With the SEC tournament starting today, this is a real question. One bad COVID Test and multiple SEC teams will be out of the NCAA tournament, as there is no way to meet the SEC Protocols for playing in the NCAA Tournament, should a player test positive.
You say it cannot happen, just ask Virginia and FSU, both of whom had to pull out of the ACC Tournament for COVID testing problems. If either team ends up with a Thursday game, they will probably not be able to play in the NCAA Tournament. Alabama is safely on the two line for the NCAA Tournament and we are not moving up to the One line, unless something unforeseen happens. We have nothing to gain by being in Nashville and playing in the Tournament. If a Mississippi State player test positive and plays in the game, he could easily infect a Bama player and we could be bounced from the NCAA Tournament, even though most of our players were exposed to COVID in the summer and two are rumored to have had COVID during the season.
Personally, I think the tournament should be cancelled, as the SEC has nothing to gain from the tournament and everything to lose. My view will not be popular, but I think it is time to seriously consider pulling out of the tournament. Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, Florida, Missouri and Tennessee have nothing to gain and everything to lose. Also if we pull out. Let Mississippi State and Georgia play it out to be the SEC AQ team. The SEC meets the requirements of the TV contract and we get a seventh team in the tournament. It would not shock me to see some other conferences have major teams pull out of their tournaments after what happened to Virginia and FSU. Also, will the NCAA make adjustments to allow Virginia and FSU to meet protocols? If many other teams test positive, will the tournament just be delayed a week, so teams can recover?
Remember that the NCAA will be doing the testing and making the calls on what players can play next week, and not the teams and conferences. As an Alabama fan, I am not interested in going to the Final Four is we are going because Illinois only had five players. I want to beat the best, with the best being a full strength. IF we lose in the tournament, let us lose because we got beat by a better team, when we had our best, not because we had four starters out on NCAA testing procedures.
I want an NCAA Tournament to be played and I want it to be played without any walkover games. The alternative is to pass the tournament for one week, give all the players a J&J shot and play the Tournament at full strength.
You say it cannot happen, just ask Virginia and FSU, both of whom had to pull out of the ACC Tournament for COVID testing problems. If either team ends up with a Thursday game, they will probably not be able to play in the NCAA Tournament. Alabama is safely on the two line for the NCAA Tournament and we are not moving up to the One line, unless something unforeseen happens. We have nothing to gain by being in Nashville and playing in the Tournament. If a Mississippi State player test positive and plays in the game, he could easily infect a Bama player and we could be bounced from the NCAA Tournament, even though most of our players were exposed to COVID in the summer and two are rumored to have had COVID during the season.
Personally, I think the tournament should be cancelled, as the SEC has nothing to gain from the tournament and everything to lose. My view will not be popular, but I think it is time to seriously consider pulling out of the tournament. Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, Florida, Missouri and Tennessee have nothing to gain and everything to lose. Also if we pull out. Let Mississippi State and Georgia play it out to be the SEC AQ team. The SEC meets the requirements of the TV contract and we get a seventh team in the tournament. It would not shock me to see some other conferences have major teams pull out of their tournaments after what happened to Virginia and FSU. Also, will the NCAA make adjustments to allow Virginia and FSU to meet protocols? If many other teams test positive, will the tournament just be delayed a week, so teams can recover?
Remember that the NCAA will be doing the testing and making the calls on what players can play next week, and not the teams and conferences. As an Alabama fan, I am not interested in going to the Final Four is we are going because Illinois only had five players. I want to beat the best, with the best being a full strength. IF we lose in the tournament, let us lose because we got beat by a better team, when we had our best, not because we had four starters out on NCAA testing procedures.
I want an NCAA Tournament to be played and I want it to be played without any walkover games. The alternative is to pass the tournament for one week, give all the players a J&J shot and play the Tournament at full strength.
Last edited:
