Shocked by no sports? We had to accept it

The "No Filter Sports" podcast team out of Detroit MI. It's boss!

A sociologist might have a field day with this: sports completely vanishes. Such has been the recent reality. Who could imagine? Is this like being denied oxygen? Is there any hope for so many of us?
The thought of no sports pre-pandemic would have made us shake heads, as if we'd all die some sort of spiritual death. Funny how circumstances just make us adjust. When we have to change, we simply do. Just like when the Depression came along to afflict people so long ago. The circumstances happen and then what options do we have? If there are some, we deal with the new reality.
Seems that sports fans have not required any special therapy since the pandemic came about. The pandemic waits for no one. It is neither Republican nor Democrat, neither red state nor blue state. The Trump backers can vent against Dr. Fauci but toward what end? No one is "hyping" or "selling" the pandemic, as we see indisputable statistics right along about how the crisis is anything but over. I suspect Dr. Fauci feels profoundly hurt, convinced as he is from deep in his bosom that he is clearly, unmistakably a scientist who merely wants to use his expertise to help humanity. Should really be as plain as the nose on your face.
His partner for the farcical "daily White House updates," Dr. Birx, had to sit there and show deference to the president as he rambled totally nonsensically about putting ultraviolet lights in bodies and ingesting disinfectants, e.g. Clorox. She could have made a bid to be a hero, demanding the floor or the microphone immediately even at the risk of having to shove aside or talk over the president. Instead she had feet of clay, was afraid of the president because of his power, an asset he definitely has and definitely relishes. She could have spoken up using coarse words, saying to the president that he must be out of his mind or full of s--t. I mean, why not?
Fauci and Birx ended up appearing compromised. This was to the extent that an objective-seeming news report described Dr. Birx as the "once respected" Dr. Birx. She behaved like she wanted to mollify Trump. She appeased. And someday if the U.S. survives and returns to something approximating its normal state, she and others who are now under Trump's thumb will plead that they had no choice but to be restrained, while at the same time their private thoughts would have been right on the bullseye with an unflattering portrayal of the president. "Unflattering" puts it mildly. See? Even yours truly feels the pull, submission perhaps, to be deferential. "Hey, he's the president."
Reminds me of the time when Jimmy Carter - our nation turns its lonely eyes to you, Mr. Humble Peanut Farmer - related about the snarling rabbit swimming toward his boat in a swamp once. Struck me as bizarre and unreal. So I shared this thought with a friend and wondered why the attending media didn't react with like befuddlement. "Well, they probably thought 'he's the president,' " my friend responded.
Maybe such rabbits are to be expected in the Deep South swamps, lagoons or whatever. The cottontails in my back yard seem entirely friendly. Sometimes I imagine having a conversation with them. It's benign, no need for a psychologist's attention.
But psychologists in addition to sociologists might wish to take notes in a time when sports fans have had the rug totally pulled out from under them. I don't normally check the ESPN or Fox Sports North channels so I don't know how they're adjusting. Or, holy cow, my preferred sports podcast coming out of Detroit and including the legendary Denny McLain - it's called "No Filter Sports." Such an insatiable appetite for hashing over sports from all over, sports in the present and sports of the past.
How can sports journalists expect compensation for their work now? But you can actually ask that question of a wide array of professionals like school employees who certainly aren't working as hard as they normally would (though many would claim they are, but that's human nature).
Yesterday (Wednesday) I took a walk on a route that went past the UMM softball diamonds. I saw vehicles parked along the road there. I say "vehicles" and not "cars" because such a high percentage aren't really cars any more, they are more heavy-duty. I still drive a "car," so I can't show off 4-wheel drive for anyone. Vehicles parked at that location means only one thing: Little League practice! Boy, that's a real sign that people want normalcy back in our lives.
Sure enough I saw the typical sight of Little League youngsters and their coaches going through their routines. Some of the coaches look like they aren't in very good shape, would have a hard time tucking in their shirts. But anyway, we laud the commitment to healthy summer recreation. If the coaches don't get healthier doing this, we surely hope the kids do.
And, I strongly feel the kids would be healthier if they played soccer. If it's time for change, let's look at change on all fronts.
Don't get your hopes up too much: there could be a second wave of the pandemic this coming fall that would force an even bigger shutdown than the first. Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx would not dispute that. But they seem largely muted now. Fauci, when asked to comment about the wisdom of having the big Trump rally in Tulsa, said "no comment." Why? So much fear. Isn't such fear a big reason why Adolf Hitler ascended to power and then consolidated it?
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com