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Coronavirus Safety Protocol - please read and discuss

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  • Originally posted by Fraquar View Post
    A 1-shot Barry is still better than Emmitt....
    "...when Hibernian won the Scottish Cup final and that celebration, Sunshine on Leith? I don’t think there’s a better football celebration ever in the game.”

    Sir Alex Ferguson

    Comment


    • Colts G.M. Chris Ballard wants players to make their own decisions, hopes they’ll decide to get vaccinated

      Posted by Mike Florio on June 30, 2021, 1:45 PM EDT

      Getty Images

      The Colts, like many teams, are struggling to get enough players to choose to get vaccinated. G.M. Chris Ballard tells Bob Kravitz of TheAthletic.com that the team hopes that players will make their own decisions — and that they’ll decided to get the shot(s).

      “One thing about our group is they’re very mature and they’ll handle whatever decisions are made,” Ballard said. “If we’re not above the 85-percent mark, we’ll handle it with all that comes with it, the social distancing and everything else.”

      Ballard and the Colts will handle it, but Ballard doesn’t want to.

      “[D]o I think our guys should be vaccinating? Yes, absolutely,” Ballard said. “But we’re not going to force people. Encourage it? Absolutely. Absolutely. I think it’s the right thing to do for our club and our country, but it’s an individual decision to make. You talk about hesitancy, well, it’s not like our country is running out to get it, either, so it’s not just the NFL.”

      Ballard knows the Colts still have time, time for players to arrive at the decision that Ballard hopes they will.

      “The season doesn’t start today,” Ballard said. “We’ve got a number of guys on the fence right now, so we’ll see where that goes.”

      The Colts, like other teams, have tried to make relevant information available to the players.

      “We’ve had people come in and talk to our team, every team has done that,” Ballard said. “And they’ve been good, honest, and just gave the facts. But these guys, they’re going to question things more. They want to know what they’re putting in their bodies and want to be sure it isn’t going to affect them long term. I had no hesitation getting it. Same with my family, obviously. But I think slowly, as time passes and we learn more about it, guys will make up their own minds. And if we don’t have the numbers , it’s just going to be something we’ll have to deal with. . . . [W]e’re not going to force anybody. We want it to be their decision. We want them to believe in it and do it for the right reasons.”

      It’s the right attitude and approach. With the issue becoming so contentious (unfortunately), it’s important for players to feel as good as they can about whatever decision they make. And it’s important for everyone to focus on facts and not unfounded fears that, if given credence, will make it harder for us to put the pandemic behind us for good.
      Trickalicious - I don't think it is fair that the division rivals get to play the Lions twice. The Lions NEVER get to play the Lions, let alone twice.

      Comment


      • Report: A sixth team tops the league’s 85 percent vaccine threshold

        Posted by Charean Williams on July 8, 2021, 8:39 PM EDT

        Getty Images

        Teams on which 85 percent of players are vaccinated will receive relaxed COVID-19 protocols for this season. Still, vaccination rates aren’t climbing quite as fast as the NFL and its teams likely had hoped.

        Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports that a sixth team topped the threshold Thursday.

        The Steelers, Dolphins and Saints previously were reported to have crossed the 85 percent threshold. The other three teams are unknown.

        The league-wide vaccination rate now is over 69 percent, according to Pelissero.

        A important deadline comes Monday when a player would need to get a second shot (or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine) to be fully vaccinated by the time most teams report to camp July 27.

        Virtually all Tier 1 and Tier 2 personnel are vaccinated throughout the league. Coaches and other football staff are in the Tier 1 and Tier 2 category. If those individuals choose not to get the vaccine, they are prohibited from working in person with players.

        Players are not required to be vaccinated but face COVID-19 protocols if they choose not to do so. Those restrictions include a mandatory mask mandate at the facility, not being allowed to eat in the cafeteria with teammates and being forced to remain in the team hotel during any off time for road games.
        Trickalicious - I don't think it is fair that the division rivals get to play the Lions twice. The Lions NEVER get to play the Lions, let alone twice.

        Comment


        • Meanwhile, the state of Tennessee has now cut all youth vaccine outreach... not just for COVID-19, but all vaccines.

          Comment


          • Nick now winning the argument.

            Comment


            • Eight NFL teams have 85 percent of players vaccinated

              Posted by Michael David Smith on July 13, 2021, 12:16 PM EDT

              Getty Images

              Eight NFL teams now have 85 percent of their players vaccinated.

              As of Monday it was seven teams above the 85 percent threshold but on Tuesday one more team joined the list, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

              Officially, the NFL and the teams are not releasing any information about which players are and are not vaccinated, although it will be easy to tell who is and is not vaccinated because NFL rules will require far greater restrictions on unvaccinated players.

              Training camps open in less than two weeks, which means any player who hasn’t had his second shot yet won’t be fully vaccinated in time for training camp.
              Trickalicious - I don't think it is fair that the division rivals get to play the Lions twice. The Lions NEVER get to play the Lions, let alone twice.

              Comment


              • 10 teams have at least 85 percent of players vaccinated

                Posted by Charean Williams on July 15, 2021, 6:00 PM EDT

                USA TODAY Sports

                Add another team to the list of those meeting the NFL’s 85 percent threshold for vaccinated players.

                On Monday, it was seven. On Tuesday, it was eight. On Wednesday, it was nine. Now, Thursday, a league source told PFT, a 10th team has 85 percent of its players vaccinated.

                Also according to the source, 73 percent of the league’s players as a whole have received at least one shot. That number rose from 72 percent a day earlier.

                The NFL is not naming the teams that have an 85 percent vaccination rate, but the Steelers, Dolphins, Saints and Broncos all were reported as having crossed that threshold.

                With all training camps beginning the next two weeks, any player who receives a shot now will not be fully vaccinated by the report date. Teams are not going to release information about who is vaccinated, but given the restrictions for unvaccinated players, it will not be hard to determine.
                Trickalicious - I don't think it is fair that the division rivals get to play the Lions twice. The Lions NEVER get to play the Lions, let alone twice.

                Comment


                • Report: Four teams remain below 50 percent vaccination threshold

                  Posted by Charean Williams on July 15, 2021, 9:58 PM EDT

                  Getty Images

                  On the day a 10th team met the NFL’s 85 percent threshold of vaccinated players, the news is not as optimistic for four other teams.

                  Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press reports Washington, Indianapolis, Arizona and the Chargers have the lowest vaccination rates in the league. All four have fewer than 50 of their players vaccinated.

                  The Cowboys were one of the most recent teams to cross the 50 percent mark, per Maaddi.

                  As all training camps begin in the next two weeks, those teams will face competitive disadvantages.

                  Teams are required to have some method of easily identifying vaccinated individuals, using color-coded wristbands, credentials or another similar method, per Maaddi. Fully vaccinated players face relaxed protocols for 2021.

                  Unvaccinated players are required to undergo daily testing, to wear masks and to practice social distancing. They are prohibited from eating meals with teammates, from using the sauna or steam room and from leaving the team hotel while traveling for road games.

                  The NFL sent a memo to clubs last week, per Maaddi, that updated protocols for teams traveling to joint practices. The traveling party will be either 100 or 140, depending on the club’s vaccination percentage. The club must limit the number of individuals traveling on the team transportation to 85 but may travel additional Tier 1 and Tier 2 staff up to the applicable daily tier limits separately to attend the practice.

                  The NFL is not naming the teams that have an 85 percent vaccination rate, but the Steelers, Dolphins, Saints and Broncos all were reported as having crossed that threshold. Maaddi added the Panthers to that list.
                  Trickalicious - I don't think it is fair that the division rivals get to play the Lions twice. The Lions NEVER get to play the Lions, let alone twice.

                  Comment


                  • NFL, NFLPA working on method for identifying vaccinated players at practices, during games

                    Posted by Mike Florio on July 17, 2021, 8:16 PM EDT

                    Getty Images

                    Various players have declined to reveal whether they’ve been vaccinated against COVID. Ultimately, it could be impossible for them to conceal that fact.

                    Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the NFL and NFL Players Association are working out the details for identifying vaccinated players during practices and games. It’s regarded as a “core concern,” the source explained.

                    Obviously, if visual proof will distinguish vaccinated from non-vaccinated players, fans and media will see it, too. Which means that it will be impossible for those who have chosen not to be vaccinated to keep that information secret.

                    The NFL already has implemented a requirement within team facilities that vaccinated players be quickly identified by a device like a wristband or a credential.

                    As players who haven’t been (and don’t intend to be) vaccinated become aware of this wrinkle, they may be unhappy. It’s possible, if not likely, that quarterbacks like Kirk Cousins, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen have not received the vaccine. (It’s also entirely possible that Tom Brady hasn’t been vaccinated, either, given his well-documented aversion to all kinds of chemicals.)

                    Regardless of who has or hasn’t or will or won’t be vaccinated, the question becomes irrelevant once the league and union finalize a method for quickly and easily distinguishing the vaccinated from the non-vaccinated.
                    Trickalicious - I don't think it is fair that the division rivals get to play the Lions twice. The Lions NEVER get to play the Lions, let alone twice.

                    Comment


                    • Colts, Washington have NFL’s lowest vaccination rates at below 50 percent

                      Posted by Michael David Smith on July 17, 2021, 9:51 AM EDT

                      Getty Images

                      Two NFL teams have still failed to get most of their players vaccinated.

                      The Colts and the Washington Football Team are still under 50 percent vaccinated, according to Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press.

                      That’s an update to a previous report that had the Colts and Washington joining the Chargers and Cardinals as the only four teams with less than 50 percent of players vaccinated. The Chargers and Cardinals have since topped the 50 percent threshold, according to the report.

                      Everyone should get vaccinated, as the vaccine is safe and effective against COVID-19. But NFL players are not required to get vaccinated, and some are choosing not to. Those players will have greater restrictions than their vaccinated teammates, with rules such as requiring unvaccinated players to wear masks in settings where vaccinated players don’t need to, and requiring unvaccinated players to get tested daily while vaccinated players don’t have to.

                      Teams that have 85 percent of their players vaccinated will have fewer restrictions in their team facilities. Washington and Indianapolis have a long way to go.
                      Trickalicious - I don't think it is fair that the division rivals get to play the Lions twice. The Lions NEVER get to play the Lions, let alone twice.

                      Comment


                      • Teams aren’t required to provide extra locker room space to visiting teams this year

                        Posted by Mike Florio on July 16, 2021, 3:39 PM EDT

                        Getty Images

                        Last year, NFL teams hosting games were required to provide sufficient locker room space for visiting teams to permit for full-blown physical distancing. This year, that requirement does not apply — regardless of the vaccination status of the visiting team.

                        A July 8 memo sent by the league to all teams addressed the question of whether home teams would be required to once again make extra space available, given that home teams won’t know how many of the opposing players are vaccinated.

                        “Clubs are not required to provide additional space beyond the visiting team locker room this year,” the memo explains. “Visiting clubs must assign lockers to unvaccinated players to ensure they maintain physical distance from other unvaccinated players.”

                        In some visiting locker rooms (which often are on the small side), that could become an issue for teams still struggling to get half the players vaccinated. Given that the younger players and those fighting for bottom-of-roster jobs generally have been more inclined to get vaccinated in order to enhance their chances of a spot on the 53-man team, there could be teams with more than a few untouchable veterans who aren’t and won’t be getting vaccinated. In some visiting locker rooms, that could make things a little interesting and potentially awkward for the road team to figure out how to cram everyone in there.

                        In a weird sort of way, it actually could be better in the smaller locker rooms to be unvaccinated, since those players will have more elbow room. That will do little, however, to ingratiate those players to the vaccinated teammates who possibly will be sardined into whatever space remains, after the unvaccinated players are given their required space.
                        Trickalicious - I don't think it is fair that the division rivals get to play the Lions twice. The Lions NEVER get to play the Lions, let alone twice.

                        Comment


                        • Teams are required to develop method to visually identify fully-vaccinated players

                          Posted by Mike Florio on July 16, 2021, 3:22 PM EDT

                          Getty Images

                          Training camps open soon. Last week, the NFL sent a five-page memo to all teams regarding a wide range of issues relating to the ongoing pandemic, with both protocol updates and responses to frequently asked questions.

                          PFT has obtained a copy of the memo, and we’ll post a few of the more important items in order to highlight the most significant aspects of the guidance provided by the league.

                          Here’s the first thing that stands out — teams must have a system for visually identifying fully-vaccinated Tier 1 and Tier 2 employees at the facility. Players and coaches fall within Tier 1.

                          “We recommend utilizing color coded wristbands or credentials, however clubs are free to implement other methods,” the memo explains.

                          Thus, players who aren’t vaccinated will stand out when in the facility, because among other things they won’t have the wristband or badge or whatever else a team chooses to use. It’s unclear whether this requirement will apply when on the practice field or during games.
                          Trickalicious - I don't think it is fair that the division rivals get to play the Lions twice. The Lions NEVER get to play the Lions, let alone twice.

                          Comment


                          • Report: Nearly 70 percent of Cowboys players are fully vaccinated

                            Posted by Charean Williams on July 19, 2021, 9:47 PM EDT

                            Getty Images

                            The Cowboys’ charter leaves for training camp Tuesday, so they aren’t getting to the NFL’s 85 percent vaccination threshold before practice begins. But the team is moving closer.

                            Last week, a report indicated the Cowboys had only recently gotten 50 percent of their players vaccinated. They now are “close to 70 percent,” Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports.

                            It is unclear how close “close” is.

                            Still, it is not the 85 percent necessary for relaxed COVID-19 protocols.

                            Teams are required to have some method of easily identifying vaccinated individuals, using color-coded wristbands, credentials or another similar method. Fully vaccinated players face relaxed protocols for 2021.

                            Unvaccinated players are required to undergo daily testing, to wear masks and to practice social distancing. They are prohibited from eating meals with teammates, from using the sauna or steam room and from leaving the team hotel while traveling for road games.
                            Trickalicious - I don't think it is fair that the division rivals get to play the Lions twice. The Lions NEVER get to play the Lions, let alone twice.

                            Comment


                            • SEC won’t reschedule games because of COVID-19

                              Posted by Charean Williams on July 19, 2021, 2:58 PM EDT

                              Getty Images

                              Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin made the connection between COVID vaccinations and victories in 2021. The Southeastern Conference has made it even more obvious.

                              Commissioner Greg Sankey announced Monday in kicking off the SEC’s media days that the league will not postpone any games this season due to COVID-19. Instead, Sankey said teams are “expected to play as scheduled.”

                              He has recommended the SEC remove the 53-player roster minimum that was put in place last year. So every SEC team will be on the hook to play every game as scheduled with however many players they have available.

                              In other words, the SEC is telling its 14 teams to get players vaccinated.

                              “That means your team needs to be healthy to compete, and if not, that game won’t be rescheduled,” Sankey said, via Alex Scarborough of ESPN. “And thus, to dispose of the game, the ‘forfeit’ word comes up at this point.”

                              Sankey said only six teams have reached an 80 percent vaccination threshold.

                              “That number needs to grow and grow rapidly,” Sankey said. “We have learned how to manage through a COVID environment, but we do not yet have control of a COVID environment.”

                              The SEC has an 85 percent COVID-19 vaccination threshold, like the NFL, for teams to avoid regular COVID testing and the requirement of wearing masks indoors.
                              Trickalicious - I don't think it is fair that the division rivals get to play the Lions twice. The Lions NEVER get to play the Lions, let alone twice.

                              Comment


                              • Cole Beasley takes issue with Michael Irvin’s link between vaccines and desire to win

                                Posted by Mike Florio on July 19, 2021, 2:07 PM EDT

                                Getty Images

                                Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin has made the obvious connection between COVID vaccinations and victories in 2021, given the competitive advantages that flow from having as many players as possible on a given team vaccinated. And Irvin is right; the teams with the most vaccinated players will operate under 2019 rules. Those that don’t will deal with the hassles and annoyances of 2020’s COVID protocols, along with the day-in, day-out possibility of players returning a positive test.

                                One player who has become the unofficial leader of the NFL’s anti-vaxx movement disagrees with Irvin.

                                That’s not what that means,” Bills receiver Cole Beasley tweeted in response to PFT’s story regarding Irvin’s remarks. “You can be vaccinated and not do all the right things football wise to be at your best. All it means is players are gonna be out there with covid and we won’t know cause they only get tested once a week so the NFL can make their money.”

                                Beasley’s facts are a little off. Vaccinated players will be tested once every two weeks, not every week. Also, unvaccinated players who will be tested every single day will constantly be at risk of ending up on the COVID reserve list on Saturday or Sunday. If that happens to a key player, the team will have to pivot to a replacement, quickly.

                                Also, yes, Beasley is absolutely right when he says that the NFL wants to play its games and make its money. This allows the players to make their money, too. After all, it’s a multi-billion-dollar for-profit enterprise. For the players to get paid, the league needs to get paid. Beasley, who has made millions and will make several million more this year (unless the Bills cut him), shouldn’t be complaining about the NFL making the money that becomes his salary.

                                As to Beasley’s contention that a player “can be vaccinated and not do all the right things football wise to be at your best,” he’s technically right. Irvin’s point is that the players who are committed to maximum performance and availability will view the question of whether to get vaccinated not as a political statement or the potential implementation of microchips into their bodies but as another box to check on the path to a potential championship. And if a player is able to set aside the misinformation and other nonsense and get vaccinated in the name of winning, he’s more likely to do all the other things he needs to do to help his team win.

                                Beasley’s refusal to see the clear connection between maximum vaccination rates and maximizing the chances of competing against other NFL franchises shouldn’t come as a surprise. Beasley has decided that he’s not getting the vaccine, and nothing anyone says will change his mind — no matter how logical or persuasive it may be.

                                That’s the bigger problem the country currently faces. Those who refuse to get vaccinated will not suddenly say, “Hey, you’re right!” in response to constant haranguing from those who have gotten the vaccine. It will require something bigger than that to get their attention.

                                The fact that ultra-competitive pro athletes who routinely set aside their personal preferences in the name of greater good won’t even consider setting aside their desire not to be vaccinated in the interests of helping the team proves how difficult it will be to get the average person to change his or her mind at this point.
                                Trickalicious - I don't think it is fair that the division rivals get to play the Lions twice. The Lions NEVER get to play the Lions, let alone twice.

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