We thought things would be normal. They weren’t.
We thought we’d see sporting events live. We would have March Madness. We would see the Olympic Games. The year turned out very differently.
The Pandemic
I remember where I was when I first heard about COVID-19. But it didn’t have an impact on me personally. But COVID-19 affected every single sport I can think of.
The most highly anticipated sporting event, The Summer Olympics, was postponed to next year, following threats from multiple countries to pull out of the games. Rescheduled, the games won’t have fans in the stands.
The biggest college basketball tournament, an event that garners national attention–March Madness–was canceled. It will return in ’21 as a bubble tournament. And ‘The Bubble’ is what the NBA did to finish the 2020 season.
It was March 11th, and the Utah Jazz we’re scheduled to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder. Right before tip-off, the game was postponed, and the season was soon suspended. Before the game, Rudy Gobert tested positive for the virus, and he was seen touching mics, equipment, and players in what appeared to be a mocking effort.
Luckily, we were still able to have our NBA season with a bubble at Disney World. In fact, in multiple leagues, including the MLB, NHL, and NFL, we’re able to think outside the box so we could have our sports.
Black Lives Matter
George Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Ahmad Arbery. Rayshard Brooks. They were all killed because of the color of their skin. Multiple players and sports leagues spoke out in support of the BLM movement. The most notable example was when the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks walked out to support Jacob Blake.
All in All
As you can see, 2020 was insane for sports. It taught us that you never appreciate what you have until it’s gone.
So in 2021, as sports return, let’s be grateful for what they have.
Happy New Year!
