Swine Flu Shuttering Stadiums

The effects of the H1N1 influenza virus, commonly known as swine flu, have already been felt at athletics events across North America, with Mexican soccer teams playing to empty stadiums, and high schools in Texas and Alabama postponing sports games.

Now that some schools have begun closing in Michigan, it's fair to wonder what might be in store for MSU athletics.

Certainly this would be a terrible weekend for events to get canceled, given that baseball's McLane Stadium is to be officially dedicated. Two thousand five hundred seats, 400 of them with chair backs, all could be empty.

I think it's worth noting, however, that there have been precisely two instances of swine flu found in Michigan so far. Yet folks are shutting down entire school districts after even one student shows signs of flu-like symptoms.

It's an abundance of caution, and it's hard to say at this point whether or not that's justified. But the odds are good that if this continues MSU might take a long hard look at postponing some athletic events.