# Mass illness/poisoning affecting entire team before game **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 23, 2019, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275 "2019-01-23T16:11:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2019, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/1 "2019-01-23T16:11:51Z")
Say every single Rams player comes down with mysterious poisoning that leaves them bedridden before the Super Bowl against the Patriots (foul play is suspected.) Would the NFL postpone the Super Bowl (which would cause an enormous logistics kerfuffle) or just award the forfeit victory to New England? If it were just Goff or Gurley ill, then no doubt the game would proceed, but what if half or the entire Rams roster? And does it make a difference if it’s foul play vs. natural foodborne illness or something natural? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2019, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/2 "2019-01-23T16:22:04Z")
Why wouldn’t they just substitute another team? Probably the team the Rams beat to get to the final, assuming it’s a knock-out. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2019, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/3 "2019-01-23T16:25:20Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Why wouldn’t they just substitute another team? Probably the team the Rams beat to get to the final, assuming it’s a knock-out. Not sure if you are in jest, but the Rams earned the right to play in the Super Bowl by winning their conference championship. It wouldn’t make any sense to have the Saints play in it. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2019, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/4 "2019-01-23T16:29:05Z")
Forfeiture is a loss. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2019, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/5 "2019-01-23T16:45:53Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > And does it make a difference if it’s foul play vs. natural foodborne illness or something natural? If it’s foul play the league commissioner can invoke special powers and reschedule. Rule 17, Section 2, Article 1 > [@](#): > > The Commissioner has the sole authority to investigate and take appropriate disciplinary and/or corrective measures if any club action, non-participant interference, or calamity occurs in an NFL game which the Commissioner deems so extraordinarily unfair or outside the accepted tactics encountered in professional football that such action has a major effect on the result of the game. If needed, the game could be rescheduled, or forfeited by the team that poisoned the other team. If the foul play was by a 3rd party, the game could be rescheduled. Note that rescheduling a Super Bowl would be complete mess and cost a fortune, but it could be done. I don’t think any of that would happen if it were natural food poisoning. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/6 "2019-01-29T08:03:00Z")
This is interesting in that moments before the Copa Liberatores final in Buenos Aires between Boca Juniors and River Plate was called when fans threw bottles at the Boca bus on their way to the stadium, several Boca players suffered injuries and the match was eventually re-scheduled in Spain. About 13 years ago Tottenham was involved in just this same situation: GOOGLE “Tottenham food poisoning” of the story! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/7 "2019-01-29T08:04:50Z")
Xx ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/8 "2019-01-29T09:20:59Z")
It has long been rumoured that the South Africans slipped the Kiwi players something before their 1995 Rugby WC Final. Its all but confirmed that Diego Maradons’a Argentina handed the Brazilian GK a spiked drink in a break during their 1990 WC R16 game. In the OP senario, the opposing team would no doubt get some scrutiny. I know little about American Football, but didn’t the Patriots get caught messing with the ball pressure a few years ago? ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/9 "2019-01-29T09:51:11Z")
**Velocity** , you’re basically verbalizing my wishes for the Pats team last Super Bowl to help us Eagles out. (Fortunately, we didn’t need it. :D) You’re also being paranoid, if you’re a Rams person. I’ve wished for the flu, crabs, rashes, maybe a dose of flea powder like in a Brady Bunch episode, for many teams that play against my faves. Maybe a spell that makes everyone on the Pats fall down on every one of their third downs. I’ll settle for that. Nothing major or career ending for anyone, just for one silly game. Hey, they’d all have laughs in the NFL Nursing Center for Retired Players in a few years. Collinsworth would never stop talking about that during shuffleboard. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/10 "2019-01-29T14:16:55Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > In the OP senario, the opposing team would no doubt get some scrutiny. I know little about American Football, but didn’t the Patriots get caught messing with the ball pressure a few years ago? They were accused of it, but the science shows that the change in ball pressure confirmed to normal environmental factors and didn’t require any shenanigans on the part of New England. Plus even what they were accused of wouldn’t affect the opposing _players_, it was tampering with equipment. It’s like a bowler in cricket putting lip balm on the ball or just scuffing it up. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/11 "2019-01-29T15:11:28Z")
If 80% of one of the Super Bowl teams showed up in the ER the morning of the game, spewing from both ends and obviously unable to play, I’m utterly certain the NFL would wind up rescheduling the game. Yes, it would be an complete mess, but not nearly the mess of calling a forfeit because they couldn’t field a team. Note that there has never been a forfeit in the entire history of the NFL. > [@Atamasama](#): > > They were accused of it, but the science shows that the change in ball pressure confirmed to normal environmental factors and didn’t require any shenanigans on the part of New England. > > Plus even what they were accused of wouldn’t affect the opposing _players_, it was tampering with equipment. It’s like a bowler in cricket putting lip balm on the ball or just scuffing it up. Putting the science aside (and please, please don’t restart that debate here), the [NFL ruled](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deflategate#Sanctions_by_the_NFL_and_appeals) it was “more probable than not” that the balls had been tampered with, fined the Patriots $1,000,000 and 2 draft picks, and suspended QB Tom Brady for 4 games. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/12 "2019-01-29T15:48:09Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Putting the science aside (and please, please don’t restart that debate here), the [NFL ruled](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deflategate#Sanctions_by_the_NFL_and_appeals) it was “more probable than not” that the balls had been tampered with, fined the Patriots $1,000,000 and 2 draft picks, and suspended QB Tom Brady for 4 games. And then decided not to implement any procedures to test the air pressure in the balls going forward. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/13 "2019-01-29T17:37:31Z")
We now know the actual answer is:[run the dress rehearsal.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=869752) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/14 "2019-01-29T18:44:33Z")
I think New England would refuse the forfeiture and ask for a reschedule because 1. It would be hella good PR and 2. _No one_ wants a “\*” after their name in the annals of history. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/15 "2019-01-29T19:34:39Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > If 80% of one of the Super Bowl teams showed up in the ER the morning of the game, spewing from both ends and obviously unable to play, I’m utterly certain the NFL would wind up rescheduling the game. Yes, it would be an complete mess, but not nearly the mess of calling a forfeit because they couldn’t field a team. Note that there has never been a forfeit in the entire history of the NFL. Agreed. And although it’s unprecedented in the NFL, rescheduling a championship game due to "acts of God"[has certainly happened in other sports](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_World_Series#The_Loma_Prieta_earthquake) (1989 World Series). ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/16 "2019-01-30T08:02:43Z")
What prompted my thread was reading about how the Giants were in Indianapolis for SB46 against the Patriots, but ordered pizza nonetheless from their favorite pizzeria in New York City. The Giants had the pizzeria box up the pizza, fly it to Indianapolis, and then ate it. I couldn’t help but wonder about potential food poisoning, since that pizza must have been at room temperature for 4-5 hours or more while traveling. And presumably every Giant that consumed it would have come down with it (had it gone foul.) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/17 "2019-01-30T14:43:32Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > (had it gone foul.) Personal foul: roughing the intestines. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/18 "2019-01-30T16:21:15Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I couldn’t help but wonder about potential food poisoning, since that pizza must have been at room temperature for 4-5 hours or more while traveling. And presumably every Giant that consumed it would have come down with it (had it gone foul.) 4-5 hours? Pfffff. My brother in law keeps leftover pizza sitting on the counter for\* days\* until he gets around to finishing it. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/19 "2019-01-30T19:41:22Z")
Closest thing was in the deciding game of the 1919 Stanley Cup, where both teams came down with the Spanish Flu. When one of the players died, it was decided not to reschedule and a winner wasn’t declared. ---
**Author:** ![from\_a\_to\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5fc32e/32.png) [@from\_a\_to\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/from_a_to_z)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2019, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275/20 "2019-01-30T23:03:58Z")
Similar to the above, the 2019 Serie del Caribe will be moved from Venezuela to Panama, due to political turmoil (info [here](http://www.sabrhornsby.org/2018/08/serie-del-caribe-2019-winter-leagues-2018-19/)). If there won’t be a 6 team series, then there will be a 5 team series without Venezuela. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-illness-poisoning-affecting-entire-team-before-game/828275.md?page=2)