Why aren't we hearing a peep out of the PAC 12

Submitted by ldevon1 on September 3rd, 2020 at 8:31 AM

I find it very interesting why we haven't heard any rumors or unrest within the PAC 12 after they also agreed to cancel their season? No player/parent protest, no question on the voting process and no media attention questioning why they decided to cancel so early? 

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Justibro

September 3rd, 2020 at 8:57 AM ^

That explains the POTUS involvement, which is probably his smartest decision in the last 4 months to attempt to gain some positive traction with people. But I find it hard to think the parents and players give a crap if they are in a swing state or not.

Maybe we have a higher fandom/obsession, maybe its because the Pac-12 always seems to be forgotten (even when college football is being played), or some other random reason but it does bring up an intriguing question as to why they seem to be perfectly okay with it in Pac 12 country compared to the Big Ten region. 

Joined: 12/04/2016

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othernel

September 3rd, 2020 at 9:18 AM ^

Agreed. It's a win-win for him.

B10 football comes back anytime before the election, he's going to take full credit for it.

B10 football doesn't come back, he's going to stand on stage and say "I tried to get them to play, but they didn't listen to me" and then listen to a crowd chant "lock her up" inexplicably.

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jfree77

September 3rd, 2020 at 11:38 AM ^

This x1000.  So many false equivalencies.

"wHaT aBoUt ThE lEfT??" while showing some random citizens or protesters doing something aggressive or odd (but rarely violent, strangely enough)

Meanwhile the literal president is inciting violence and yelling/tweeting WILD shit every single day.

Wake me up when Biden is out there with a mob of mouthbreathing idiots inciting violence and excusing white supremacy.

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blueheron

September 3rd, 2020 at 12:19 PM ^

Here, let me help you. I wouldn't expect to have to do this for someone who earns such a good salary (based on your posting history).

https://www.shmoop.com/quotes/four-legs-good-two-legs-bad.html

I don't think the two instances are equivalent. It's the difference between sheep (people shouting at Trump rallies) and pigs (the authoritarians making up-close-and-personal demands at the D.C. restaurant). The pigs should know better. Their actions are going to be turned into campaign ads. They'll be self-defeating. It's possible that they don't care.

At the moment, I don't think the D.C. pigs have a big herd of sheep (like Trump's herd).

Let me know if you'd need additional clarity.

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pdxwolve

September 3rd, 2020 at 11:58 AM ^

In terms of the chanting, I wonder about voice. Now, when I think of Trumpers, I think of people. When I think of "Four legs good ..." I think of animals. Now, to reduce my biases, I'd like to hear a crowd of centaurs deliver both messages, so I could judge the chants on their own merits.

Joined: 08/17/2009

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azee2890

September 3rd, 2020 at 9:21 AM ^

The west coast as a whole has taken the pandemic very seriously (Arizona and people going to bars excluded). You don't have people protesting mask wearing like you do in the Midwest. On top of that, those states probably do care less about football. If football is cancelled, they can still go to the beach. 

Combine the inconsistent attitudes about the pandemic and the fact that a lot of the midwest lives and breathes football, it makes sense that there is so much disdain regarding cancelling the season. I imagine if the SEC cancelled their season, buildings would burn. 

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Durham Blue

September 3rd, 2020 at 2:42 PM ^

Pretty much all of southern California is ambivalent to college football, and especially so since both USC and UCLA are mediocre football teams.

 

Edit: And I would venture to guess that a majority of Pac 12 television viewership lives in the LA/Riverside/OC/SD metroplex.  It doesn't matter that the WSU or Oregon niches are rabid because they represent a relatively small portion of the Pac 12 fandom.

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mackbru

September 3rd, 2020 at 10:11 AM ^

Given that Trump is a self-serving and unpopular buffoon, I don’t think his involvement gets any traction. It hasn’t yet. Beyond that, maybe you’re not hearing much out of the P12 because people at those schools and in that region have their priorities in order and don’t think playing a game designed for our entertainment is worth the health risks. People in the Midwest and South seem to think amateur football players ought to play football even though many of their big schools are clearly struggling to limit the virus. Pac12 is just more forward thinking. 

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Greatgig

September 3rd, 2020 at 10:41 AM ^

I live out west, just north of Pullman. I'd say the attitude out here is much the same as what Curt Cousins expressed.  People are wearing masks because they're following the rules, not out of fear of the virus. The PAC 12 will start caring more about football once USC gets their poop back in a group.

Joined: 11/29/2010

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boliver46

September 3rd, 2020 at 3:20 PM ^

I am totally secure in my political opinions - all of them.  I really don't care what you may think of them, to be quite perfectly honest.

I am more concerned that the board espouses rules and unevenly applies them based on the content of those opinions.

And I know, it's Brian's blog and he can do what he wants...it's free...blah blah blah.

 

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rob f

September 3rd, 2020 at 3:22 PM ^

I actually work when I'm at work, bully-ivar.

I'll look at it later when I get home, no need to get your underoos all wadded up. 

(edit @6:15pm). Nothing to see here, especially when comparing it to your meltdown in a thread this past weekend, Bolivar. 

Joined: 11/11/2010

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TrueBlue2003

September 3rd, 2020 at 12:12 PM ^

It's a combo of 1) the Midwest having "a higher fandom/obsession" and 2) the fact that out here in the West nothing about this virus is a very polarizing issue. 

I live in Los Angeles, which is the center of PAC-12 fandom (USC + UCLA and the largest contingent of fans from the non-CA schools outside of their respective states). Barely anyone cares about college football even when there is football but even fewer people care that there isn't football for completely understandable reasons. 

The attitude is very much, hey, there's a dangerous virus, let's get it under control and help protect our fellow citizens and the quicker we do that the easier it will be to make people feel safe and go back to normal.

Most people simply agree that there shouldn't be football (or don't care if there's football) and that's it.

I also think the way they did it (following the Big Ten) made clear they were pretty much going to do what the Big Ten did so people aren't clamoring for them to think for themselves now.  Maybe if the Big Ten reversed course, they'd be like yeah let's revisit that too but I also think they know their leadership would do that without them needing to get vocal.

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1VaBlue1

September 3rd, 2020 at 11:35 AM ^

Just to clarify an important point - concentration camps were run by Nazi's.  The Nazi party was extreme right wing, facist, and nationalist.  All the thing the Trump zealots subscribe to.  Antifa, OTOH, is short for anti-facists.  They are in the extreme left zone where the vast majority of people don't reside - just as most poeple are not in the Nazi-like alt-right camp.

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BlueInWisconsin

September 3rd, 2020 at 9:36 PM ^

Antigua was born out of the experience of the rise of fascism in Europe before WWII.  The fascists and nazis used political violence in the streets as a tool to take power and nobody did mischief to stop them.  The idea of Antifa was to not let that happen again.  To be there next time to counter right wing political violence.  
I’m don’t always support their tactics but there sure are a lot of crazy right wingers running around the country wit AR-15s and body armor these days, so I get their point. 

Joined: 03/27/2009

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NotADuck

September 3rd, 2020 at 1:39 PM ^

This is probably true but I think there are 2 more factors:

1.  There isn't as much fun stuff to do in the midwest.  I mean Iowa and Nebraska are about 90 percent corn fields and Minnesota... is Minnesota.

2.  There are better teams in the Big Ten.  Ohio State is a title contender every year and I'd imagine they don't want to miss a chance at another title.  They're willing to do all kinds of shady stuff to get there, what's a little myocarditis sprinkled on top?

If you look at the fans who have been protesting, its mostly been Ohio State, Nebraska, Iowa, and that one guy from Illinois (I admire his spirit lol).  Based on that, my ideas speak for themselves.

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Bluesince89

September 3rd, 2020 at 8:50 AM ^

Football is not a religion out there.  All the people I know from college from out west did not really grow up going to USC, UCLA, or UW games or tailgating the way we see it in the BIG 10 or elsewhere.   

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Rafiki

September 3rd, 2020 at 8:51 AM ^

The programs in the PAC12 that have historically been good enough that you'd expect them to care haven't been good in a while (USC & UCLA) and I'd bet the rest don't care about football as much as other parts of the country. Even though B1G university presidents may not care about football as much as the SEC there are still lots of B1G families that care about football as much as people in the SEC. Doesn't mean their opinion should matter to the people making decisions. But does lead to more public outcry. 

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Um1994

September 3rd, 2020 at 9:48 AM ^

You may be on to something.  High School football is king in Ohio and Pennsylvania, with Ohio being in the heart of BT country.  IMO, it is seen as a community event similar to Texas - although not as much talent due to population.  However, California is also a talent rich state for HS football.

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crg

September 3rd, 2020 at 8:56 AM ^

1) They have a larger problem: Larry Scott. (Only half joking.)

2)  They don't have schools that are as blatantly committed to being "football factories" as certain other schools who will remain nameless for this post.  Oregon and USC have come close as times, but they have a bit more integrity at the top these days (which doesn't say much, although it is worth pointing out that USC publicly declined interest in Urban Meyer due his ethical baggage even when it was obvious that there was some mutual interest... how things there have changed since the Pete Carroll days).

3)  As others have already pointed out, not swing states (but this aspect might be over exaggerated a bit).

4)  Related to the point above but separate, those states more readily embraced the pandemic responses - so a loss of a football season wasn't as much of an outrage.

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