It was supposed to be a busy weekend.
These particular days in April are actually often almost frustratingly packed, as the World Ski and Snowboard Festival and the Whistler Cup trample all over one another and I’m scrambling to figure out how to be in two places at once.
I honestly never thought I’d have feelings that weren’t mild annoyance at the organizers for holding major events concurrently, but good Lord, what I wouldn’t give for the adrenaline rush of racing from one competition site to another right now. There’s nothing like trying to get a story posted to the website as quickly as possible after the contest ends to get the blood flowing.
Obviously, neither are running this year and unless you’re open to tracking down some Taiwanese baseball or the newly minted WWE essential service, you likely won’t have your sports fix satiated for some time.
As the death toll keeps rising, it’s odd to look back to just a month or so ago and realize how members of the public, rightly or wrongly, took its cues from the sporting world.
I can admit I fall into that category.
I was looking forward to seeing my hometown Winnipeg Jets make their only visit of the year to Rogers Arena to battle the Vancouver Canucks on March 15. Things had lined up perfectly: we were finally going on a weekend after cheering on the Jets on Monday and Tuesday nights in the past and, as a Christmas gift, my wife had splurged and gotten us access to a special buffet as well.
But about a week before the game, as COVID-19 concerns started ramping up, my wife said she wouldn’t go, but I could try to find a friend to take the seat. A day or two later, we decided neither of us would go, and sure enough, the NHL followed the NBA’s lead and suspended its season on March 12.
It’s a little crazy to think about how willing I was to cram myself among 19,000-plus people and then the following week, look over my shoulder in the grocery store often enough to look like an anxious fugitive on the lam.
For many, though, it seemed like these postponements were a wake-up call to realize how serious the pandemic is. Team owners won’t give up any bucks they don’t have to.
The quick decision to shut down these major events, and the domino effect that followed, was the responsible call.
While it sucks to be cooped up with no fresh content to watch, it would be worse to rush back into action — even with no fans in the stands — before it is anywhere near safe to do so. Considering that President Donald Trump is taking time to meet with league commissioners as chaos reigns south of the border, it’s a very real concern.
While sports, professional and amateur, are a cornerstone of life for many, let’s ensure small local events, contests and gatherings are eased back in before the juggernauts resume play.
Dan Falloon is the sports editor for Pique Newsmagazine and is writing about a variety of topics for The Chief during the pandemic.
