I had two choices for this article.  Full COVID or no COVID.  Heading into the holiday weekend I was about to choose “no”.  We all have enough on our minds, and at the end of the day, until this thing plays out we don’t know what’s going to happen.  So what are our options?  Sit here and point out all the bad shit that is going to happen between now and football season that is going to prevent the season?  Yea, that’s one.  And a lot of people are doing a great job at that.  And look, I don’t want to trivialize the effect that COVID-19 is having on people.  It’s changed our lives. It’s (temporarily I believe) devastated parts of our economy.  It’s putting actual readers and commenters on this blog at risk.  It has killed at least one college student in Pennsylvania and could, if the NCAA moves on with the season, potentially kill more than one college football player.

That would be sad.  More than sad really.  It would be tragic, especially for the friends and family of those players.  And we can only hope and pray that college football mortality does not happen.  Testing is key.  Wearing masks and adhering to lock-down orders will help.  But of course, the young aren’t necessarily wont to do that.  And don’t even get me started on the segment of the population – age agnostic – that doesn’t believe the risk of disease is real.

Those who are sensible, rational, and conscientious, will wear a mask, will avoid public places, will limit social contact, whether they play football or not, and by doing so will protect their friends and families from potentially contracting a disease that has a high likelihood of killing their parents or grandparents, and also those who are younger and at risk.  These compliant and contentious individuals (Are they team players? Yes, yes indeed they are.)  will also help ensure that we have a college football season.

And Lord knows we need one.  Not just because Pitt is poised to have it’s best season in 11 years, but because Goddammit, we need a diversion.  Something.  Anything.  The country literally requires the combined powers of the NFL and the NCAA to lift the american people out of their current malaise.  We need fantasy football.  Heck we just need games.  We need Playoff races, division races.  We need a top 25.  We need something to talk about besides riots and infection rates, and the ineptitude of government response across the entire spectrum of events.  We need football.  In all forms, for the good of the American Public.

But until that happens, we have to control the controllables.  And so in the spirit of diversion, I will pose some questions to you dear readers.  Because our opinions on football are one thing left in our control.  Now…these questions were sent to me by a young writer for an upstart college Fantasy Football website, and he wanted me to be their “Pitt expert” for the upcoming season.  I was happy to answer, but somehow the site lost interest when I told them 80% of my readership was over 70 years old.  Age discrimination is a thing, I guess.  Maybe we should all go out and topple a statue.  Oh wait, they don’t build statues of 21 year-olds.  Well boycott Facebook then. Oh wait, Facebook is all 40 and 50 year olds. Okay well the swear off Tik Tok. Oh wait, what the hell is Tik Tok? Oh hell I guess you’ll just have to grumble and weigh in on these damn questions.  Continue reading “Offensive Diversion” →