The Ongoing Serie A, La Liga, All English Football, Champions League Thread - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Part 55

[B]

I just saw Mark Cuban talking about isolating players and families to finish the NBA season. Talking about how they won't do anything that would put their players at risk, while getting into how it might actually be safer for their players and family. The NBA and PL are clearly talking about this, and what they deem "appropriate" might not be the same as what others might consider it.

You've mentioned several times isolating players and their families, as well as presumably coaches, managers & other essential non-playing staff, referees probably also & all their families. I believe you also said(?) isolate them to a particular region or city that would obviously need to have sufficient training facilities/pitches as well as have a number of venues of a sufficient standard to host the games. Is there actually anywhere in the country that you know of that's feasibly capable of hosting something like that just thinking about everything you'd need in place?

I mean London maybe? It has in theory the suitable venues to host the games however some of those venues would rely on the Championship in particular not returning at all or until after the Premiership season has been concluded so they could make use of their facilities.

Also it is odd to make the argument over "appropriate" entertainment right now. Tiger King is the #1 steaming program in the world right now. Pornhub is seeing record numbers. More people are using Steam then ever before. ESPN is spending 20 of the 24 hours breaking down the NFL draft, which is still going down. People are streaming everything form The Clone Wars to Bloodshot. Is the idea people are suppose to be sitting in solace right now? Because I don't think most are doing that, and whether there are lives sports or not, should we expect it. The last thing we want is people sitting around concentrating on the sadness. And if the idea is people shouldn't be doing that, then what is exactly wrong with sports continuing behind closed doors?

During WW2 in the US we continued playing baseball. People were dying in numbers that far exceed the the loss of life we are having at the moment. People still wanted to watch baseball. Why? Because any form of normalcy is a gift in this moment. The other option is stilling in solace, and that's not good. Not good at all.

Should Sports be Stopped During the War? | The National WWII Museum | New Orleans

You can't really compare to what was deemed appropriate in 1940, to what is deemed appropriate in 2020. This is a moral question & dilemma, it's not a question of is there interest to see it because of course there is nor a question of providing an avenue of normality to a part of the population. Even if they do decide to resume at the end of the month hypothetically, it's still not going to be or feel normal IMO with some of the ideas being bounced off the wall.

 

[B]

Wouldn't the fact people can't see their friends and family be the reason to though? People potentially being idiots is another matter, but while the world's stopped, the world hasn't stopped. People are locked at home, tensions are high, and are looking for something that resembles normalcy. I've seen it in people around me on this particular subject. Safety is a more than legitimate reason to stop and think things through for all industries. But if they find that safety is something that can be provided, would it not be good to allow some sense that this isn't the end of everything, that there is a normal? There was a bit in a documentary I watched a while ago about after the tsunami in Japan, one of the signs things would be able to get back to normal and that it wasn't all over was Disneyland opening. I thought it was pretty comically self-important at the time, but honestly watching the world close, whether that be a theme park, a sporting match or something else... I'm feeling that now.

From a mental health perspective, then I agree it might make a portion of the population happier & perhaps less stressed, angry, depressed, sad or whatever their feelings may be that's perhaps dragging them down.

Out of curiosity however, from a moral standpoint what's your thoughts? Are you off the opinion that sporting events running during this time as normally as they can is helping serve as an important distraction to someone, somewhere from their current/impending problems & that is a good enough reason, again, from a moral standpoint to run during the current situation?

 

[B]

Cancelled but the league table stands. So does that mean whoever is top of the table now wins the league? Wonder if the same applies for promotion and relegation or there just won’t be any from this season.

Article says Club Bruges wins the title, while they will decide promotion and relegation issues on by April 15. This is an interesting situation, as Belgium actually has a playoff to decide their champions usually.

I'll just reply to all 3 off you in 1 post since you're talking about it, how does the Belgian league playoff work? I gather it doesn't go into a sudden death format in that you could be 20 points clear of 2nd, lose 1 game to them & then end up losing the league title.. or does it work like that?

 

[Iceman]

Article says Club Bruges wins the title, while they will decide promotion and relegation issues on by April 15. This is an interesting situation, as Belgium actually has a playoff to decide their champions usually.

So there was only one game left to play and Bruges were 15 points clear. That’s not really too much of a problem then at least on that front. I had no idea about this playoff. Surprised I’ve not heard about it.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

So there was only one game left to play and Bruges were 15 points clear. That’s not really too much of a problem then at least on that front. I had no idea about this playoff. Surprised I’ve not heard about it.

I only heard about it this past month as well. Reading about the shutdowns led me to that little bit of trivia.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Talk about contracts, with a sports lawyer:

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Interesting. It is looking like football authorities are preparing for potential July and August football. They really, really, really want to finish the season.

European football plan mulls July, August restart

 

[Iceman]

I only heard about it this past month as well. Reading about the shutdowns led me to that little bit of trivia.

I wish I’d heard about it before. I would have definitely tried to watch one by now.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I wish I’d heard about it before. I would have definitely tried to watch one by now.

The structure is interesting. Instead of sounding like a straight playoff, it seems they take the top 6 teams in the league, half their points from the "regular season" and then have them all play each other twice. The team with the most points, including the half retained from the regular season, wins the title.

 

[B]

Talk about contracts, with a sports lawyer:

Hmm... the sports lawyer doesn't really shed much or any real light on the subject does he? It's more or less the same thing we were both talking about with a lot of if's & but's thrown into his points. All he really does seem to confirm is that it sounds like a legal mess & a lot of rules, regulations needing changed or altered to accommodate.

I saw an interview with Giroud in the news I think last week & he was talking about how he tried extensively to leave Chelsea in the January window with the likes of Inter, Lazio & Spurs mentioned as potential destinations. He's out of contract in the summer also & it begs the question, what if the clubs are allowed to extend contracts for say 1-2 month's & players in similar situations to Giroud refuse..?

 

[Hunter Rider]

Interesting. It is looking like football authorities are preparing for potential July and August football. They really, really, really want to finish the season.

European football plan mulls July, August restart

 

[Iceman]

The structure is interesting. Instead of sounding like a straight playoff, it seems they take the top 6 teams in the league, half their points from the "regular season" and then have them all play each other twice. The team with the most points, including the half retained from the regular season, wins the title.

Wow, that is unique. I love it! Thanks a lot for that info.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Hmm... the sports lawyer doesn't really shed much or any real light on the subject does he? It's more or less the same thing we were both talking about with a lot of if's & but's thrown into his points. All he really does seem to confirm is that it sounds like a legal mess & a lot of rules, regulations needing changed or altered to accommodate.

I saw an interview with Giroud in the news I think last week & he was talking about how he tried extensively to leave Chelsea in the January window with the likes of Inter, Lazio & Spurs mentioned as potential destinations. He's out of contract in the summer also & it begs the question, what if the clubs are allowed to extend contracts for say 1-2 month's & players in similar situations to Giroud refuse..?

I am not sure all of what is in that video, because I listened to the podcast version, and it went on for quite a bit. What I am getting from all the stuff I have read and watched on this subject is, yeah it would most likely should be a big mess, but probably won't be as it is in everyone's interesting to make sure it isn't. The last thing anyone is going to want to do is stop cash flow after this.

Some of the aspects I didn't consider before that I have found interesting:

- While a lot of players will want to move on, what happens to the players that clubs want to get rid of? For every player looking to start making their new and improve money, there is someone who is going to be out of contract, having lost whatever wages have been cut.

- I don't really think there is anything the clubs or players could theoretically do if FIFA decides to to shut registration. So say Giroud left Chelsea. That would be fine, but then he wouldn't be able to play for his new club until he was able to register. Now usually free transfers could do that anytime, but I don't think there is any rule that says FIFA would have to allow it.So they could pay Giroud, but not play him.

- I am curious how much the wage cut situation is going to play into all this. Theoretically the players could get some, if not all that money back if they end up playing the matches. Will that he an incentive?

- They had another podcast today where they were talking to the FIFPro general secretary, and something came up I had not considered. How much bargaining power are the players losing with some of these unilateral deals by certain groups of players? Like those at Barca and Juve. The German clubs. England's PFA seems to be sticking together so far, which should help there.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Hopefully some for all the club employees losing their jobs, losing paid or are being furloughed. Bad, bad Spurs, I am looking at you.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Yes I skipped to 7-1...

 

[Hunter Rider]

Hopefully some for all the club employees losing their jobs, losing paid or are being furloughed. Bad, bad Spurs, I am looking at you.

I saw that, football is looking really bad during all of this in comparison to others sports and entertainment industries.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

This is adorable:

 

[Iceman]

Premier League warns PFA of £762m penalty if season is voided

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Premier League warns PFA of £762m penalty if season is voided

That probably isn't a complete truth on the Premier League's part, but it is clear that the Premier League wants and is probably going to finish it's season. The simple question is how.

I will say, while I do think there should be some time off before whatever is the end of this season and the next, you could use this time as the "summer" break. Or at least partially.

 

[Iceman]

Gareth Southgate has agreed to take a 30% wage cut.

 

[Iceman]

That probably isn't a complete truth on the Premier League's part, but it is clear that the Premier League wants and is probably going to finish it's season. The simple question is how.

I will say, while I do think there should be some time off before whatever is the end of this season and the next, you could use this time as the "summer" break. Or at least partially.

I really hope they finish and I’d be fine with a full on summer break.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I really hope they finish and I’d be fine with a full on summer break.

The thing is, they are going to want to get all of next season in as well. So how they handle a break might be an issue depending on when they start and finish this season.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

The PFA aren't playing. Bringing up how the NHS would be better off taxing the players income, then the players taking a 30% cut.

Prem players union questions logic of 30% pay cut

 

[Iceman]

The thing is, they are going to want to get all of next season in as well. So how they handle a break might be an issue depending on when they start and finish this season.

It's going to be very tough to catch up on everything that's going to be lost. The virus might not be 100% clear by the time they are looking to restart too.

 

[KevTravels]

Liverpool better be presented their Premier League trophy