Chansky's Notebook: Rivalry Regions

What if we were left with merely playing games?

Paying attention to the news gets more difficult every day, as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads around the globe. If the most extreme projections are true, the U.S. may be forced into a protective policy of isolation — not only on national borders but states, as well.

So, let’s say, for argument’s sake, the best way to monitor and contain the virus was by closing off regions and banning outside travel except in most essential circumstances. What would happen to college sports?

The word realignment has been part of the athletic nomenclature for years, as college conferences expanded and even pro leagues moved teams from one geographic division to another. What if now schools from the west, central, south and eastern parts of the country played only against schools in their same region?

Maybe national championships wouldn’t be decided at all, but isn’t getting back to just playing football most important? What if the Carolinas isolated and major and small colleges played only among themselves for the next couple of years? That wouldn’t be so bad, would it? At least the games could go on, a joie de vivre of sports.

The so-called new Carolinas Conference would include UNC, Duke, NC State, Wake Forest, East Carolina, App State, Clemson and South Carolina. Maybe those eight schools would have a seven-game regular season and then a 3-round playoff for all the teams. The mid-major and small colleges in the Carolinas could do the same.

Basketball and all the other sports might also do it, cutting down on expensive travel and almost shrinking a collegiate athletics model that was growing out of control. Perhaps the whole system of scholarships would have to be adjusted. Maybe college sports would look more like it did in the 1950s and 1960s.

The point is, what if returning to big-time athletics was not possible for the immediate future to keep America healthy? The idea of never playing would be unacceptable. It could become downsizing by necessity. And, most importantly, the games could still go on.

Major College Rivalry Regions