Justin Turner’s World Series celebration was an insult to 230,000 dead Americans
If it wasn’t shocking enough for Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner to be pulled from Game 6 of the World Series because of a positive COVID-19 test, seeing him unmasked and sitting close to his teammates celebrating their victory was heart stopping. What were he, the Dodgers and Major League Baseball thinking? (“A win for the Dodgers is another tonic for Los Angeles,” Oct. 27)
Last month, the National Football League fined three head coaches $100,000 for not wearing face masks on the sidelines, a safety precaution that is required at games during the coronavirus pandemic. The coaches’ teams also were fined an additional $250,000.
I love baseball as much as anyone, but Turner’s behavior was a slap in the face of the more than 230,000 people in the United States who have died from COVID-19. I urge MLB to immediately fine Turner and the Dodgers $1 million each. The money should go to Los Angeles County for its efforts to mitigate this terrible virus.
-DF
Voting no on football this fall
Back in April, I asked a dozen of my USC fraternity brothers, most of whom have been season tickets holders for more than 50 years, should the Trojans play football this fall? Almost without exception, they said, “Yes, despite COVID, SC should play.”
Now jump to Tuesday when the PAC 12 and Big 10 commissioners formally voted to postpone their 2020 football seasons. They were the first to join the Mid-Atlantic Conference after it made its historic announcement the previous Saturday.
As painful as these decisions were, the commissioners were right to vote the way they did. While I understand why players want to take the field this fall, you can’t overlook this inescapable truth: Football, by definition, is a contact sport. Teams huddle and line up inches from each other. Sometimes it takes two to tackle a ball carrier. In the time of a national health pandemic, how can anyone safely play a game that ignores the importance of social distancing? Simply put, you can’t.
To date, all California high school football has been postponed until spring of 2021. Now that much of college football will not be played this fall, I wonder when the NFL owners will be forced to admit the obvious? For the safety of all the players and coaches, it’s time to punt on the 2020 season.
-DF
Will Stanford or Cal play football this fall?
Back in 1962, I was a 9th-grade quarterback for the Wilbur Warriors in Palo Alto. Clearly, it’s a game I have loved for decades.
The question of whether or not to play high school, college or pro football this fall troubles me greatly. The coronavirus doesn’t play favorites when it comes to teams, locker rooms or stadiums. Case in point, at least five University of Alabama players recently tested positive for COVID-19.
Will Stanford or Cal be making similar announcements soon? I realize hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars are at stake if football is canceled this fall; still, I have to ask: Which is more important, healthy sports budgets or a healthy society?
I urge everyone involved in football — from school boards and universities to coaches and owners alike — to reconsider their decisions to kick off the 2020 season this fall.
-DF
Cancel baseball and football
People who think big-time sports, like baseball and football, should be played now are, in my opinion, living in an altered state.
If you don’t believe me, ask the MLB Miami Marlins. According to sources, more than a dozen of its players, coaches, and staff have contracted COVID-19. That news resulted in the Yankees and Phillies postponing their next game.
The same thing is happening to college football programs. Powerhouse universities like Alabama, Auburn, Texas, Clemson, Florida, Marshall, and West Virginia have all reported players testing positive for the virus.
My guess is Notre Dame, Michigan State, Oregon, and USC won’t be far behind.
I realize millions of dollars, maybe billions, are at stake if baseball and football are canceled; still, I have to ask: Which is more important, a healthy sports budget or a healthy society?
-DF
This OSU football thing is not going to work
Talk about putting the cart before the horse. Oklahoma State’s decision to require football fans to wear masks this fall does nothing to protect the health and safety of OSU players.
Football, by definition, is a contact sport. Players huddle and line up inches from each other. Sometimes it takes two to tackle a ball carrier. Given the COVID pandemic, does anyone really believe you can safely social distance on the playing field? The short answer is no.
As painful as the decisions were, the commissioners of the Mid-Atlantic, PAC-12 and Big 10 conferences made the right votes to punt on the 2020 season. Fans wearing masks will do nothing to protect OSU players. The Cowboys should reverse field and punt on football this fall.
-DF