OnlyBucs

All right, Surgenbuck - we'll be counting on you for those wins! Enjoy yourself regardless, though.

2423353D3324636F16313B373F3A7835393B560 wrote: Folks. 



The virus is not done with us yet, and may not be for a longer period of time if we do not hunker down for a bit longer.



Being inside a stadium or ballpark sitting next to folks who are screaming, high-fiving and such (although I will acknowledge that at PNC this year it is more likely moaning and sitting idly by as the game unfolds) is not exactly 'safe'.



In looking at the crowds allowed into stadiums to watch several of this year's college football games that I saw, there was no distancing between folks, few wore masks, and many regularly joined their friends and other fans in celebrating play on the field.   This is not safe behavior. 



527,000 is more than just a number.  Each is an individual life that was tragically lost to a raging disease.



I feel fortunate that I have escaped being pillaged by covid and that I recently just received my second shot.  I hope that all soon get vaccinated so it actually will be safe to attend ballgames and interact with one another again, perhaps even without wearing masks.



Our daughter, who contracted Covid at the elementary school she teaches at, is thankfully bouncing back from Covid.  Fortunately, the only current lingering effect is her loss of taste.



So --- on my end, Governors, public health officials, and individuals who have tried to keep all of us safe by imposing reasonable restrictions on life as we knew it are actually champions, even though many loath their policies.   






Well said, Mainer.  People just don't realize how deadly this virus is and how quickly it can spread.  Mrs. Possum and I, both over 65 and me with COPD have gotten our first dose of the Moderna vaccine.  Even after this second dose, we will not go out of the house without our masks as well as practicing safe distancing. 

The last year is driving me crazy, not being able to visit my daughter and her family in Chicago.  No way do we go there without them being vaccinated.

As far as the politicians setting limits on crowds, wearing masks, social distancing, that is all well and good but as you have said the owners of the places where we gather sure as hell had better enforce the rule set down for gatherings, be they outdoor or indoor. 

You could give me tix for Mrs. Possum & me to the #1 top suite at PNC Park and we would turn it down. Too much of a chance to get COVID, vaccinated and all.  I know we all want life to get back to normal but no way should we rush it for the sake of owner's and player's making a buck.




How it has come to pass that COVID became a political issue is one of the great mysteries of the ages.  Right up there with what reallykilled the dinosaurs, how did people first get to Hawaii, and why do some people call a pizza a “pie”?   



Tomorrow (Saturday) I will be attending a virtual funeral (via zoom) for a friend who died of COVID. Even more personal, my son contracted COVID last August and his life has been turned upside down including trips to the emergency room for heart problems; he has missed his junior year of college. I could go on (my church deals with a lot of people impacted from COVID), but let me just say as much as I miss going to Pens games and PNC and lots of other stuff, I truly believe our inconveniences or disappointments have saved many many lives. 



We’re almost to the end of this nightmare, let’s finish the job and bury COVID. 



My wife and I will soon have our second vaccine.  We are looking forward to being at PNC this summer as much as possible.  But here’s hoping we become “one people” again so that SOON everyone can soon be part of game we love and the life to be lived.


I’m gonna have to disagree with you guys. I don’t discount your personal stories. I feel for all who have suffered loss through this nightmare. I had COVID. Very minor symptoms, but I realize that isn’t in all cases.



However, I ABSOLUTELY believe this has been blown WAY out of proportion. Part of my frustration is how so much seems to have been forgotten.



15 days to slow the spread…turned into a year.



“It’s just to keep the hospitals from being overrun.” That never happened.



“We just have to keep the curve flat!” Lie. The curve has been flat the entire time, save for one spike in October-November.



“We’re two weeks behind Italy!!! We’re going to be rationing ventilators in two weeks if people don’t STAY HOME!!!” That never happened.



“It’s 30x more deadly than the flu!!!” Lie.



“It’s 20 times more contagious than the flu!!!” Lie.



“2.6 million people are going to die!!!” Lie.



“We’re all going to lose someone we love to coronavirus. We’d better get used to that fact.” Lie.



“We’ll never require a vaccine passport. That’s dystopian fear mongering of the worst kind…truly QAnon level conspiracy theory.” Lie.



“People should not be wearing masks.” —Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Jarome Adams, Surgeon General. Lie. (And yes, I can provide the links if you’d like.)



“Asymptomatic spread is real. Wait, no it isn’t. Wait, yes it is.” WHO, in the span of two days.



Images from Wuhan of people literally falling down dead in the street and workers in hazmat suits driving down the street spraying everything with disinfectant. Overreaction.



This entire thing has been predicated on lies and mischaracterizations. If they would tell us the truth even once, I’d be apt to believe them. But every step of the way has been lie after lie after lie. On the off chance that once in a blue moon they told the truth, it’s been an overreaction.



I am NOT a COVID denier. At all. I had it. My immediate family had it.  But I absolutely deny that the societal reaction was justified.



I teach in a high school. We’ve had in-person school all year long, five days a week. We were told we were reckless and we’re going to kill teachers. While we’ve had quite a few cases (but contract tracing has shown absolutely zero transmission in school) we’ve only had two hospitalizations (both now recovered) and zero deaths. This week was the sixth week out of eight we’ve had zero COVID cases and zero quarantined among our 1,200 students and staff. The other two weeks had one and two cases respectively.



I know four people who have died of the virus, in theory. Two had previously terminal diagnoses. COVID probably moved that timeline up by a month or two. Conversely, I know two people who have committed suicide in the last year, and a third who tried. Due to lockdowns? I don’t know. But I do know this...I will go to my grave believing that our entire societal response was an overreaction out of proportion with the gravity of the threat. The precedents we’ve established will haunt us for decades if not centuries to come. Personally, I’d rather die than live another year like this last one.

And here all I wanted to do was talk about being able to enjoy a game.



This thread has become Facebook.



Please delete it mods.

Sounds like capacity can increase to 50% now. The Pirates have not put tickets on sale at all, but could potentially make more seats available. Only issue is figuring out how to get 6 feet between each 2 or 4 person pod.