Didn't want to lose a blowout? FSU reportedly 'backed out' of Clemson game
Saturday’s game between Clemson and Florida State was postponed 3 hours before kickoff. The ACC released a vague statement about why the game wasn’t played, citing a disagreement between medical experts.
What the disagreement was remains to be seen, but one reporter says Clemson met the criteria to play and Florida State backed out:
In talking to a trusted source, Clemson met the criteria to play. Clemson met with the ACC, and the conference was on board with the game being played. FSU backed out.
— Anna Hickey (@AnnaH247) November 21, 2020
At issue was a COVID test for a player who had reportedly been practicing all week after negative tests:
SOURCES: A Clemson back-up offensive lineman tested positive for COVID-19 from a test taken Friday. They received the results after Clemson landed in Tallahassee. The player traveled with the team. FSU officials weren’t comfortable playing because of potential spread.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 21, 2020
Clemson AD Dan Radakovich released a statement on Twitter expressing his disappointment and saying the Tigers followed protocols:
We are disappointed that we will not be able to play today’s game against Florida State. Clemson has followed all of the ACC's protocol in preparation for this game. We look ahead to returning to action next week against Pitt for Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day. https://t.co/5VJK44iOjL
— Dan Radakovich (@ClemsonDRad) November 21, 2020
Florida State coach Mike Norvell also released a statement, citing health and safety (via ESPN.com):
“Our first priority is the health of our student-athletes, and I appreciate the protocols that have been put in place by FSU and the ACC to ensure everyone’s health while allowing us to play this season,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said in a statement. “It’s unfortunate that we will not have the opportunity to compete today, but we hope to be able to play Clemson in December. I am thankful for the support and coordination between our administration, Clemson and the ACC office. Our team will now turn our focus to hosting Virginia next week.”
Players on both teams seem to be disappointed, too, as they tweeted they were ready to play:
We were too ‼️ We good over here 👀 https://t.co/RzplTwn8FD
— J Rob (@JanariusD1) November 21, 2020
This is an interesting saga. We’ll see what comes out next.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Norvell didn’t have the FSU team licking the shopping cart handles at Walmart trying to catch Covid to avoid this game.
The semis are pathetic cowards. They knew they were going to be humiliated and cried, “no mas” before the game even started. What a joke of a program.
See also: LSU and the Alabama game.
We aren’t backing down. If we get pummeled, so be it.
“Potential spread”, meaning spread of the virus, or meaning their predicted beatdown?
I read it as spread of virus.
The beatdown of course. Even their porn star fan girl Mia Khalifa has found another team to follow.#FSUCKS
I dunno, doubt Norvell backed out. Anything’s possible but it looks worse to not play at that point than take a beatdown.
Guys…Clemson wanted to play with that positive player in the game. Yes the Florida State program is a joke right now, but let’s put the blame on Clemson and their always-perfect-players…according to Dabo. Clemson would have risked it & FSU would not.
The player wasn’t going to play. The issue is that the team flew with a positive player yesterday so contact tracing was basically the whole Clemson team. The players positive test did not come back until the team landed in Tallahassee.
Either way it’s hard to fault FSU on this.. They’re trying to protect their players.
Agreed Bamatime.
Several things don’t add up here:
If a test was given yesterday, why in the name of ultimate stupidity, was the positive athlete allowed to be among team members. That’s either a “wow” mistake or … something that didn’t happen and surely it’s the first.
Here’s the next really dumb and unbelievable report. Clemson with everything to lose and nothing to gain said they wanted to go ahead and play the game against potentially 85 positive members of the FSU team that traveled in close quarters with their infected team member. No football team or coaching staff that talks like this should be allowed to play college football because that’s pure “to stupid to be in college” dufus talk.
Then Mike Norvel, of all people, says the obvious, have to say it, disclaimer, but totally dodges the “how did this player get past the positive test on into the dressing room, or airplane or WHATEVER. The stupidness of the missing facts in this story will haunt my dreams forever.
From what I have read the test results were not reported to Clemson until after they landed in Tallahassee.
That’s the same thing I have read… His comments about FSU are completely wrong .
Bite your tongue, LOL.
“Here’s the next really dumb and unbelievable report. Clemson with everything to lose and nothing to gain said they wanted to go ahead and play the game against potentially 85 positive members of the FSU team that traveled in close quarters with their infected team member. “
What’s dumb and unbelievable is your post. Did you actually read anything about the topic you’re talking about because FSU doesn’t have 85 positive players and they didn’t travel anywhere with one…
Just don’t post if you don’t know anything about the topic.
F$U is pure genius they just screwed tater tech. They gain nothing by getting a train run on them. Not play this game that means Clemson has a 10 game schedule with a loss and one win being the citadel. This may cost them the playoffs.
The ACC Commissioner should have postponed this game until Sunday and have the positive re-test, just in case it was a false positive. Then, if the player was negative, they could have played Sunday morning like UCLA did last week in their 11th hour game with UC-Stalingrad.
If the player was still positive, then all that it would have cost was another night in the hotel. The game might have been able to be played.
I hope that because of this there will be no more Friday testing if the results cannot be immediate. This could happen to every team that travels. Test on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday if you have to wait 24 hours for the result.
As an aside, I just saw where 3 times as many people in my state have died from Covid since Mid-March than died in WWII.