Barry Alvarez interview on Bg Ten Network very confusing

I didn’t hear the interview, but if it’s accurate that they could have played per B1G protocols but simply *chose* not to, they should absolutely forfeit. 

I'm sure I'm the only person on the board who didn't watch the interview live, but do you mind if I make an extremely selfish request and ask for a link to it?

It is challenging to answer that question without understanding the actual numbers.   How many players have tested positive.   How many players have had close contact with those players?   Is there good reason to believe other players are likely to teat positive or do they think the outbreak is under control?

if they have good reason to think the outbreak may not be under control then I don’t think they should be faulted for being cautious.

I posted this yesterday:

Games being cancelled are determined by a 7 day rolling average of positivity rate, and that includes all tests administered, not just to the players. The criteria are:

• Test positivity rate (number of positive tests divided by total number of tests administered):
  • Green 0-2%
  • Orange 2-5%
  • Red >5%
• Population positivity rate (number of positive individuals divided by total population at risk):
  • Green 0-3.5%
  • Orange 3.5-7.5%
  • Red >7.5%

If a team falls in the Red/Red category, they're required to shut down for at least seven days. If a team is Orange/Orange or Orange/Red, they are supposed to alter their day to day protocol and consider the viability of continuing with scheduled competition.

According to statements put out by Wisconsin/Alvarez earlier today, 6 players tested posted along with 6 staff members (including Chryst) and Wisconsin ended up in the Orange/Red category. This fits with what Alvarez said where they could have played, but the chancelor decided that continuing with scheduled competition wasn't viable. 

I assume that since the B1G recommends assessing the viability of continuing with scheduled competition during the Orange/Red designation, Wisconsin deciding not to play this weekend will be considered a no contest and not a forfeit. And that's what I want to happen, if teams in this scenario are told that they'll be charged with a loss if they don't play we're gonna see teams push to play in spots when they shouldn't, and playing football is secondary to the stopping the spread of COVID.

I may have misheard, but from what I gathered from the interview, it sounds like the Wisconsin-Nebraska game is going to be a "no contest," versus a forfeit by Wisconsin. Which seem bogus, especially if you are Nebraska, because Wisconsin is not playing by their choice, not because of any mandate by the Big Ten.

They would rather take no contest versus a loss (obviously), but it doesn't seem right.

In an 8-game season, whether it is a "no-contest" or a "forfeit" is really just semantics. Wisconsin is not going to be championship contender even if they go "7-0". In the end, I have to think a "no contest" will have a similar impact as a loss in this truncated season.

Coaches and ADs have used things to their advantage. They were in the orange area and decided to cancel. If they had their starting QB I wonder if they make the move? I doubt it but we will never know 

Not really sure why UW/Mertz were getting so much love nationally after beating... Illinois? Don't get me wrong, Wisconsin looked good beating an annually bad team but it wasn't a high pressure game of playing a decent defense. Or offense for that matter?! Sure, they're the class of the B1G 10 West but at what volumes does that title speak to?

People on this board were so focused on this Mertz guy possibly playing against UM due to Covid, it was kinda embarrassing. Yes - we'd all love to play 4th stringers all the time but if we don't, we'll be fine. Hope the game actually happens and we get a little payback for last year's shit show. 

If they have the requisite number of players to fully field a team, even if playing out of position, they should have to take a forfeit if they don't play.

If Wisconsin is doing this because their top 3 QBs are out, are they going to skip the next three games? If that's the case, let us know so we can see if EMU is up for an impromptu beatdown.

Is it bad of me to want to see all of Nebraska’s 2020 home games cancelled after Frost’s whining over the last few months?

They should forfeit, they had an able QB, they just know their running game sucks so without a QB they would be embarassed by nebraska on the road.

Mertz cannot play next week, so they are imposing a 7 day pause.. so they are gonna come back mid week next week and try to practice for their game next week?  

I gaurantee they sit out until the michigan game

I believe they have to meet all the criteria by the B1G conference in order to get "no contest" which I believe they did based on reports. Barry probably just didn't want to seemingly admit a failure to protect the players or didn't know the situation because he seemingly can have blinders on at times 

No team or conference is adequately prepared to handle this pandemic. Shocking, I know

They have a whole bunch of infected players and the big debate is whether they should forfeit the game?

Fuck that. Thank you to UW for doing the right goddamn thing for the safety of the players, staff, other team, and all their families.

Great. Ohio State's will face Nebraska again the B10 championship game

If they're not complying to the B1G COVID rules for a game cancellation than it needs to be a loss. It is not fair just because they lost a few key players which could result in a loss. NE has the right to be upset and they should get the W if WI just chose not to play.

Answer -- yes, they should absolutely be forced to forfeit. 

Forfeit

What a joke.  The Big Ten giving programs leeway to decide when to play and not to play even though they are below the limits set by the conference.

Last week Minnesota had more players out and yet they still showed up against Michigan.

I’m guessing that if Graham Mertz were the only healthy QB on the roster, as opposed to their own 4th string version of Rudy, this game would miraculously get played.

Barry Alvarez wants only to screw Nebraska as much and as often as possible. He hates Nebraska and so does Paul Chryst for firing Shawn Eichorst and Mike Riley.