Nothing Quite Like College Football . . . or is there?

With September now here and the Fall season coming in a few short weeks, people are looking forward to football and doing the things they love to do at this time of the year.
Sports fans in particular are excited for the return of the NFL season next week and college football is
starting up soon as well. Some school teams are kicking off this weekend in time for the Labor Day holiday.
But . . . there is still this thing out there all over the United States of America called the COVID-19 virus.
Coronavirus is still very much a factor in this country and even if politicians and sports executives, etc. want to pretend it's not, they are sadly mistaken.
We have a leader in this country who thinks he isn't responsible for his own lack of actions earlier in the year that perhaps could have prevented all this mess.
The disease is not going away any time soon because too many people lack the common sense to do what is needed to slow the spread. We all know we should wear face masks and wash our hands and do the (at least six foot) social distancing that helps to stop the spread of this awful thing.
Look, I am as big a sports fan as anyone.
Whoever reads this blog knows that and like everyone else, I'm also sick and tired of not being able to do everything we have become accustomed to in our lives because of COVID restrictions. But we have to be responsible and not selfish about it all.
When I see and hear people on the sports networks (ESPN, NFL Network, CBS Sports Radio, etc.) pushing for sports to go on as normal, it just seems forced.
The folks on those networks reporting on all things sports, it is their livelihood that depends on games being played. But the fact is when the disease spreads and more people get sick, it just continues to slow everybody down. Throw in the fact we are in a presidential election this year (two months away in fact) and the current leader of the USA is panicking because he wants things to be "normal" again so his chances to get a second term improve.
Again, people being selfish.
The scientific experts and doctors all agree, this COVID-19 virus isn't going anywhere if we the people don't do our part. Watching sports is great for all of us who follow it, but with the silliness of "bubbles" in the NBA and NHL, it just isn't the same.

COVID-19 map of the United States (as of 9/2/2020)

No fans in the stands.
Shortened seasons.
Silly rules changes to the games.
"Zoom" interviews with players and coaches involved.               
It just all seems too forced.



Sports should happen because the people are out there doing their thing and the fans are there to see it live at the stadiums across the country. But this year it's just about the almighty dollar and rich, spoiled owners and networks and advertisers whining about losing revenue.
It could be a "normal" world we all know if people do their part and those who are in the privileged positions they're in reporting on these games know their responsibilities as well. Don't just parrot the corporate line of "open up" the country and play sports, etc. even though we are still in a pandemic and things get worse whenever we the people try to force things.
People can criticize me for being whatever expletive they choose to use, but so what.
The Heftyinfo blog calls it like it's seen in my view and if you don't agree, that's fine. But do so at your own peril, not mine or someone else.
All of our actions affect others regarding this thing and when hearing now they want to have people in the stands at some of these sporting events, well there's a recipe for disaster. Go ahead, spread this shitty virus some more and then bitch about not being able to do the things you like to do because things still aren't getting better.
I hear people on the radio call in shows (both political and sports) complaining about the whole situation and the hosts doing likewise. On the other side, there are people using common sense and advising folks to do the right thing and help get this thing under control.
Fact is many college campuses that opened have closed up again and students are getting infected with the virus and that includes the football players and staff members of said teams as well. These folks in the colleges are playing with fire and it isn't necessary to do this. But as a famous movie character once said . . . Stupid is as stupid does.
Again, here is hoping that when these college and pro athletes start playing football there aren't too many outbreaks and interruptions to the schedule.
However, our current president is getting into the act and is now pushing for the Big Ten conference (which has voting "swing states" like Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania in it) to join the Big 12, ACC and Southeastern conference in playing right away.
The Big 10 (along with the PAC 12) opted out this fall and (the Big 10) might start their football season in late November. They are using common sense and helping to prevent the spread of the shitty virus.
Good on them.
If people out there want to keep pushing for "normalcy" again in this country, then man up and do your part and stop bitching and whining about masks and social distancing, etc.
It's that simple.
All bets are off for the current situation in sports right now because things are not normal. The NBA and NHL are playing in "bubbles" and baseball continues to see interruptions in the schedule because of outbreaks in COVID-19 cases. Like baseball, look for the same thing to happen once college football and the NFL starts.
Again, call me a "Debbie downer" or "Gloomy Gus" or whatever, I don't care.
We need to be realistic about it all and then (and only then) will we as a country be back on the right track that eventually will get things back to some semblance of normalcy.
Until a real vaccine is ready, we are not out of the woods with this potentially deadly virus.
Remember, there are over 189,000 people in this country who have died from COVID-19. 
There's talk about a vaccine being ready (ta da) right in time for the November presidential election, but it's being said by the medical experts that rushing into things isn't recommended for any vaccines currently being developed.
How about the current president and his family and staff members of the administration being the first "guinea pigs" to test the vaccine that is due out by November? In fact, he is so fond of doing things on live television, maybe that could also happen so we all know they actually take it.
After all, if you want others to get back to normal, then lead by example.
Here is for best wishes to all participating in the college football games (and the NFL as well) and hopefully no one gets too sick and the people involved don't become super spreaders in their communities. We are all rooting for good things and now we just have to continue to wait and see what happens.

Good Luck!