The biggest sports story for me is the University of Michigan suspending all sports for two weeks until February 6 as a result of a number of cases of the variant Covid-19 strain. With the mens and womens basketball teams, the hockey team and the wrestling team all rated in the top 10 nationally and the two basketball teams both in first place in the B1G, it is a big deal to pause these sports. Per the Detroit Free Press the outbreak traced back to one female student athlete. The woman traveled Jan. 3 from the U.K. to the U.S., according to a spokeswoman from the Washtenaw County Health Department, and promptly infected at least seven additional people within the athletics community. Michigan’s athletic department said on Friday that 22 student-athletes tested positive for COVID-19 between Jan. 16-22.
A group of Michigan athletes is speaking out against the athletic department’s shutdown of athletic activities. In a statement tweeted by Myles Amine, a sixth-year senior on the wrestling team, a “coalition of student-athletes” wants the two-week pause to be overturned in order for competition to resume.”We are asking the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to reconsider the blanket shutdown implemented on January 24th, and allow all the student-athletes that are healthy to return to all athletic-related activities,” the statement read. More to come on this story.
Michigan alumni Tom Brady, the 43 year old wonder, once again proved why he is the greatest football player of all time as he led his new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, to the NFC Conference title and a chance to win his 7th super bowl. The Bucanneers had to win three playoff games on the road to get to the super bowl.
Speaking of quarterbacks, Matthew Stafford, the greatest quarterback in Detroit Lions history, and the Detroit Lions have come to an agreement to part ways. Stafford has asked to be traded rather than going through another rebuild. Stafford deserves more than the Lions can give him in the two or three years he has left. He has been a warrior for the Lions over the years. In addition, he and his wife Kelly have been major contributors to Detroit area charities, especially Mitch Albom’s Say Detroit and the Acoustic Neuroma Association. Kelly Stafford was diagnosed with accoustic neuroma and faced serious treatment and brain surgery in 2019 as a result.
The Red Wings were blitzed by the Blackhawks 4-1 and 6-2 over the weekend and coach Jeff Blashill said, “Not good enough, I don’t think we were competing like crazy out there. We were competing OK, but OK doesn’t cut it in this league and it won’t cut it for us, for sure.” I have never understood how professional athletes do not compete to the best of their ability, especially in a game like hockey where effort is 90% of the battle.
Stay safe. Get your vaccine when scheduled. Wear your mask. Social distance and wash your hands regularly.
Quote of the day: “Thank you. This place, our home, the people… it’s hard to find the words to explain what this place means to me. Random tears come very often when I think about not being here. This place supported me during the toughest time of my life and during the happiest times and I want to thank y’all in the right way.
Whenever I figure out what the future holds, you’ll be hearing from me again with a thank you that hopefully shows how much gratitude and love I have for this place.. but until then we are going to enjoy our time left in Michigan to the fullest because there really is no other place like it.” Kelly Stafford, wife of Lion’s quarterback Matthew Stafford.h
Orchid of the Day; Tom Brady, the ageless wonder, for making it to his 10th superbows at age 43
Onion of the Day: Michigan and Hawaii for being the only two states in the country who are not playing or who are not scheduled to play hgh school winter sports. What makes our data so different than 48 other states?