Covid 19 and Sports Leagues - Shut Them Down!

On March 13th when Covid_19 made it's appearance in the NBA and Rudy Gobert tested positive a  torrent of players in every professional sports league followed suit and immediately all the leagues shut down. Well if I remember correctly it took a few days before major league baseball camps packed it in but they had to shut it down as well.

I must say the Toronto Maple Leafs were in a battle and had a game that night against Nashville and a couple of days later in Boston against those pesky Bruins. Without a doubt I was looking forward to it.

So I thought we got this and will contain the spread of this virus quickly then  we should all be back shortly watching hockey or any other sport we choose. After all we had other countries to learn from that already had the spread contained. Some simple rules to follow. Stay two meters distance away from everyone and self isolate as much as you can at home. Schools emptied so everyone was home.

This should end in a couple of weeks, right?

Now we are nearly into July and the same thing is happening again. The leagues are all saying now they are coming back because the fans demand it. They want to see sports again. I have not heard anyone I know mention sports since five days after all the leagues shut down. You'd think by the sport talk shows and reporters that everyone is dying to see a game on television.

Now if this shutdown lasted 2 weeks to a month maximum I think no problem we could have lived through this without facing too much hardship and we would be salivating to pick up where we left off. The truth is this has gone too long. They all should have just cancelled the season and playoffs right there and then and I know I am not the only one who feels this.

Proof in point is everyday since around April all the commissioners have talked about resuming play. They think as do the players, although I am not so sure about that because all they care about is their safety, is the public is waiting on their bended knees for them to resume play.

Let me make this perfectly care, NO ONE CARES!! That is right no one cares. In case these leagues do not know their main fan base is crippled by this pandemic. Jobs lost, income gone, mortgage in arrears, credit card debt piling up, school next year in doubt as to how it will all work out. Relatives and people getting sick or dying. Let me repeat what I said, NO ONE CARES!

What really sickened me was watching Gary Bettman the NHL commissioner come on television to make this grand announcement about phase 1,2 and 3 on how they plan on finishing the playoffs in two hub cities. Not saying it was for money, television rights, or just plain greed but because the fans demanded it. What a crock of you know what! Since this shutdown I have not met or talked to anyone who misses sports. Nobody!

Why you ask is because we are all wondering what next week is going to look like never mind watching some millionaires play in front of empty arenas and stadiums. Hockey in July forget about it.

Now all the hub cities for hockey can stay in the States for all I care. Choose Las Vegas and whoever else probably a Republican senator state where the cases are out of control. The NBA choosing Disney World in Florida. Well good luck with that although they have an idiot for a governor. Disneyland today delayed their opening in California. There will be cases with the NBA players for sure in Florida. The baseball and their plan for restarting is a disaster and they have so many cases already they should just say it and shut down. The NFL just cancelled their Hall of Fame game scheduled August 6th.

Today all I have heard from American doctors is, We are the greatest country in the world and I cannot believe we have screwed this up. Here is a heads up, if you were the greatest country in the world you would not have screwed up!

I have had enough. Keep the border closed and do not let  any of these leagues play one game here.

Better yet shut it down and plan to start training camps maybe in September. Give it a rest and do not think you are resuming play for the fans. It is totally non-sensical.

My prediction is if any of these leagues start up there will be infections and teams will probably win unfairly. If any one of these athletes get sick or worse dies it will not be Covid that killed them it will just be the greed and ego of the owners and leadership.

Free us from your babble and stay safe and shut it down. It is ridiculous!