The COVID-19 Thread - Discussion & Cancellations

[The Man in Blue]

Wow ...

https://www.si.com/nba/2020/03/13/mitchell-gobert-jazz-rhode-island-child

Police: Rhode Island Child Tests Positive for COVID-19 Days After Receiving Jazz Player Autograph

BEN PICKMAN

1 HOUR AGO

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A Rhode Island child tested positive for COVID-19 after receiving an autograph last week from a Utah Jazz player who also contracted coronavirus, the Westerly, R.I. police chief announced Friday, per the Providence Journal.

Shawn Lacey, the town's police chief, said that the child was at an NBA game in Boston last week in which the Jazz played the Celtics. Lacey did not specify which Jazz player gave out the autograph.

 

[StatsUmp]

14 hours ago, Thunderheads said:

Same with Michigan.  Assignor has sent out mass-email to all ADs to see where teams/games stand.  So far, only one official cancellation due to 'no school'.  Michigan schools shut down for 3 weeks

Schools had just started tryouts/the first week of practice this week when this all transpired. I received a similar mass-mail from an assignor about having no games until April 6.

With schools closed for the rest of the month, our association's meeting site is now unavailable. I'm not sure how, where, or if we will make them up, but I see the MHSAA is willing to be flexible with meeting attendance this Spring in terms of granting umpires MIGS (member in good standing) status.

My first game is supposed to be April 20. I have no idea if that will change as the result of this three-week downtime, nor do I know if the spring season will run in any sort of capacity.

[BT_Blue]

We got banged before our season started. Scrimmages were supposed to happen this weekend and the start of the HS season starts monday. But not any more.

By order of the Governor of Washington, ALL schools in the state, at all levels, are closed starting Monday and going until at least April 24th. No extra curricular activities are allowed until after that date.

I also know that Oregon has closed their schools and extra curricular activities through the end of March.

Little leagues in my area are down until the 6th of April. Which I believe  was the recommendation of WP.

[Thunderheads]

Schools had just started tryouts/the first week of practice this week when this all transpired. I received a similar mass-mail from an assignor about having no games until April 6.
With schools closed for the rest of the month, our association's meeting site is now unavailable. I'm not sure how, where, or if we will make them up, but I see the MHSAA is willing to be flexible with meeting attendance this Spring in terms of granting umpires MIGS (member in good standing) status.
My first game is supposed to be April 20. I have no idea if that will change as the result of this three-week downtime, nor do I know if the spring season will run in any sort of capacity.

Hi there,....who do you work for?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[The Man in Blue]

No official word from IHSA on the season beyond school closure dates, but it looks as if some schools are wisely operating under a postponement policy for now.  I’ve had some e-mails about make-up dates already.

However, IHSA does have this up in our officials’ center ... I have to ask, does this really need to be stated?  (Unfortunately I know the answer is yes, some officials are incorrigible.) 

3/13  SPRING SPORTS CANCELLATIONS

Schools that cancel spring sports events due to the COVID-19 situation are not obligated to pay officials for these events. Officials should not expect a fee from schools in these situations.
To avoid confusion and misunderstanding about spring sports events, the IHSA encourages all officials to communicate with schools to learn details about their assigned/contracted events.  

[stevis]

11 hours ago, BT_Blue said:

We got banged before our season started. Scrimmages were supposed to happen this weekend and the start of the HS season starts monday. But not any more.

By order of the Governor of Washington, ALL schools in the state, at all levels, are closed starting Monday and going until at least April 24th. No extra curricular activities are allowed until after that date.

I also know that Oregon has closed their schools and extra curricular activities through the end of March.

Little leagues in my area are down until the 6th of April. Which I believe  was the recommendation of WP.

It was; I know some have done an extra week, essentially acknowledging spring break.  Ours didn't in the hopes that we can get some informal practice going, even if people

One of coaches does risk modeling for a government client and thinks we're in for a lot longer.

[JSam21]

I’ve lost my entire NAIA conference schedule. My NCAA conference is on hold until April. Lost one JuCo game for next weekend and waiting to hear on HS. 

[umpstu]

21 hours ago, Mudisfun said:

So in my day job, I work for a national ISP. We just announced that if schools close and students need to be shifted to distance/on line learning, we will provide them, assuming they are not already customers, free basic internet for up to 60 days.

When the cable industry starts to be proactive, I get worried!

Now if Waffle House closes, I know were screwed.

Riverside county has closed all of the schools for now.  And all of the high school sports were canceled up 10 April.  Yesterday the Ca. community colleges postponed their seasons.  I'm going to be so bored.

[StatsUmp]

5 hours ago, Thunderheads said:

Hi there,....who do you work for?

I do my baseball and softball for the OAA (and the additional schools that the assignor handles) along with basketball. The e-mail I received came from the CHSL where I only do basketball because they sent it to every official in their Arbiter Group regardless of what sports they work for the league.

 

1 hour ago, umpstu said:

I'm going to be so bored.

It is a bit surreal that the sporting events one might watch over the weekend aren't taking place right now.

[The Man in Blue]

9 hours ago, stevis said:

It was; I know some have done an extra week, essentially acknowledging spring break.  Ours didn't in the hopes that we can get some informal practice going, even if people

One of coaches does risk modeling for a government client and thinks we're in for a lot longer.

 

I agree with the latter because of the former.  This two weeks is the preliminary, hoping that allows it to be controlled.  It is doubtful.

What will drag it on is the first part of your statement ... Stop it, people.  I'm starting the JUST STOP IT campaign (until Nike sues me or joins me). 

There is a reason for these closures, postponements, and cancellations.  Please don't be one of these people who are still trying to find fields that aren't in closed parks, are encouraging the kids to "get together anyway", or are trying to to hold travel ball practices since school seasons are on hold.  That is the mentality that will result in a full bore lock-down quarantine and drag this out much longer.  Everybody stay home and stay away from each other as much as possible.

What harm can 12 kids in a park do?  Those 12 kids go home to a couple of parents and multiple siblings ... maybe the siblings go to their practice and expose 11 more kids who go home to their parents and siblings ... the parents go to work and come in contact with 50 people over the course of a day ... who go home to their families ... and on and on and on.  But hey, little Johnny got an extra day of working on his curveball that is going to baffle the other 9 year-olds!

JUST STOP IT! 

 

Edit: CentralIllinois just confirmed its first case in the Peoria area.

[umpstu]

4 hours ago, StatsUmp said:

I do my baseball and softball for the OAA (and the additional schools that the assignor handles) along with basketball. The e-mail I received came from the CHSL where I only do basketball because they sent it to every official in their Arbiter Group regardless of what sports they work for the league.

 

It is a bit surreal that the sporting events one might watch over the weekend aren't taking place right now.

I had actually started doing some JV and freshmen games.  Why?  Because they are actually pretty fun.  And the coaches are very surprised to see me working that level.  Get to help catchers develop a different mindset about pulling a ball back into the zone out of the batter's box. "Kid.  That balls a foot in the batter's box.  You just told the whole park it was a ball.  No varsity umpire is going to give you that."   I'll miss the interaction with youthful people.  Keeps me young mentally.  Not physically though.

[The Man in Blue]

Two cases confirmed at the hospital my wife works at.

[stevis]

6 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

 

I agree with the latter because of the former.  This two weeks is the preliminary, hoping that allows it to be controlled.  It is doubtful.

What will drag it on is the first part of your statement ... Stop it, people.  I'm starting the JUST STOP IT campaign (until Nike sues me or joins me). 

There is a reason for these closures, postponements, and cancellations.  Please don't be one of these people who are still trying to find fields that aren't in closed parks, are encouraging the kids to "get together anyway", or are trying to to hold travel ball practices since school seasons are on hold.  That is the mentality that will result in a full bore lock-down quarantine and drag this out much longer.  Everybody stay home and stay away from each other as much as possible.

What harm can 12 kids in a park do?  Those 12 kids go home to a couple of parents and multiple siblings ... maybe the siblings go to their practice and expose 11 more kids who go home to their parents and siblings ... the parents go to work and come in contact with 50 people over the course of a day ... who go home to their families ... and on and on and on.  But hey, little Johnny got an extra day of working on his curveball that is going to baffle the other 9 year-olds!

JUST STOP IT! 

 

Edit: CentralIllinois just confirmed its first case in the Peoria area.

Oh we're not. Word went out to coaches specifically to not use our equipment, attempt to call your team, distribute shirts if you haven't already etc.  We ceased all that stuff immediately that evening. 

I mentioned the hopes only if the all clear was sounded, and it doesn't look like it's going to trend that way.  I'm going to pack up my gear from "training and getting ready" status to "buttoned up for the winter" status.  If I can pull of a reverse jinx, great, but I'm not anticipating it.

[The Man in Blue]

[BT_Blue]

10 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

SH*#! Is that what happened? Some butthead drank Jobu's rum and all hell breaks loose!

[lawump]

On 3/13/2020 at 2:49 PM, yawetag said:

Spring breaks are coming soon. I think they're going to try and get school in this coming week, then cancel the next three (week before, week of, week after Spring Break - at least for this area).

Even if they have to cancel early this coming week, it allows students at least a day to pick up books, computers, etc. they might need before the extended, probably online, time away from school.

Just my thought as a parent with children in SC schools.

Unfortunately, it didn't work out the way you hoped with our Governor announcing at 4 p.m. on Sunday (3/15) that all public schools in the state are closed for two weeks. 

[The Man in Blue]

Illinois, Ohio, and the City of Los Angeles have closed the dining rooms of ALL bars and restaurants to the public through the end of the month.  Carry-out, drive-through, and delivery are still available.

Some people are saying "Well, they can still spread it through the restaurant workers so it must not really be that bad."  Yes, people, yes the restaurant workers can still spread it.  Mandatory closures (schools, casinos, restaurants and bars) are about limiting exposures.  They are about not getting dozens or hundreds of people together in one place.  They are about not having thousands of people traipsing through the restaurant on a daily basis.

So as you are lamenting the loss of games and practices, quit trying to get around it.  Quit trying to find one more tournament to get into this weekend before it gets worse.  Quit trying to find out if your travel players can play travel ball since school ball is suspended.  JUST STOP IT!  (I'm not yelling, that is my new PSA slogan.)  

[BT_Blue]

5 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

Illinois, Ohio, and the City of Los Angeles have closed the dining rooms of ALL bars and restaurants to the public through the end of the month.  Carry-out, drive-through, and delivery are still available.

JUST STOP IT!  (I'm not yelling, that is my new PSA slogan.)  

Add Washington state to your list.

Also, you must know Scott Taylor! Lol that is one of his favorite lines.

[Thunderheads]

As of 3pm today, ............. add Michigan to the list of bars, restaurants closed for dine-in ..........my assumption is for the same stretch of time as the school closings... thru April 5

[BT_Blue]

Oregon will quickly follow suit. And I believe California is going to as well since Governor Newsom had a press conference yesterday stating as such.

[Thunderheads]

7 minutes ago, BT_Blue said:

Oregon will quickly follow suit. And I believe California is going to as well since Governor Newsom had a press conference yesterday stating as such.

Yeah, can't see LA doing it without the entire state following behind sometime today

[Aging_Arbiter]

PA has started shutting down food & drink establishments in our 5 "mitigation" counties.

 

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM)– The governor has ordered all restaurants and bars to close their dine-in service in five counties for the next 14 days.

[aaluck]

AHSAA (Alabama) has shut everything down until March 31.  At that point they say they will look into this again and make plan forward.  As of this morning we have 22 confirmed cases.

On a selfish note this really sucks for all of us on here that love working the games. I had a game (probably the last one) on Friday and it was 71 degrees with a slight breeze and a hint of that spring "smell". I asked the coaches if they wanted to play a couple of extra innings and we ended up doing 9.

Our youth baseball is probably all but done. Our mayor has shut down all the city parks until further notice. No practice or games.

Hopefully soon someone will post that things are resuming back to normal in their area.

[Aging_Arbiter]

SWMBO was watching the news this morning..............and our conversation was short and sweet

SWMBO:  How can West Virginia have ZERO reported cases of COVID-19?

Me:  Moonshine

[Radwaste50]

28 minutes ago, Aging_Arbiter said:

SWMBO was watching the news this morning..............and our conversation was short and sweet

SWMBO:  How can West Virginia have ZERO reported cases of COVID-19?

Me:  Moonshine

and lack of medical care