Collegian article on MBB and Covid

[97spiderfan]

Article below sheds some light on our COVID situations.

A couple highlights:

1. Almost the whole team got COVID after the SLU fiasco
2. MBB did not abide by UR guidelines for COVID quarantine and isolation protocols
3. St. Louis was dead on right for bailing on that game

Men’s basketball quarantine, isolation in hotels points to COVID-19 policy inconsistencies

The University of Richmond men’s basketball team has been quarantining and isolating in hotels and, at one point, used a shortened quarantine period.

www.thecollegianur.com

 

[SFspidur]

Damn, you beat me while I was writing up a summary....lol

 

[MrTbone]

I’d like to think that we have a medical professional involved in setting policy and managing the MBB covid response but I suspect if that was the case we wouldn’t have had three pauses and what seems to be 75% of the team and staff test positive.

Reads like a “I know better than you” scenario.

 

[Spider B]

Another example of the lack of leadership in the Spider Athletic department and men's basketball program. Just pathetic that the school continues to allow the program to function like this.

 

[9Legs]

I’d like to think that we have a medical professional involved in setting policy and managing the MBB covid response but I suspect if that was the case we wouldn’t have had three pauses and what seems to be 75% of the team and staff test positive.

Reads like a “I know better than you” scenario.

One would expect the response to this disclosure will be an addition to the Athletic Department Bureaucracy in the form of an Associate Athletic Director for Student Athlete Health at around $200k a year

 

[32counter]

It’s curious to me as to why Golden and Gilyard were allowed to talk to the press on this topic.No discipline from on high.

How is Ryan Colton involved in this entire issue.He is a Bucknell loyalist for sure.However,what does he have to do with Covid prevention.

After being asked in an interview about whether student-athletes who are a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case are quarantined for 14 days, Ryan Colton, senior associate director of athletic compliance and governance, referred The Collegian to two documents he sent in an email written on Feb. 20.

The documents were a PowerPoint titled “Athletic Department COVID-19 Response Plan” and the “University of Richmond Department of Athletics COVID-19 Impacts Question and Answer Document.” The documents did not specifically outline the length of the quarantine period for student-athletes deemed close contacts.

This is all a self imposed embarrassment which only makes VCU look like they are being run by high IQ geniuses.

 

[MrTbone]

One would expect the response to this disclosure will be an addition to the Athletic Department Bureaucracy in the form of an Associate Athletic Director for Student Athlete Health at around $200k a year

As comical as that is, I would gladly take that fee if it meant we had something close to a full basketball season. Of course, there’s an entire infrastructure in place already university-wide, so redundancy is only required if the team is going to operate on its own policy.

 

[97spiderfan]

I found it very interesting as well that both Golden and Gilyard went on record about what went down. First of all, good for them, telling the truth and being honest and forthright is always the right choice.

But my questions regarding this include?

1. Did they get and receive permission to talk with the Collegian about this or was this on their own?
2. Does their talking about this create discord in the locker room or perhaps does it highlight the discord that is already there or is their no discord?

I was struck by the fact that our multiple COVID pauses were not the results of players contracting COVID but rather the coaching staff contracting it. If I'm a senior player and I have been following all of these strict rules religiously so that I have a chance to play basketball with an NCAA trip on the line, and my season gets disrupted because the paid adults are the ones causing COVID pauses, well I might be a little ticked off about that, especially since it happened 3 times.

I'm just really curious what the players mindset is now about this. You had your two senior leaders spill the beans on what went down and counteract a false narrative set in place by our administration. I would have to think the mood inside the RC right now has to be pretty damn tight.

 

[8legs1dream]

I found it very interesting as well that both Golden and Gilyard went on record about what went down. First of all, good for them, telling the truth and being honest and forthright is always the right choice.

But my questions regarding this include?

1. Did they get and receive permission to talk with the Collegian about this or was this on their own?
2. Does their talking about this create discord in the locker room or perhaps does it highlight the discord that is already there or is their no discord?

I was struck by the fact that our multiple COVID pauses were not the results of players contracting COVID but rather the coaching staff contracting it. If I'm a senior player and I have been following all of these strict rules religiously so that I have a chance to play basketball with an NCAA trip on the line, and my season gets disrupted because the paid adults are the ones causing COVID pauses, well I might be a little ticked off about that, especially since it happened 3 times.

I'm just really curious what the players mindset is now about this. You had your two senior leaders spill the beans on what went down and counteract a false narrative set in place by our administration. I would have to think the mood inside the RC right now has to be pretty damn tight.

You bring up many, many great points in there. Lots to unpack from this thing still.

 

[WCUR11]

It’s curious to me as to why Golden and Gilyard were allowed to talk to the press on this topic.No discipline from on high.

How is Ryan Colton involved in this entire issue.He is a Bucknell loyalist for sure.However,what does he have to do with Covid prevention.

After being asked in an interview about whether student-athletes who are a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case are quarantined for 14 days, Ryan Colton, senior associate director of athletic compliance and governance, referred The Collegian to two documents he sent in an email written on Feb. 20.

The documents were a PowerPoint titled “Athletic Department COVID-19 Response Plan” and the “University of Richmond Department of Athletics COVID-19 Impacts Question and Answer Document.” The documents did not specifically outline the length of the quarantine period for student-athletes deemed close contacts.

This is all a self imposed embarrassment which only makes VCU look like they are being run by high IQ geniuses.

If he's the Bucknell loyalist, that mean's he's a John Hardt minion. Hardt is an attorney by training, of course he's going to spin & pin so neither he nor his cronies could be indemnified. This is major "egg-on-face" debacle and bravo to The Collegian reporters, editors, etc. for setting the record straight.

This whole season has been a sham, not just at the Richmond level, but at A-10, NCAA at-large. How disingenuous, again, the NCAA is for carrying on with seasons, simply for their own revenue... and not a penny for the student-athletes from whom they profit. Even my naivety in hoping the senior guys come back for a real season ran out long ago...I feel so incredibly sad for the players; to have their last two seasons be rocked by chaos, confusion, and irresponsible adults (not to mention, a global pandemic!).

Only way Hardt peaces out is if his buddy Queally thinks enough is enough. Answer me this: What has Hardt done that wasn't already in the works with previous ADs? I don't think any of the coaches in any sports or staff internally (who weren't Bucknell transplants) are fans.

 

[SouthJerseySpiderFan]

Wow! Kudos to the reporting done here. Now see why Mooney along with the rest of them were so quiet. Nothing good could have come out. These people act like they have CIA secrets to hide. HONESTY Chris. It's 2021, it all comes out eventually.

So basketball wise, how many players did the article say had tested positive? Maybe some were asymptomatic but who knows what lingering effects from it? Maybe Gilly (if he had it) and/or others fatigued or whatever from it?

I know this has been a F up year for all of CBB, but looks like the Spider players really got hit hard by this. You know, after reading the article will attempt to be 100% positive behind the team the rest of the way. Can't let how I feel about Mooney's coaching ability interfere with that. Top 4 seed, 2 wins and 1 more a week later.

GO SPIDERS!!!

 

[Eight Legger]

Basically the whole team except maybe one guy has had it. The one who had it the first time was a starter, from my understanding.

 

[SinsemillaSpider]

Top 3 Mooney quotes that did not make the Collegian article:

3) "I have been completely transparent this year. Don't believe me? Just look at my mask and read my lips!"

2) "We have been hit by a lot of bad calls this year. Unfortunately, most of those were protocols."

1) "I may not have a great coaching record against VCU or in the A-10 tournament...but I did quarantine in a Holiday Inn Express Short Pump last night!"

 

[SpiderTrap]

It doesn't bother me that the basketball team stayed in a hotel to quarantine. I have no problem with that. To be honest - after the 2nd pause I might have moved them to stay in a hotel full time off campus.
I have no issue with the team following CDC guidelines instead of University rules. I would expect the athletics team to follow the guidelines that provide the quickest return time.

Main takeaway that is concerning - the players speaking so openly about it. As someone mentioned before - is this meaning they don't have Mooney's back and support him or is it Hardt? Or both?

If I had to guess - I would say the players still support Mooney, but they are probably not happy with Hardt and very possible some of that might be coming from locker room comments made by Mooney and Staff.

 

[spider23]

Well, I am going to give Mooney credit here:

I think the herd immunity game plan is in place to allow us to play the entire NCAA tournament. While other teams will have to drop out, forfeit, lose players, we will be in place to maneuver through to the final four.

I am predicting final four (I know, depends on the seeding): Gonzaga, Baylor, Florida State, Richmond.

 

[Eight Legger]

It really is genius strategy! No more pausing for us on the way to a natty...

 

[3genspider]

It really is genius strategy! No more pausing for us on the way to a natty...

Making it to the final four would require the necessity of a Player Coach having to take the reigns

 

[Eight Legger]

Are you referring to the Final Four tournament?

 

[SpiderGuy]

It really is genius strategy! No more pausing for us on the way to a natty...

And building up immunity for next year's run also.

 

[64Spider]

Wouldn’t it be easier to just vaccinate the team........like VCU did.
Just kidding. I would never suspect such a thing. 🙃