Whats Next?
It’s safe to say that this has been a unusual year for all of us. A lot has happened. COVID-19, social injustice, unemployment, politics, along with our own daily problems; we’ve all been dealing with adversity in some form. Personally, sports has been my daily getaway from any problems I may have in life. Whether I’m out on the court playing or just watching it on the TV, basketball has been my escape for as long as I could remember. For many others it may be football, soccer, baseball, or even tennis. Regardless of your preference, I think we can all agree that life hasn't been the same without sports.
Basketball rims were taken down all across the country to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Finally, some good news, the NBA is back! I am beyond excited for the return of the NBA and if you are a sports fan, you are probably excited as well. I was even happy for baseball to come back and I have never even sat and watched a full game before. Honestly, I think I was more so excited to finally see some sports highlights on ESPN instead of looking at throwback games all day. Waking up to scores and game highlights from the previous night gives me hope that things may just be getting back to normal after all.
The NBA is currently wrapping a week full of scrimmages and so far, so good. For those who may not know, the NBA has taken over Walt Disney World’s campus in Orlando and has transformed it into what is called a "bubble." Players, coaches, and team personnel from the 22 teams have been allowed to live, practice and play in this bubble for the duration of the season. There will be an 88-game slate before the playoffs are set to begin. Thus meaning there will be more than enough time for each team to knock off the rust, given their hiatus from the game for more than 3 months. The WNBA has also started it's season just 100 miles away at IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL. Below you can see many NBA players in support of their return and find out how LeBron James is adjusting to life inside the bubble.
On July 20, the NBA reported that of the 346 players tested for COVID-19, none had tested positive. These results were from a batch of tests that came back on July 13th. They were sure to specify that if player did test positive, he would have to be isolated in quarantine until cleared by a medical professional.
Major League Basketball has not had the same luck since their spring training started on July 1. COVID-19 has already impacted the league less than a week into games. Within the last week, the Miami Marlins baseball team has had 17 players test positive for the virus. With more results coming in the next few days, their progession of the season looks very cloudy and uncertain at the moment. The MLB has decided to postpone it's next six games. An outbreak between different baseball clubs would be catastrophic and ultimately result in the cancelling of the season. Marlins CEO Derek Jeter said that the team is “having a difficult time enduring this experience.” The team has now adjusted to a daily testing schedule until further notice.
As for my teammates and I, we are currently approaching the tail end of summer workouts. The beautiful campus here at Longwood has been quiet for the past weeks and given the circumstances, we actually prefer it that way. It has helped us maintain our bubble-like environment that we are currently operating in. This year's team is very talented and it has been an great experience mixing in the new guys with the returners. I'm beyond excited for this upcoming season. Furthermore, we are constantly reminded of how fortunate we are to have this opportunity to work on our skills while building team chemistry. It seems like every day there is a new program being forced to pause or shut down its workouts due to someone testing positive for COVID-19. Fortunately, we’ve been able to get a lot done and still have some fun while upholding the protocols set by the NCAA and the university.
As many of you may know, uncertainty was the theme for my first blog entry. As I sit here just a few weeks later wrapping up the last entry, I can tell you guys that it hasn’t changed one bit. Not just with sports but also with the social issues I spoke about this past Sunday. Will we start to see real change or was that just a moment we all shared? Will my teammates and I get to play a college basketball season? What about football? If so, what does this “new normal” everyone keeps talking about look like? That is just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many questions that have no definitive answers as of now. Leaving all of us in a world of uncertainty. My advice to you is to continue to work hard and pursue whatever it is you want from this thing called life. Continue being a good person and stand up for what you believe in regardless of what everyone else is doing. At the end of the day, we have to accept that life is going to bring adversity, it’s inevitable. Right now, we're all sharing that adversity in some way. We don't know if, when, or how things will get better. All I know is that they eventually will and until then you just have to keep pushing. Its our job to pick ourselves up when those tough moments arrive.As for myself, the light at the end of the tunnel seems a bit distant right now. I know that it may not come tomorrow, and it might not even be next month. But when it does arrive, I can promise you one thing. I will be ready! Will you?
The World Needs People Like You! Keep Being You!
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