Play Ball?

 I’ve been a sports lover my whole life. In my professional capacity I’ve been a Sports Information Director, sportswriter and sports photographer. Hell, I was even a mascot for a minor league season.

Pro football has always been my favorite as long as I can remember. With just over a week until the 2020 season begins in earnest, it’s usually the time when I’d be eagerly awaiting that first kickoff.

Not this year.

It’s hard to put a finger on why, exactly. Some of it has to be my club, now the Washington Football Team, which has been mediocre to horrible for decades. And now the organization’s ineptitude has taken a back seat to the revelation of its amazing level of scumbaggery. Even though I’ve lived in Georgia for 10 years, I can’t bear to switch my allegiance to the Falcons. That seems like a whole other level of pain.

The resurgence of the other sports hasn’t done much to help. I’m happy baseball came back, but with format changes, COVID-19 issues, no fans and the bickering beforehand, some of the luster has been taken off it. Having basketball and hockey in the summer is something I haven’t been able to wrap my head around.

Will pro football players be safe during this pandemic? I guess we won’t really know until the season begins. Sure, they’re tested often, but what happens once they start getting in each other’s faces during practice and then games?. Will games be postponed like baseball games have been after positive tests come back? Postponed might not even be the right word as making up contests will be a heck of a lot harder.

Before I start the next section, let me say that my wife and I made the decision to send our first-grader to in-person elementary school. We worry about him every day as well as other students and the staff. Had the only option been online learning, then that’s what we would have done gladly.

Some college conferences are about to begin their football seasons which I think is a mistake. I understand the ramifications if schools don’t play; revenue brought in supports non-revenue sports and are an immense source of pride. Not to mention the athletes that are using football as a springboard to a career. I was hoping conferences would all make the decision to delay the season until after the new year when hopefully the spread of the virus is under control. College campuses are already experiencing problems with high positivity rates, I can’t imagine schools going on the road to places like Miami even with enhanced protocols in place.

There is pressure coming from all sides to play and also to call things off. In the end, I hope no college athlete ends up paying the ultimate price.