NFL declares vaccination a competitive advantage, unvaccinated teams that run into trouble are losers

Originally published at: NFL declares vaccination a competitive advantage, unvaccinated teams that run into trouble are losers | Boing Boing

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They’re not wrong.

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The metrics drive the behavior. The league picked a good approach to apply for the desired outcome.

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In a sane world, (definitely not this one), the commissioner of particular sport S would declare: “Sorry, you must be vaccinated to play on our teams because our team’s health are worth a lot of money, y’see …oh, and theres these suck… er, fans that we’re worried about too.” "oh… and unlike steroids and yer other Performance-Enhancing-Drugs, we mean this, so we’ll be needing proof of vaccination. (“pffff… like vaccination can ever be ‘proved’!” …well perhaps some-sort of near-field microchip inserted at the same-time …nah… guess not)

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Considering the number of conservative owners and players in the NFL, the battle over this should be a popcorn-worthy spectacle.

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Buffalo Bills’ Cole Beasley would rather retire than get Covid-19 vaccine - CNN

DeAndre Hopkins tweets, deletes contemplation of retirement over COVID vaccine - ProFootballTalk (nbcsports.com)

In early June, ​​Washington defensive end Montez Sweat told reporters he is “not a fan at all” of the vaccines, adding, he “probably won’t get vaccinated” until he gets “more facts,” adding “I haven’t caught Covid yet, so I don’t see me treating Covid until I actually get Covid.” Lions left tackle Taylor Decker said in April has not been vaccinated and was not going to get his jab.

This could get very very interesting, in a very sad kind of way.

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Now that is policy making!

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Hmm. Between that and the “now that I’m dying in the hospital with covid please give me the vaccine” thread, it’s clear that there are in fact an awful lot of people who think vaccines are a treatment/cure for a disease, rather than a preventative. Health classes in high school (and middle school) have seriously failed these people.

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As intended, of course. Can’t let too much accurate information get out, they might start trusting scientists, and believing in evil-lution and shit like that there!! (/s)

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For once my Saints are doing something right. They had 100% vaccination of staff and >85% vaccination of players over a month ago. At the time, the only team in the NFL do have done so. Hopefully this new rule will get the rest of the league to follow.

Now if only we can pass some vaccine requirements for NFL/college football fans, that would make a much bigger difference

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What if both teams can’t play and the game can’t be rescheduled? Is it a tie (insert dark “sudden death overtime” joke here)? Do they both lose?

I foresee at least one instance where the opposing sides are playing chicken, counting their sick players and seeing if they can hold out until the other team declares itself the one that can’t play.

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I expect they will both be counted as a loss, if one interprets the rule strictly. Calling it a tie would not be fair.

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I am hoping the league is doing the testing and declaring when a team can’t play and not the teams. Otherwise you will have teams hiding positive tests so they risk having to forfeit. Good question about both teams having an outbreak though. give them both losses!

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i can’t imagine the league leaving it up to the individual team in ensure compliance. not even counting covid, that each team would exploit any possible angle to get a win is well documented.

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They may have a blood test for it, if not now, soon. I’m wondering if it’d also test positive if you’ve had recent covid infection, but they could check that with PCR test to rule that out. Blood test confirms COVID-19 vaccination in 5 minutes - Futurity

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In other sports COVID news…

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It’s going to be such a shitshow:
libertarian laissez-faire capitalism vs libertarian sovereign-citizen “civil rights”.

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how about the ‘hi what about other countries’ thread where US companies won’t ship vaccine until Biden admin thinks americans are vaccinated enough. How about you walk crazy uncle bobjim to the clinic and really listen to his problems while forcing him to get the shot. Slap him if he gives too much lip. Slap him for the world.

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