My plea in this new world without sports
Last Monday, I wrote in this space about WVU’s basketball team.
Remember?
Just seven days ago, the Mountaineers were poised to take on Oklahoma in the first round of the Big 12 tournament. They stood at 21-10 and were a lock for the NCAA tournament.
Until, that is, the coronavirus put a headlock on our lives.
Of course, we’ll look back at that WVU season in wonderment. It was a success, that much we can agree on. After a faceplant in 2018-19, Bob Huggins led a resurgence that concluded at 21-10 and a No. 22 spot in the final Associated Press poll and No. 23 slot in the USA Today coaches poll.
Yes, it could have been better without the problems, the losses, in February.
Yet now that bitching, that carping of WVU fans during that stretch seems petty, doesn’t it?
Now our concern is the health of that team, our neighbors, our children, our elderly… heck, everyone around the world.
Gone for the foreseeable future are our beloved sports. And, yes, that puts a lot of us at a loss. What will we watch? What will we carp about? What will we celebrate?
Many of my friends COMMUNICATE via sports. I can’t tell you how many of my received phone calls through the years began either “How ‘bout them ‘eers!” or simply “Mitch, we suck.”
Even my gal Joni jokes we’re going to have to get a divorce (we’re not married) without sports to watch. It’s been a commonground, a passion.
We will, though, get through this.
We’ll all get through this.
Because we have no choice, friends.
Maybe, yes, we’ll have to watch marble racing on Twitter. Or a video of a mayor farting. I guess we can follow NFL free agent signings. (Sigh.)
But, aside from that, let’s agree to make these troubling times as safe and comfortable for each other as possible, OK?
Yes, I’ll continue to put forth my pithy comments on social media. Yet I’m talking overall. Be diligent with social distancing. Extend a hand (or perhaps elbow) to your elderly neighbor. Count to three before reacting to someone in the market.
Be there for each other.
Work hard, whether it has to be remotely or from the office.
If we do all that, if we keep our nose to the proverbial grindstone, maybe when we look up the virus outlook will be improved.
And one more plea.
Keep a sense of humor. Keep smiling.
We can do that from six feet, right?
Be good to each other, folks. And be safe out there.
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Mitch Vingle covered sports in West Virginia for 38 years. Follow Mitch on Twitter at @MitchVingle and be sure to check out the rest of Wheelhouse Creative’s website for your marketing and advertising needs. If interested, call us at 304-905-6005.