MLS is Back Tournament, The Bubble, and The Virus

DCU players all passed their post-arrival screening and will start training tomorrow.

D.C. United arrived late-day Friday and underwent testing. No positive cases, team says. Training to begin Sunday.

— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) July 4, 2020

 

And the plane to get Toronto has again turned around in mid-flight, a few minutes ago. Looks like other Kentucky this time ... so getting closer.

Have they cancelled this tournament yet?

DAL 8913 from ATL to YYZ to pick up #TFCLive is now en route back to ATL. pic.twitter.com/Ts9aGRFGc9

— Michael Leach (@LeachCityNewsTO) July 4, 2020

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...mlss-florida-bubble-with-excitement-concerns/

Gressel:

“You trusted the bubble, and now to see more and more players test positive even a few days after they get there, it’s a bit scary and raises some question marks on my end, you know?”

“We want to get down there. We want to get playing. We want to be in the bubble if it’s safe,” he said. “But if it’s not safe, we don’t want to go.”

“Everybody is different in how they are viewing this,” United Coach Ben Olsen said. “I would be lying if there wasn’t some anxiety going into it.”

“The group is excited to have an opportunity to play real games,” Olsen said. “We’ve been waiting for this for quite a while. Going into the bubble, yeah, there is a little bit of anxiety, and everybody has a different intensity about the situation. But everybody is on board and ready to go.”

Seitz:

“I’ve got to go and get through it,” he said. “If I have [the virus], I will be away from her and she wouldn’t get it. We’re trying to limit the risk to her.”

I’d say they’re pretty anxious and apprehensive.

Thx,

Jay!

 

Perhaps I should have been clearer that it was before all the positive tests, but I thought It was clear given the post I was responding to was saying the competition was forced on the players.

 

The Sounders have apparently cleared their post-arrival screening..

First squad workout from the bubble ✅ pic.twitter.com/sQ5cxn6ETi

— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) July 4, 2020

 

Retesting of Red Bulls’ players and staff has been completed and all tested negative and the team will be headed to Orlando shortly.

Update: All follow up tests have been confirmed negative and the group will travel to Orlando by charter flight today.

— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) July 4, 2020

 

Fc Dallas match postponed.

Columbus crew players all test negative other than the one known positive.

 

Hoping for little to no new cases from here on out. Some of the touchy alarmists here expecting an end to the tournament sure are 4th of July kill-joys.

 

Not just expecting, but asking for it.

 

Looks like we may know why TFC’s plane was turned around. A staff member reported covid-like symptoms prior to leaving today and is now at home self-isolating. The team is going through another round of tests and will depart if/when the tests comes back negative.

Toronto FC grounded: pic.twitter.com/AWsevgkwAj

— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) July 4, 2020

 

Gosh ... second day in a row ... what rotten luck.

So I wonder who will report the "sore throat" tomorrow morning - in an abundance of caution.

 

So many positive test on players that were "suppose" to be taking care of themselves. Liga MX started back up with a tournament already while MLS is having to cancel games because of positive tests.

 

Can’t test positive if you don’t test.

 

Nothing has been cancelled yet.

 

Postponed then ...

 

I think yesterday was because of the new FCD and Crew positives. TFC is stuck in a rough spot, if the competition is cancelled and they have to go back to Canada, they are going to have a 14-day quarantine. Might as well just chill out in Toronto and let things sort out down in Orlando before heading down.

 

Man, shout-out to my fellow players in MLS! If you all knew what was REALLY going on down here, I’m positive the “shut up and kick/ I’d do it for that paycheck” notions would quickly dissipate! Enduring this strain is exactly why we’re #morethananathlete #MLSisBack

— CJ Sapong (@BigAfrika88) July 4, 2020

Hmmmm

 

This tweet says between yesterday and today there were 2 positives out of over 1100 tests.

#MLS informa que entre julio 3y 4 (ayer y hoy) 1,191 personas (jugadores, árbitros, delegaciones,etc) recibieron test por COVID-19 en Orlando donde se jugará torneo de regreso #MLSisBack DOS positivos (ambos jugadores) ... @DiegoArvilly @RobAbramowitz @fabianrozo @AndresBlanco73

— John E. Rojas (@jrojasa75) July 5, 2020

 

But why are there positives at all inside the bubble?

 

Another FCD player and a MNU tested positive yesterday, right? There was an inconclusive from Montreal, but someone saw players milling around the lobby this morning, so that seems to have resolved itself.

 

So will usl be the first league to start after the pandemic and have their season cancelled?

 

Yea it feels a bit extremist to want the tournament called off. If we have another FC Dallas situation then I’d understand if it was.

 

Here are Covid-19 positives so far at @MLS bubble:
June 28 report: 2 positives.
June 30 report: 4 new positives (6 total positives).
July 2 report: 6 new positives, 4 players (12 total positives, 10 players).
July 4 report: 2 new positives (14 total positives, 12 players).

— Paul Kennedy (@pkedit) July 5, 2020

 

One game has been postponed, none have been canceled so far.

 

True. Postponed should've been the better word.