From the Sports Editor’s desk… Sports continues to evolve through current pandemic
Published 1:30 pm Tuesday, July 7, 2020
1 of 1
Ivan Sanders - Star Sports Editor
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR SPORTS EDITORS
ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com
When taking a step back and looking at the overall appearance of sports as the final five months of 2020 start seeping through the hourglass of time, this Sports Editor can only refer to a crazy sports show on television by the name of ‘Whacked Out Sports’.
As much as everyone is fighting to get the sporting world back on track, there are constant daily reminders that a ‘normal’ might never return any time soon as even with major sporting leagues trying to get two or three steps up the rung on the ladder to restarting, they are getting a boot in the face by COVID-19.
Major League Baseball just released its 60-game schedule, but even with that every day there are more and more stars of the game that are either electing to opt-out of the season or testing positive for the COVID-19 and convincing their teammates to sit out.
It appears more and more every day that by the time the MLB gets to week two or three that the season may more resemble a preseason NFL game where all the top players are missing and those kept on the rosters from the minor league will be playing.
Many still won’t mind that because after all it is still baseball, right?
The NBA, NHL, and WNBA are also trying to get their feet back under them as well but the same goes as more and more reports are being released daily of star players being diagnosed or deciding to stay away this season.
I do completely understand the logic as for many of these athletes, it comes down to protecting their families and especially those who have or are having children which I absolutely admire for putting their families before the almighty dollar.
On the local front, the TSSAA will be meeting today as this edition lands in your hands to determine which of the four options that were recently released for the 2020 prep football season in Tennessee will play out.
Talk already is rampant on how the selection of either option one or two would create a headache of a scenario and one that most coaches don’t want to have to even think about trying to find teams that are non-region which could make the cash box ring at the gate.
After all, that is what football is about for high schools and that is the bottom line financially that allows other sports programs to exist.
Everyone knows football has to be played but there are still so many variables including Governor Bill Lee’s call on or near August 29th when the current State of Emergency is scheduled to end.
Many feel that the best thing that the Governor can do is present an exemption for prep football to be played much like the NCAA and NFL are doing. However, what message is being sent when doing so?
It has truly been one of the whackiest years I have experienced in my life with so many different things taking place – not only on the sports front but in life in general.
And 2020 is still not over. The best advice I can give is to buckle your seatbelts a little tighter and hold on as everyone waits to see what’s around the next curve.
