No Nashville bowl, but Hawkeyes’ 2020 song isn’t a sad one

Maybe extra shocking than Missouri pulling out of Wednesday’s scheduled Music Metropolis Bowl was the variety of Iowa followers who deliberate to go to the sport.

I heard from Hawkeye supporters in Sioux Falls and Kansas Metropolis Sunday who have been booked to fly to Nashville for the sport, and others who had been set to make the drive. Vacationers don’t go to Nashville to isolate. They is likely to be protected spreading out considerably in an open-air soccer stadium, however many aren’t passing on going to the downtown Broadway district for meals, drink and music.

Perhaps the 2 issues are related in a roundabout manner. If folks have been keen to journey to Nashville for soccer regardless of the CDC’s warnings to folks to remain residence over the vacations, why wouldn’t one other faculty soccer workforce get an uptick in COVID-19 circumstances and why wouldn’t a 17th bowl sport get canceled this 12 months?

Missouri, a workforce with a 5-5 document that had allowed a mean of 49.three factors over its final three video games, elected to take part within the Music Metropolis Bowl. Its final sport, a visit to Mississippi State, apparently helped it carry some COVID-19 again residence.

Then the Tigers gamers obtained to go residence for Christmas. They got here again to Columbia, and there have been extra constructive exams. So that they’re the unhealthy guys on this if you happen to take heed to some with Hawkeye allegiance.

“I do know there’s plenty of social media warriors on the market which have all of the solutions,” Missouri Coach Eliah Drinkwitz mentioned after repeatedly saying the blame must be positioned on his shoulders, “but when we knew all of the solutions about COVID it wouldn’t proceed to have an outbreak that’s, you already know, the biggest it’s ever been. However what do I do know, I’m a soccer coach.”

We’ll by no means know, in fact, however it might in the end be for one of the best. The sport meant lots to Iowa’s coaches and gamers as a result of they stay for these items, and we are able to perceive and respect that. But when a number of thousand vacationers spend 48 hours in an enormous metropolis for a soccer sport throughout this pandemic, a few of these persons are bringing one thing unhealthy residence.

However what do I do know, I’m a sports activities author who has traveled to cowl video games this fall and winter and been fortunate up to now.

Anyway, it’s not as if the Hawkeyes haven’t had their very own go-rounds with the virus. Some gamers dropped their guard and obtained it after the Large Ten initially canceled fall sports activities on Aug. 11. Then, some coaches and gamers together with head coach Kirk Ferentz examined constructive a week-and-half in the past, and in-person soccer actions have been paused for 5 days.

Ferentz once more coughed a number of instances throughout his Zoom convention with reporters Sunday afternoon, but in addition had the sound of somebody who had been able to attempt to lead his workforce to a rout over Missouri on Wednesday.

“I’ve been very lucky,” Ferentz mentioned. “I actually haven’t been affected. If it weren’t for COVID I might have been at work that Thursday. I obtained despatched residence. I used to be fortunate. It by no means actually affected me. I’m used to feeling a bit of underneath the climate, that occurs in-season.”

“I’ve been fortunate.”

His workforce was fortunate, too. It obtained to play after the Large Ten did a 180-degree flip in September in selecting to get its tv paychecks, and the Hawkeyes did what simply two different league members matched in taking part in all eight regular-season video games.

That gave them an opportunity to point out they have been good, and so they did higher than that. By season’s finish, they have been superb. They didn’t want the possibility to tough up a mediocre Mizzou bunch to verify that, as a lot as they could have needed it.

However their luck solely went up to now. A bonus residence sport with Michigan was yanked, and so was this factor in Nashville. Disappointing to them, sure, however not devastating.

“You already know, earlier within the week about this sport and important a sport nicely I imply you can argue all video games are important proper however if you happen to’re gonna tee it up and play it counts and that’s at all times been our strategy.

“Within the huge scheme of issues,” Ferentz mentioned, “the issues which can be happening in our nation proper now, if a school soccer sport doesn’t get performed it’s not the tip of the world.

“I hope our entire nation has lots higher outlook when this calendar turns over. I’m not going to say it could’t worsen, however hopefully we’ll begin climbing the hill a bit of bit and see some enhancements on plenty of fronts. Hopefully, the vaccine is a part of that.”

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