'I Think Football's Making a Tragic Mistake': Trump Calls for College Football To Return
Like most sane Americans, President Donald Trump wants to see some college football this fall.
Amid reports this week that conference officials and school presidents have been discussing the possible cancellation of big-time NCAA football this season, Trump spoke out in support of players who want to compete this fall.
During an interview Tuesday morning with Outkick’s Clay Travis, the president explained why he supports college football being played this fall and why it is safe for players to take the field despite the coronavirus pandemic.
“Why is it important for college football to be played and what do you think you can do to help that happen?” Travis asked the president.
Trump responded by first praising many of college football’s most influential figures, including current coaches Nick Saban of Alabama and Ed Orgeron of LSU and former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz.
“They’re just great people and they want to play football and they know better than anyone else,” he said.
The president then explained that a medical expert assured him that college football players are “so powerful and so strong” and “very healthy people” who would be at incredibly low risk for having serious COVID-19 complications.
“This attacks older people — very viscously, by the way, it can be if it’s the wrong person — but you know, these football players are very young, strong people physically,” Trump said. “So they’re not going to have a problem. …
“So I think football is making a tragic mistake” if the season is canceled, he said.
Many top players across the nation agreed with Trump’s assessment.
On Sunday, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence was one of the most vocal players to speak out against the talks of cancellation, using the hashtag #WeWantToPlay.
Not to mention the players coming from situations that are not good for them/ their future and having to go back to that. Football is a safe haven for so many people. We are more likely to get the virus in everyday life than playing football. Having a season also incentivizes –
— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) August 9, 2020
Players being safe and taking all of the right precautions to try to avoid contracting covid because the season/ teammates safety is on the line. Without the season, as we’ve seen already, people will not social distance or wear masks and take the proper precautions
— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) August 9, 2020
The next day, the president weighed in on Twitter, using the hashtag and speaking out in support of Lawrence and others who want to play.
The student-athletes have been working too hard for their season to be cancelled. #WeWantToPlay https://t.co/lI3CCKZ4ID
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2020
Play College Football!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2020
While the Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences announced Tuesday that they won’t be playing this fall, the SEC, ACC and Big 12 are still on track to take the field.
Smh..
— Justin Fields (@justnfields) August 11, 2020
Trump is just one of the millions of fans, players and coaches who want college football to return.
They are hungry for the sport they love, and the left better think twice about getting in their way.
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