vike daddy Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 The head coach lost his parking space. COVID-19 casualty. There’s a 40-foot BioReference Laboratories trailer in space 136 in the players/coaches parking lot just outside the entry where every essential Vikings employee will arrive to work this year. The trailer has four COVID testing bays, with certified testing agents ready to do about 180 nasal-swab tests of players, staff and coaches when they report to camp in the coming days. Space 136 is labeled “HEAD COACH.” It is Mike Zimmer’s spot. Or was. “Has anyone told Coach Zim he doesn’t have a parking spot anymore?” tight end Kyle Rudolph said the other day, trepidation in his voice. Yes. Veteran athletic trainer Eric Sugarman, now doubling as the team’s Infection Control Officer, told the fiery Zimmer. “What the —-!” Zimmer said. “But Mike gets it,” Sugarman said. “He gets it because he has to get it. Every head coach has to get it this year. That doesn’t mean they’re gonna like it.” On Friday, Sugarman, who suddenly becomes as important as a coordinator this year as the Vikings’ chief COVID-fighting employee, and GM Rick Spielman gave me a socially distanced tour of what every coach and player in the league will experience as long as the NFL attempts to play football in 2020. https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/07/20/minnesota-vikings-complex-tour-nfl-covid-peter-king-fmia/ 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 Sugarman has proven his worth to the Vikings organization many times over. I trust that the Vikings will have one of the better COVID-19 testing and response teams in the league. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 1 hour ago, Virginia Viking said: Sugarman has proven his worth to the Vikings organization many times over. I trust that the Vikings will have one of the better COVID-19 testing and response teams in the league. Agreed. Fortunately, the planning into the facility accounted for this type of scenario. Just imagine what the nightmare would be if they were still at Winter Park. Lots of teams with older facilities are going to have issues. Sugarman himself should get inducted into the Ring of Honor eventually right next to Zamberletti. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 2 hours ago, swede700 said: Agreed. Fortunately, the planning into the facility accounted for this type of scenario. Just imagine what the nightmare would be if they were still at Winter Park. Lots of teams with older facilities are going to have issues. Sugarman himself should get inducted into the Ring of Honor eventually right next to Zamberletti. I think that would be so cool, if a very valuable trainer, like Sugarman, would be honored in this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 5 minutes ago, Virginia Viking said: I think that would be so cool, if a very valuable trainer, like Sugarman, would be honored in this way. Non-players/Non-Front Office/Coaches should have their own section of the RoH. I know Zamberletti is already in the Ring. I could clearly see Sugarman and Dennis Ryan also getting in there at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vike daddy Posted July 21, 2020 Author Share Posted July 21, 2020 Sugarman also saved Teddy B from bleeding to death in front of the whole team... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krauser Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 Eric Sugarman, Vikings infection control officer, has tested positive: https://www.vikings.com/news/statements-from-the-minnesota-vikings-and-eric-sugarman Quote STATEMENT FROM THE VIKINGS We learned over the weekend Minnesota Vikings Head Athletic Trainer and Vice President of Sports Medicine and the team's Infection Control Officer Eric Sugarman, along with members of his family, tested positive for COVID-19. Eric immediately shared his results with the organization and began to follow the previously established comprehensive protocol created by the NFL and national and local health experts. Eric and his family are currently in self-quarantine and providing daily updates on their well-being. We have followed the team's protocol for sanitizing the facility and for notifying any personnel who may have been in close contact with Eric. Those individuals have been tested and are returning under the established guidelines. Eric has not had recent contact with players, and no additional cases within the Vikings front office have been identified at this time. Eric will continue to fulfill his role as the team's ICO virtually as much as possible, and his athletic training staff and other Vikings personnel will assist where necessary. We wish Eric and his family a quick and full recovery and look forward to him returning to the Vikings when appropriate. The health and safety of every member of our organization, our fans and of the broader community is paramount. We encourage everyone to take this virus seriously and to practice the established precautions. STATEMENT FROM ERIC SUGARMAN This weekend my family and I tested positive for COVID-19. We immediately quarantined and began to follow the established protocols. At this time we are all doing fine and experiencing only mild symptoms. I have an immense amount of pride in the effort I have personally put forth to protect the NFL family, the Minnesota Vikings organization and our community with thoughtfulness and decision-making based on the current science over these last four months. I am humble to be serving in that capacity as it has been some of the most rewarding work of my career. But as I sit here in quarantine, it is clear this virus does not discriminate. It should continue to be taken seriously. I encourage people to take the necessary precautions and follow guidelines that have been established nationally and locally. At this time I am taking care of myself and my family and am focused on their health and recovery. I will return to the Vikings and my role after following the proper protocols. I recommend the latest episode of Norse Code, where Arif does an excellent job discussing the potential threat of Covid to the NFL: https://www.dailynorseman.com/2020/7/21/21332915/norse-code-podcast-episode-328-friends Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 I had originally posted the Sugs news in the Valhalla News thread, but it is appropriate to put all COVID-related news here, as I'm sure there will be more. In most cases thus far from other teams, there weren't any recognizable names on the COVID-19 reserve lists...we'll have to see who shows up here now...it'll most like be from all the rookies coming in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 Jefferson is clearly the most notable name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krauser Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 Important distinction -- the Covid reserve list includes patients with known exposures, not only those who test positive themselves: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcblack34 Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 I just don't see how there is anything resembling a full season if the NFL insists on having teams play in their home cities and facilities. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 13 hours ago, wcblack34 said: I just don't see how there is anything resembling a full season if the NFL insists on having teams play in their home cities and facilities. I believe that many health professionals and scientific researchers who are predicting a COVID 2nd wave this fall that will be far worse than the spring/summer fist wave. I think the NFL will be fortunate to see a 6 game season, if even that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 (edited) 14 hours ago, wcblack34 said: I just don't see how there is anything resembling a full season if the NFL insists on having teams play in their home cities and facilities. There was no other reasonable or practical choice. There's no way to house 3500-4000 people in a bubble format. Edited July 28, 2020 by swede700 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcblack34 Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 6 hours ago, swede700 said: There was no other reasonable or practical choice. There's no way to house 3500-4000 people in a bubble format. Sure there is. For example: combine the afc and nfc divisions (AFC North + NFC North etc), each stays in a bubble (4 bubbles) and plays a 14 game schedule (2 games vs each opponent) top 2 move on to playoffs. Lose two games, but those are extra bye weeks or pandemic weeks. That’s off the top of my head. I’m sure they could come up with something better. They just didn’t want to change and want fan revenue. For that, they’re likely going to lose well more than half the season. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 1 hour ago, wcblack34 said: Sure there is. For example: combine the afc and nfc divisions (AFC North + NFC North etc), each stays in a bubble (4 bubbles) and plays a 14 game schedule (2 games vs each opponent) top 2 move on to playoffs. Lose two games, but those are extra bye weeks or pandemic weeks. That’s off the top of my head. I’m sure they could come up with something better. They just didn’t want to change and want fan revenue. For that, they’re likely going to lose well more than half the season. I still don't think that proposal would have been feasible or practical. And fan revenue is far less of an impact on the NFL than any other sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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