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This is why you don’t listen to the rumormongers — they rarely have the correct info.
If you’ve been on social media following along with various ‘reports’ from non-media-types, then you’ve heard that ‘sources’ proclaimed that the Big Ten was ready to vote and reinstate the fall season — last week at this time. But, clearly, that didn’t happen.
Naturally, if the conference was set to reverse course after a controversial postponement — which happened one month ago on Aug. 11 — then there would be something of a process involved, not just a quick vote by the Big Ten presidents and chancellors.
Various reliable entities, such as ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg and Heather Dinich, have weighed in with the latest intel which highlights the process that the conference will go through as it reevaluates its initial decision.
The Big Ten medical subcommittee will present new testing programs Saturday to a subcommittee of conference presidents and chancellors, outlining options that weren’t available when the Big Ten postponed the 2020 season last month, conference sources told ESPN.
The Big Ten’s subcommittee, which is comprised of medical experts and athletic directors, will show eight of the 14 presidents and chancellors at least four rapid response antigen tests now on the market that could allow teams to test daily and significantly decrease the amount of necessary contact tracing.
“It’s light years different than it was five weeks ago,” one conference source said.
If the subcommittee of presidents and chancellors approves the report, it can call a full board meeting for a second presentation to the entire group for a vote, but it’s also possible both groups have more questions and send the athletic directors and medical experts back to work.
So it’s not a ‘done deal’ as some faux insiders have claimed. But there is something seemingly in the works.
However, that doesn’t guarantee that a season will take place beginning in either October or November — we’re still in somewhat preliminary stages.
As far as the ESPN report is concerned, Chicago Tribune college football writer Teddy Greenstein elucidates a bit more on the ‘revote,’ noting that it seems to be forthcoming, but it isn’t yet set in stone.
A vote on whether to restart is coming but no earlier than Sunday, a source said, and more likely next week.
Conference presidents need answers from the medical subcommittee of the Return to Competition Task Force that addresses four issues related to COVID-19: 1) rapid testing; 2) contact tracing; 3) heart issues; 4) the surge in cases in some Big Ten states and on several campuses.
So there you have it. That’s what’s happening. Not all of these conspiracy theories which are baked mostly in wishful thinking.
There is a path for the Big Ten to return, and despite the circus it’s been this past month, it was always likely to be more methodical in its approach rather than hastily changing course.