Joe Kinsey
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Jim Harbaugh held a video press conference with reporters Wednesday and the big headline here is that the Michigan football coach says, “we’re going to have to deal with it,” in reference to COVID and he is strongly advocating that the season go on with or without fans. “I share the same opinion as our players: they want to play,” Harbaugh said.
“COVID is part of our society. Wasn’t caused by football or caused by sports. And there’s no expert view right now that I’m aware of that sports is going to make that worse. It’s part of our society, we’re going to have to deal with it.”
“These kids are going to have to do the same thing. They’ve got to go to school. They’ve trained their whole lives for the opportunity to play their sport. That is my view with the knowledge that we have and time to learn more about it.”
“It would be my responsibility, our responsibility, and the players’ responsibility also, to keep themselves safe and get the schooling and training that they need.”
Michigan brought three teams back to campus in June — football, men’s and women’s basketball — and just two athletes tested positive, both asymptomatic. The university won’t reveal which squad(s) had the positive tests. No coaches tested positive.
As for the opener at Washington, Harbaugh was asked about it today.
“There’s gonna be — I’m not gonna offer my personal opinion. I think that athletic directors, presidents, school president and the medical experts can decide what’s best there.”
You can read the full transcript of Harbaugh’s press conference here.
Here are Jim Harbaugh's responses to today's coronavirus-related questions, how they've affected the offseason/the potential of a season happening (or not happening), etc. pic.twitter.com/1L2Y2MY1wn
— Orion Sang (@orion_sang) July 8, 2020
Gonna skip reading Harbaugh’s full transcript…I trust him.