As always, here's five stories from the week in Pittsburgh sports, with some of my thoughts as well.
5. Big Ten Goes To In-Conference Only
STORY: On the heels of the Ivy League canceling fall sports entirely conference-wide, the Big Ten brought the Power 5 into the mix by announcing that they would only be playing game within the conference this year across all fall sports, including football.
SPIN: Yes, I know this isn't directly Pittsburgh, but it does directly impact Penn State and we reminded semi-regularly here at 93.7 The Fan that there a lot of PSU graduates in the Pittsburgh area. Plus, my belief is that this will impact Pitt very soon. After this first step was taken by a Power 5 conference, I'm thinking that one, two, if not all of the SEC, ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 will follow suit in playing only conference games in 2020, and could announce that as soon as later on Friday or by the end of the weekend.
The impact of this is felt around the college landscape and in football, how do they now crown a National champion at the end of the year? For now, College Football Playoff executive director Bill Hancock said “Whatever the season looks like, the committee will select the best four teams based on the protocol." That protocol being the same as it would be in a normal season, factoring in championships won, strength of schedule, head‐to‐head competition and outcomes against common opponents. It seems like a very fluid situation and overall, this was a rough week for college athletics as we look ahead to the fall. I think all conferences will try to save themselves this way and then brace themselves against having to forego the season altogether.
4. Carnegie Mellon Cancels Fall Sports
STORY: Carnegie Mellon Athletics will not participate in intercollegiate athletics competition this fall. The university announced its decision on Wednesday afternoon. This includes men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, football and volleyball. Decisions on winter and spring sports have not yet been made.
SPIN: This is awful news, no doubt. It's awful news for the coaches, the student athletes, trainers, everyone involved in the athletics department. And it's not like these programs haven't been successul. The women’s soccer team became the first women’s team in school history to advance to a Final Four this past fall.
Athletic director Josh Centor felt it wasn't safe for student athletes to return to their sports this fall. Who know, maybe that's an opinion and thought that will be shared around the country more and more as we more along. But, I think the decision on this for Division III CMU is easier than it would/will be for top flight Division I schools with millions of dollars on the line for the football season.
3. Pirates 2021 Schedule Released
STORY: On Thursday, the Pirates released a full, 162-game 2021 season schedule. It featured a season opening series about the Cubs in Chicago on April 1st. Then, a week later, they will host the Cubs for the opener at PNC Park on April 8th. Check out their schedule from their Twitter account...
2021. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/HZqqsI95ZL
— Pirates (@Pirates)
July 9, 2020 SPIN: This was...a little odd. Major League Baseball has worn black eye after black eye this offseason, beginning with the details of one of the worst cheating scandals in sports coming to light with the sign-stealing from the Astros and Red Sox. Then, a public battle broke out for a couple months as the season was postponed and the league and players' union tried to hash out a plan for salvation of the 2020 season. It looked like a petty money fight in the midst of country-wide financial hardship, leading to a commissioner-forced, much-more-truncated-than- it-had-to-be 60-game regular season teams are now preparing for.
Preparing for not every efficiently, mind you. Teams have had to shut down Spring Training 2.0 camps because they couldn't get enough testing or the results of the testing in a timely manner. In the midst of all that comes....a 2021 season schedule? To me it seems a little silly to be worrying about and planning for anything beyond what's right in front of you at this point, especially for a league that's been tripping all over itself for months.
But hey, it's there and despite this spin being very negative to this point, I actually like seeing things being planned because it's at least a sign of hope for things to potentially come to fruition. There's also this...
MLB announced the schedule for next year, the Pirates will again play the AL Central, because who wants to see the Yankees or Red Sox when you can double up on the Tigers and White Sox.
— Jeff Hathhorn (@jhathhorn)
July 9, 2020 2. Kela, Hayes No-Shows At Pirates Camp
STORY: Outside of pitcher Hector Noesi, who has decided to opt out on the season for family reasons, everyone has been present and accounted for at PNC Park for Spring Training 2.0 (or Summer Camp) as expected. Everyone except closer Keone Kela and third base prospect Ke'Bryan Hayes.
SPIN: All we're left to do is speculate at this point, as manager Derek Shelton has said that he won't give daily updates on who is practicing and who isn't each day. He also isn't going to divulge any extra information other than what is factual, that neither Kela nor Hayes have been on the field at PNC Park yet. Connecting the dots, there really isn't a good reason why either are sitting out other than they've tested positive for COVID-19. Again, not confirmed. But this may be serving as a sneak peak into what sports with COVID looks like. A player goes out for a while, the "injury" or absence isn't disclosed, maybe it ends up being 10 days to two weeks away from the team and then hopefully a return.
This kind of thing will probably happen across all sports and all leagues, assuming they actually play. If handled correctly, that player will return and we can move on. That's the hope, at least.
1. Masked Fans (Potentially) At Heinz Field
STORY: The Steelers released a statement Wednesday saying that full refunds are available for ticket holders in 2020, and that while they are still trying to have fans in the stands, they will be required to wear masks.
SPIN: If fans are allowed in, we know from this release that the seating capacity will be reduced at Heinz Field this year. The Steelers didn't put a hard number on it, but the Ravens did this week. They're going from over 71,000 available seats to just 14,000. An over 80% cut. Will the Steelers and other teams follow suit? We'll see.
Then comes the prospect of wearing a mask at a football game...will fans stay away because of it? Are they actually going to keep this mask on while at the games? Will there be Terrible Towels used as masks during these games? Yes, no, 1000% yes.
Wearing masks are about as polarizing a subject as there is in this country right now, so I've got to believe there will be even some diehard fans who will stay away because of the prospect of wearing them. Once in the stadium, I don't think these masks will stay where they're supposed to and the towel as a mask is just an obvious move.
