Bobby Bowden and George O'Leary Still Want to Play This Saturday

I question Bobby Bowden's integrity everyday. But, even though I'm just still in shock right now, I wouldn't be all that upset if they played games only because it would be a distraction away from this and would give people something else to concentrate on. But then I think of the victims and their families, and I don't know. . .

 

I just recall that Pete Rozelle regretted having the NFL play after the Kennedy Assassination for the rest of his life. Better to cancel or postpone the games than to live with the regret of doing the wrong thing for a long time.

 

I really see no problem with playing the games. Right now, the only thing that everyone in the nation has been thinking about for the past 25 hours as been this tragedy. Sports might take our minds off of that for a few hours at least. I don't understand how anyone could see this as a slap in the face of the victims. The victims know we care and feel for them, but life must go on.

 

The main argument for "playing the games" is that it shows the world that America hasn't been totally shut down. It also gives individuals a chance to come together, basically a non-religious congregation. Some people also need something -- anything positive -- to get their minds off of this (others may feel that people shouldn't try to distract themselves). I think there are good arguments on both sides.

 

Bowden is only concerned about himself and his team.

Remember a couple of years ago when a hurricane cancelled the UCLA vs. Miami game. The two teams met at the end of the year, and Miami knocked off UCLA ending the Bruins hopes for a national title.

Georgia Tech is good and is supposed to challenge for the ACC title. GT is # 10 in the country. Bowden fears that GT is only going to get better. He does not want a repeat of UCLA Miami.

O'Leary needs to win as many big games as he can before GT eventually loses. GT is pumped this weekend. He doesn't want to reschedule this game.

Both coaches are looking for their own interests.

 

Yeah, I saw this article earlier and was about to come up with a poll about it, but you beat me to it.

Just kidding!

Seriously, as big a sports fan as I am, I would have ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM if all sporting events were cancelled until next week.

I agree with shanna, there are definitely two sides to this argument.

 

<B>Georgia Tech is good and is supposed to challenge for the ACC title. GT is # 10 in the country. Bowden fears that GT is only going to get better. He does not want a repeat of UCLA Miami. </B>

Over the course of the season, FSU is going to improve more than GT. GT is veteran-filled, FSU has injury problems, a rookie QB, and no experience at running back or receiver. It would be in FSU's best interests to delay this game as long as possible. FSU struggled with UAB last week while GT pasted Navy.

<B>Both coaches are looking for their own interests.</B>

How do you know this? There are ALOT of people who believe the games should keep being played, fans, coaches, administrators, politicans. There are also a bunch that don't think they should. I seriously doubt it has to do with self-interest.

 

The question becomes, "what is a reasonable mourning period"? Currently there is the issue of safety for the participants and the fans. What is the difference between playing baseball games next Monday and football games on Sunday? Apparently baseball is planning to resume Friday and the games missed will be played after the regular season which will push things back a few days. I suspect the ultimate decision rests with the FAA. Currently only those planes which were diverted Tuesday will be able to fly today (Wednesday). That would lead one to believe that limited air travel will restart on Thursday and it will be a number of days before full air travel resumes, thus, for those teams that fly commercial, will they even be able to necessarily get to their Friday destinations.

Another rhetorical question. Many of us worked yesterday and are working today. Why is it pertinent for athletes to not do their job out of respect to the victims, yet we continue to do ours?

That being said, if baseball resumes Friday, why shouldn't football be played Sunday? In addition, if baseball chooses to wait until Monday, again, why shouldn't football be played Sunday?

 

I think the argument that we shouldn't let this affect our way of life has considerable merit.

On the other hand, I don't feel like football right now.

 

A GT official told ESPN that the game has been postponed.

Personally, I'm disappointed with the decision. How long is our world supposed to completely stop because of what happened? We're all tremendously saddened by the tragedy, but there comes a time where you have to move on. No one is ever going to forget what happened, football or no football.

Bush last night said that "Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. The longer we put off normal life, we are allowing the terrorists to do much more than what they did in New York. We're letting them take over the lives of all Americans. That's not the right message to send. I agree with a period of mourning, but it should not take a week. If the time of mourning lasted one hour or one month, we will not forget what happened. Imho, considering that, it's best to move on to the things we regularly do, instead of slowing down America as a whole, the exact thing the terrorist would want.

 

Just announced: The SEC will play all scheduled games this weekend.

 

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- The New York Jets don't want to travel to Oakland for their weekend game with the Raiders in the aftermath of terrorist attacks.


Almost to a man, Jets players said Wednesday they believe the NFL should cancel or postpone this weekend's games.




"I don't understand why we're here today," said quarterback Vinny Testaverde. "I think all the games should be canceled this week.


"It's unconscionable to think this could happen. We're all speechless on what happened, but we'll try to get through it and try to help people who suffered losses and have been hurt."


Testaverde echoed the sentiments of many teammates about traveling cross-country on Friday for Sunday's game against the Raiders.


"The last thing we want to do is get on a plane and go to California for a game when all four of those planes that were hijacked were going to California," he said. "My suggestion is if they want to play these games, each owner has to travel with his team to the game.


"Even if everything goes accordingly, by the time we get off the plane we will all be shot from the stress and nerves of not knowing ... we'll be exhausted getting off that plane. I don't think anyone wants to play."


The Jets made their sentiments clear to NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw. Player rep Kevin Mawae spoke with Upshaw on Wednesday

 

Apparently the NFL is going to try to play this Sunday including a Giants game at the Meadowlands. Of course, the Giants might not be able to practice ahead of the game since their practice bubble has been designated as a potential makeshift morgue.

The game times will be scheduled so as not to conflict with a memorial service planned at St. Patrick's Cathedral (because there's nothing better to lead-off a memorial service than a football game, apparently)

The Giants game may be moved to Monday night instead of Sunday, but still...

There's also the question as to whether teams will even be able to travel to their destinations or whether the networks would broadcast the games.

The Player's Association may well thwart the attempt to play this weekend. If the players (who have been pretty clear in not wanting to play) nix the idea of playing, the League might actually not play.

 

As much as I would like the distraction of watching football over the weekend, I think they should wait until next week. Just my opinion

 

Not to sound insensitive but there are thousands of workers who are dependant upon sports to earn their living. When the athletes do not play, the concessionaires, parking lot attendants, vendors, stadium personnel and others do not get paid. As long as the safety of the fans and the participants can be as guaranteed as possible (which includes their travel), the games should continue.

To offset feelings of insensitivity have the owners of ALL sports teams donate a hefty percentage (at least 1/2) of their ticket revenue to a victim's relief fund for their first game played. Have the players donate a portion of their day's salary to a victim's relief fund. Have TV funnel a portion of their advertising dollars to a victim's relief fund.

We (or most of us) are continuing to work and doing so does not disrespect the victims and their families of this tragedy. Athletes and entertainers will not be disrespectful either. Entertainment and sports are as much a part of the American economy as any other job. Granted, their importance is certainly not up there with civil services, but it is important.

 

Working through the memorial service seems a little disrespectful. Asking New Yorkers to turn their attention towards putting on a football game while all this is still going on is a little disrespectful. Asking the Giants to just step around the remains in their practice bubble while they're practicing is a little disrespectful. Taking civil services away from their duties helping with the disaster aftermath so the Giants can play a football game is a little disrespectful (Hey, stop searching through the rubble, we need cops to patrol the stadium for our football game). Asking the city to close a disaster command center (the Meadowlands parking lot is reportedly being used as a command center for the disaster relief effort) so the football game can go on is a little disrespectful.

Plus, do we think that we can actually get 70,000 people to show up at these games so soon? Aside from Giants Stadium (which will likely be empty on Sunday), will people show up to attend games in other cities? Will the games even be broadcast? I notice the TV networks have yet to stop their blanket coverage of the attack and aftermath. Will they be wanting to cut directly from a probably moving memorial service to John Madden and Pat Summerall and the football game?

Sports and entertainment are celebratory events. It's not just working like your average everyday Joe. And this Sunday is not the right time to celebrate, especially not right after or before a memorial service.

And the logistics of getting teams to their destinations, getting gameday personnel to the stadium (in New York, especially), etc. would be a nightmare, as well.

But it's a moot point now since the NFL has canceled the games.

 

hmm wouldnt there be security issues as well. to have the games postponed for a bit..since it would be a large amount of ppl in one area. that could be a risk in itself.