared about catching that, and or that Michael was spreading the flu. Their body their choice.

just read that the flu is down 98% worldwide, this is amazing, Covid also kills the flu.
 

Just play like the Michael Jordan Flu game! Let everyone play. No one cared about catching that, and or that Michael was spreading the flu. Their body their choice.

just read that the flu is down 98% worldwide, this is amazing, Covid also kills the flu.
 

GopherFanatic19 said:
Just play like the Michael Jordan Flu game! Let everyone play. No one cared about catching that, and or that Michael was spreading the flu. Their body their choice.

just read that the flu is down 98% worldwide, this is amazing, Covid also kills the flu.
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Huh?
 


I hope the whole team recovers so they can all play.

Competition is better when you play teams at their best.

Unusual year.
 

GopherFanatic19 said:
Just play like the Michael Jordan Flu game! Let everyone play. No one cared about catching that, and or that Michael was spreading the flu. Their body their choice.

just read that the flu is down 98% worldwide, this is amazing, Covid also kills the flu.
Click to expand...

You should probably go watch the Jordan Documentary that came out recently. Not that it would make your point make a whole lot more sense but at least you would know he actually had food poisoning during the famous flu game.
 

MplsGopher said:
The rules are the rules. If you can't enforce enough control of your team, those are the consequences.

Somehow ... I just doubt that is going to happen. I foresee the phrase "false positive" leaking into the narrative.
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As a physician I say we could do without the petty accusations and “COVID-shaming.” Having positive cases within teams is going to be a reality, not necessarily “failure to enforce enough control of your team.” The schools cannot put these kids in an NBA bubble where housing is locked down, their food is catered in, they don’t have to leave for errands or class related activities. Is your tone going to be the same with more positive Gopher players? It was fortunate that it was the kickers who don’t have much physical contact or prolonged proximity to the rest of the team, otherwise it may have been a larger spread.
 
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I really feel for the kid or any player no matter where they play that contracts COVID
 

After watching how poorly the Wisconsin coaches wore their masks, I have a feeling that they are probably pretty flippant in general around Covid procedures. Sucks, but they should have taken it seriously.
 


mkAz said:
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Wow....and in a year where it doesn't look like they have the prototypical Wisconsin running game as well. Going to be tough sledding for their offense as I can't imagine the number 4 guy is some superstar in waiting.

Feel bad for the players, but couldn't happen to a better team.....
 

mkAz said:
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If true, this stinks, but hardly a surprise given WI currently has the worst Covid outbreak in the country. B1G football season shaping up to be a total farce, Gophers-Michigan game included.
 

MNVCGUY said:
Wow....and in a year where it doesn't look like they have the prototypical Wisconsin running game as well. Going to be tough sledding for their offense as I can't imagine the number 4 guy is some superstar in waiting.

Feel bad for the players, but couldn't happen to a better team.....
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It could and probably will happen to the Gophers. I would be mildly surprised if everyone in the Badger huddle does not eventually test positive.
 


A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
I believe the current rules do include follow up tests to test for false positives.
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Yes, you're correct.

https://www.espn.com/college-footba...adgers-qb-graha-mertz-tests-positive-covid-19

Wisconsin was awaiting the result of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to confirm Mertz's result or rule it a false positive. Wolf also will take a PCR test to confirm a positive result from the antigen test. If confirmed, both Mertz and Wolf would miss a minimum of 21 days, according to Big Ten COVID-19 protocols for players.
 

^^ from the same article:

Chryst said he has no issue with the Big Ten's 21-day policy, which is more stringent than those of other leagues.

"The No. 1 concern for the league, and I appreciate this, was how do we best keep everyone as safe as possible regarding the virus, and then how do you manage the impacts of it when someone has it,'' Chryst said. "Admittedly, they told us it was more conservative, and if that helps one person, then that's a good thing for us. We've known that there was a lot of work that went through this. For us to play, if that is something that's in the best interest of everyone involved, then I completely support it.''

In a statement issued Sunday night, Wisconsin said it "will not be releasing COVID-related testing information regarding any individual student-athlete, due to medical privacy."

The statement noted that no player who participated in Friday's game tested positive before the game or reported any symptoms.

"Wisconsin Athletics continues to conduct daily antigen testing for the student-athletes, coaches and selected support staff associated with the Badger football program," the statement read. "Individuals who receive a negative antigen test result continue to participate in team activities. Individuals who receive a presumptive positive antigen test result are removed from team activities and are required to take a PCR test to confirm positivity."
 

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