ESPN’s Jay Bilas took aim at the NCAA and other power brokers in college basketball over the handling of the virus, saying, the "one thing that we haven’t in college athletics -- and really this is on the NCAA -- is there hasn’t been a national conversation," and "that's been a failure in leadership." Bilas' comments while calling Illinois-Duke came after the postponement of the Michigan State-Virginia game due to COVID-19 positives at UVA, and he noted it is “proving out to be even more difficult than we all anticipated to get these games in and played.” Bilas described players as "essential workers" and added, "They get tested every day. They’re not allowed to go home for the Christmas holiday. ... We’re being advised by our government not to travel over the holiday and yet these players are traveling. The NCAA told us we would never play in bubbles because they’re amateurs, and we’re playing in bubbles." Bilas said that “failure” extends to conferences as well: "If we were deciding to start now, would we start now? The answer, I think, would be 'no.'" ESPN’s Jon Sciambi: “It feels like collectively the plan was, ‘Gosh, I really hope it goes away'” ("Illinois-Duke," ESPN, 12/8).
PLAYERS' POINT OF VIEW: Bilas said, "There’s a lot of stress on these players and their games are getting canceled left and right. ... We’re playing these games for money, and that’s important. There are a lot of livelihoods at stake, but it’s a balancing." Bilas noted the NCAA at one point "said, 'Well, we’ll never play in bubbles.' But we’re playing in bubbles and we’re playing in a bubble for the NCAA Tournament.” Bilas: “We need some leadership out of Indianapolis, I know that. ... We never get it and I’m not sure we ever will under the current leadership” (ESPN, 12/8). Andrew Yang presidential campaign manager Zach Graumann tweeted, "@JayBilas going OFF on the @NCAA ... (accurately) claiming that our college athletes are essential workers and should be compensated as such. Preach." SNY's Chris Williamson: "Bilas telling it like it is: We are playing these games for money." Pittsburgh-based WPXI-NBC's Jenna Harner: "Amazingly powerful and raw words from @JayBilas ... about college basketball right now, and the state of things currently" (TWITTER.com, 12/8).
TAKING ANOTHER LOOK: Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said, "I'm not sure who leads college basketball. … For the good of the game, and the safety, the mental and physical health of our players and staff and whatever, we need to constantly look at this thing." Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said of the conditions his players face, "They're almost in prison. … I don't want to make light of it, but it's more difficult than we all think." In Detroit, Chris Solari writes of the MSU-UVA postponement, "Welcome to the present state of college basketball. How long it lasts, nobody knows." Solari: "This one is on the Big Ten. And the Atlantic Coast Conference. And the NCAA and all of its member institutions for not making it a priority to be on the same page and come to mutual agreements to follow the same guidelines if they tried to play" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 12/9). Krzyzewski, on the way this season is progressing: "I don’t think it feels right to anybody. I mean, everyone is concerned. ... I know the NCAA is worried about the end game. They’re not as worried about the game we’re playing right now" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/9).
