Why Should College Sports Shut Down? Ex-NFL-Almost-Rookie Kemah Siverand, That’s Why

Kemah Siverand went undrafted out of Oklahoma State, but the cornerback signed as a free agent with the Seattle Seahawks. On Tuesday, Siverand was cut, a move that ordinarily would draw little notice.

In the world of COVID-19, though, the reason for Siverand’s dismissal stands out, as NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on Thursday that “he was caught on video trying to sneak a female visitor into the team hotel, per sources.”

Siverand obviously knew that this attempted escapade could get him in trouble, which is why the story goes from stupid to outrageously funny.

“The woman was wearing Seahawks gear in an attempt to disguise her as a player, I’m told,” Pelissero tweeted. “It did not work.”

No, no it did not.

Being just out of college, Siverand’s stupidity is simultaneously hilarious and a clear reminder of why college sports simply cannot happen this fall, including football.

This is the action of a 23-year-old man with his professional career on the line. Earlier this week in Major League Baseball, we saw Cleveland pitchers Zach Plesac and Mike Clevinger sent home for sneaking out of their team hotel — Clevinger even flew home with the team after Plesac had been banished, thinking he could get away with it. The NBA has dealt with Lou Williams’ outing to a strip club.

And there are people who expect college kids to abide by strict health and safety protocols and avoid any kind of parties?

Please.

Siverand tried to sneak a woman into the Seahawks’ hotel even though he knew there would be enough of a security presence that he’d need to dress her up in team gear — reportedly, it must be said. Do you think a 19-year-old backup linebacker with no professional future in the sport isn’t going to try some stunt in a dorm to hook up? Have you met a 19-year-old? Or been one?

If you can’t trust grown men to abide by pandemic rules while their livelihoods are at stake, how are you going to believe that everything will be okay with college students?

Most of the time, college is where people learn to be adults, where it’s okay to make mistakes and learn from them, because it’s most people’s first taste of living away from their parents and taking care of themselves day-to-day. In a pandemic, it’s not O.K. to make mistakes, because one false/dumb move can result in dozens of people getting sick.

Siverand’s indiscretion is a stupid one that he’s paid for with his job. Putting on a college football season in this environment is a mistake that untold numbers of people might pay for with their health. Everyone pushing for the season to happen needs to step back, look at this, and ask themselves honestly if they believe colleges can get through the fall without dozens of incidents like this.

That answer should be as easy to find as an undrafted rookie’s companion trying to sneak into an NFL team hotel dressed in team gear to look like a player.