[jwplayer tyYjTtaP-XNcErKyb]
Et tu brute? That’s the question that many in the Michigan athletic department are certainly asking at the moment of the school’s leadership.
It hasn’t even been a week since the Big Ten announced a new set of protocols to go along with its revamped 2020 schedule, and yet, the impending season is in serious jeopardy. Players reported to fall camp, got a couple days of grueling work in, and on Sunday, the Big Ten member institution presidents met virtually, voting to pull the plug on the season due to the novel coronavirus.
While nothing’s been officially announced at this juncture, details are starting leak out. For example: it wasn’t unanimous among the schools.
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According to former ESPN personality Dan Patrick, as he shared on his radio show, two schools voted against the season cancellation on Sunday night — Iowa and Nebraska. That means that Michigan president Dr. Mark Schlissel was one in favor of canceling the upcoming college football season along with fall sports.
According to Dan's source, 12 of the 14 Presidents from the Big 10 have voted against having a Fall College Football season. Iowa and Nebraska were the two that have been pushing to play.
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) August 10, 2020
Maybe it’s the right call, but given that the Big Ten just started implementing measures last Wednesday, beyond those which were already in place, the decision is causing something of an uproar.
College players as well as coaches — and even some athletic directors — are galvanizing behind the Twitter campaigns #WeWantToPlay, #WeWantToCoach and #WeAreUnited.
If nothing else, it’s clear now that those leading these institutions are making decisions unilaterally, without consulting those who are affected most by taking the season away.