Normally the Big 12 news would lead this ting off, but not this morning.
Texas Tech head coach Matt Wells posted on Twitter that we should pray for Tommy McVay and for McVay to continue the fight.
You met me with a smile on day one and have encouraged me every day since.
Red Raider Nation and all of the coaching community, please pray with me for Coach McVay. Keep fighting T-Mac!!! đđ pic.twitter.com/pewXkigbs6
â Matt Wells ĆŠĆŠ (@TTUCoachWells) August 12, 2020
We have since found out that McVay suffered a fall while at home, via Avalanche-Journal’s Don Williams:
McVay’s sister, posting on his Facebook page, said the surgery was to stop a brain bleed. She said McVay fainted and fell on Monday at his pool and was discovered by his wife Chele unconscious and bleeding from the mouth, nose and ears.
He was transported by ambulance to a Lubbock hospital.
“Tests showed he had 3 skull fractures, a broken vertebra in the neck which is pinching a blood vessel affecting blood flow, and a broken vertebra in the shoulder blade,” Carolyn Groce, McVay’s sister, wrote. “They finally diagnosed a pseudo-aneurysm caused by the cracked bone puncturing a vein.”
I do not even know McVay, but I am utterly gut-punched. McVay is the face of this program in a lot of ways, being the right hand man of Spike Dykes, Mike Leach, Tommy Tuberville, Kliff Kingsbury, and now Matt Wells. McVay has always been there and I don’t want him to not be there.
I would ask that you think a good thought or prayer for McVay and his family.
According to SoonerScoop, which is the Rivals site for Oklahoma, the Big 12 has decided to move forward with a season and a revised Big 12 schedule has been released.
Sources telling SoonerScoop’s @CareyAMurdock and @Eddie_Rado Big 12 presidents will allow conference to move forward toward a season and a revised Big 12 schedule will be released after approval from AD’s during tonight’s meetings.
â SoonerScoop.com (@SoonerScoop) August 12, 2020
Remember when I told you that I would work on football things last night? Well, I really didn’t think would get batshit crazy today, so here we are with me trying to piece together a week’s worth of news.
Earlier in the day, the Big Ten decided to postpone fall sports and the Pac-12 decided to delay all sports until January 1st. Various programs in the Big Ten have expressed their displeasure with the Big Ten’s decision, Nebraska and Ohio State to name two.
The ACC, SEC, and the AAC have all decided to continue with football plans. It was thought that the Big 12 was the linchpin of those conferences moving forward for everyone else.
From everything that I’ve read, this does not mean that the Big 12 is going to plow through with a season regardless of what happens. The Big 12 is going to continue to pursue the season, which means that if things get worse, then you can count the season as pretty much over. Yahoo Sports’ Pete Thamel reports that part of this idea of moving forward is based on increased testing, “Part of the eventual Big 12 announcement tonight will be enhanced medical protocols. This is expected to include “more testing” for COVID-19 and testing for cardiac issues if an athlete tests positive.”
And according to Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger, this doesn’t mean that the Big 12 will play and if the students returning to campus could ruin everything.
The decision among Big 12 leaders came down to ramifications of NOT playing a season (player mental health, structure, etc) vs. uncertain risk of playing a season.
“These are tough decisions. I’ve never seen anything like this.”
I mentioned yesterday that a big reason why conferences are struggling with this decision and why the Big Ten and Pac-12 ultimately decided to postpone their seasons was because of the potential for liability in relation to the players really not sharing in that revenue. Part of Dellenger’s tweet says that the Big 12 agreed to add an extra layer of protocol involving heart imaging tests for coronavirus cases. For individuals who contract the coronavirus, some have developed myocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart. I had previously not heard of this until recently, but there’s no reason not to take this seriously and if additional testing will help prevent this happening, then I’m absolutely for doing this.
I also mentioned yesterday that it would maybe take one lawsuit to cripple an athletic department and that still may be true. We’re about to find out, or maybe not at all.
I think the other complicating factor is that these players aren’t going to be paid a dime, and some of them are completely comfortable with the idea of compensation being a scholarship and training and everything else, while others are not. There’s still this prevailing idea that these institutions make a significant amount of income and these players do not see any part of this. I’ve previously mentioned that we’re most likely going to see a significant shift of this collegiate model and I think presidents and athletic directors have absolutely paid attention to the NCAA, which has essentially provided no guidance and that may be an entity that is no longer necessary once we come out of this.
I’d also mention that the Big 12 having an alternate schedule at the ready says that they were and have been considering alternatives, which is a good thing. From earlier reports, the Big Ten had not had discussions about what would happen if they moved the season to the spring. Literally not had prior discussions until yesterday. For all of the talk about how great the Big Ten is, well, they seem to be as inept as the next conference.
At the very least, the increased testing and additional medical procedures are good and important.
I hope and pray that things go well. I would also advise you that you doing your part probably seems completely insignificant. I am a gnat on a cow’s ass, how can I make a difference. You can make a difference. Every bit helps and you can do your part to make sure this happens. Wear a mask in public. Wash your hands. Socially distance as best you can. Pray for Tommy McVay.