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Oregon Governor Kate Brown launched her game this week. It went from the selective distribution of exemptions to the competitive disadvantage of every Division I basketball program in our state.
At least that’s fair.
Portland State basketball programs have yet to receive their exemptions to play games and conduct full scrum practices. Governor Brown wrote in a statement Nov. 4: “I am extending the Pac-12 exemption for college athletics to all Oregon Division I schools because it is fair to give Portland State University and at the University of Portland the same opportunity that Oregon’s Pac-12 Schools had.
Except, almost three weeks later, still no exemption. Now that stubborn stance is about to affect Oregon and the state of Oregon.
Governor Brown’s office and the Oregon Health Authority have provided feedback to the UP and PSU. Universities have reviewed these guidelines, offered to comply, and resubmitted their requests. Drivers’ athletic director Scott Leykam confirmed Monday evening that he now has the approved exemption.
The Vikings remain in bureaucratic purgatory from Monday and now the ducks and beavers are being sucked into the vortex as well.
Oregon’s men’s basketball game on Wednesday against Eastern Washington has been postponed due to COVID-19. The Ducks are now trying to schedule the PSU’s men’s schedule for a game on Saturday, according to a source. The Oregon State men’s program would like to play on Friday, according to a source in Corvallis. The Vikings would love to play both of these games, but they are not allowed until they are eliminated.
Oh, too, Washington wants to schedule a game with PSU.
Do you see the problem?
I’m sure you’ve decided whether you think college basketball is a priority or not. It is certainly not more important than the available hospital beds and the flattening rate of infection. But if you’re one of those people who thinks varsity athletes are much safer when subjected to contact tracing, daily testing, and strict protocols, you’re probably in awe of the governor’s out of the ordinary position.
She’s just shooting bullets now, the governor has now taken the ball and gone home. Maybe for some turkey and stuffing. Also, to tweet a few times. You know, this new multitasking.
Almost three weeks ago, Governor Brown announced that his exemptions for the Pac-12 programs were “unfair.” Since then, she has intensified her unfair position in the mind of this columnist. Her November 4th statement may have fooled all of us, bought her time, and convinced some of the audience that she had somehow erased the UP and PSU programs.
It now looks like a political mistake.
UP waited almost three weeks before being released. The Vikings are still stranded until she grants their exemption. A meeting is scheduled for Wednesday morning on this front, according to a source. No one is more interested in this than ducks and beavers. Oregon and OSU are debating whether they will have to travel out of state next weekend to find a men’s college basketball game. Or maybe import a team from California, Washington, Arizona, Montana or Idaho or elsewhere.
This is not a positive development for anyone.
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