Michigan Coaches’ Mask PSA Is Cool, But Does It Change Anything?

There's a new Michigan-centric public service announcement that was posted by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services yesterday. It features the football and basketball coaches from the two biggest schools in the state, Michigan and Michigan State, urging all of us to "mask up Michigan", and  "Balls in your court".

Featured is the dean of all Michigan coaches, the legendary Tom Izzo, along with the coach of the Michigan State women's program, Suzy Merchant, who's got an impressive record of her own. Michigan coach and former star Juwan Howard, and Kim Barnes Arico represent the Maize and Blue.

Another U of M alum, football coach Jim Harbaugh is on it, as is the new MSU football coach Mel Tucker.

These kinds of PSA's are wonderful for die-hard fans of the teams, but do they really do anything to change, in this case, behaviors? Seems like Michigan residents are pretty dead set in their beliefs one way or another on the question of wearing a mask, and a feel good PSA is not going to change that. Hopefully some kids will see it and be more motivated to don a mask. Maybe its most valuable message is, as a reminder that we're all on the same team. When the last major tragedy, 9/11 happened, we came together as a nation. With this pandemic, we have splintered further apart.