My take on coronavirus and sports shutdowns

As everybody is aware right now, there's a vast dead zone on parts of your teevee, and a website often known in these parts as Red Satan is scrambling for filler items.

That's because all sorts of sporting events have either been postponed or cancelled.

In some cases I agree almost totally. In some cases, I agree in part. In some cases I disagree.

So, as part of a series, following on posts about coronavirus and American exceptionalism, then coronavirus and science and math literacy, I offer this up.

The NBA and NHL postponements? I agree in part. I would have preferred doing the "play without fans" first. But, when we found out Rudy Gobert had it, and then discovered he'd apparently infected Donovan Mitchell, that wasn't a live option for the Association any more. Pistons center Christian Wood has tested positive now, too. (The Pistons played the Jazz in the game before the Jazz played the Raptors, and contra some Pistons-stanners, we don't know which way the infection vector went; it could have been Wood first.) I do know that Adam Silver will talk to top players, like LeBron and Chris Paul, as well as owners, before lifting the postponements.

For the NHL? They probably could have toughed it out. Since the Jazz were able to test all players quickly after word first broke, why not do the same for the icemen? Anyway, I'm not a big hockey fan, so that's that.

OK, next, on national sports, we go to MLB. Disagree entirely with cancelling spring training. OK with postponing the start of the regular season IF COVID-related rescheduling is done as part of that.

First, health experts have generally said they think, though admitting they don't know for sure, that COVID-19, like other respiratory viruses, will diminish with the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, especially with temps 75 degrees and above. Well, Florida and Arizona spring training sites are at those temps on a regular basis as we speak. Plus, although they're crowd-related, they are also outdoors. Close off spring training games at a minimum? Sure. Limit activities to intrasquad scrimmages as a next step? OK. Cancel? No.

Yes, Mike Trout has to be protected. (Maybe we could force George Springer, Jose Altuve and all other 2017 #CheatingAstros into scrimmaging against each other.) Or, speaking of Springer:

$100,000 from George Springer IS nice. But ... that's less than a 2017 World Series share for a #CheatingAstros player. So, there you go. 2017 Astros? Donate ALL your World Series money to sports workers affected by the #coronavirus. https://t.co/Q024uCrq57

— American Exceptionalism, meet coronavirus 🚩🌻 (@AFCC_Esq) March 14, 2020

Extend spring training a week or two. Then, per what I said about weather and respiratory viruses? Scramble the schedule so no games are played north of, say, the old Mason-Dixon Line before May 1.

And, yes, I'd be OK with waiting until May 1 to see Paul Goldschmidt, Tommy Edman, Jack Flaherty, Yadier Molina and other Birds on Bats in home unis at Busch Stadium. That said, due to Mo's lack of offseason activity, I'm kind of meh about the Cardinals anyway.

I am kind of sad about how this will possibly affect Albert Pujols' chase of some career milestones and records. On the other hand, maybe the extra rest will have him in the BSOHL for post-35 years. (Or post-40, if he's shaved a year or two off his true age, as I believe is possible.)

OK, weather and outdoors? We're at golf next.

Tail end of the Florida swing, then the Texas events before The Masters, get cancelled. Then The Masters postpones.

First, see above re MLB.

Second, I thought Augusta National would stand firm.

Third, with its independence, will it try to bigfoot the PGA whenever it decides it's ready to play?

Fourth, I thought one of those pimento cheese sammiches would kill about anything.

Fifth, with the postponement, enjoy A Tradition of Bullshit Unlike Any Other.

So, disagree with most the tournament cancellations. Definitely disagree with postponing The Masters.

OK, collegiate sports.

For the relative lack of disruption, I would have preferred the NCAA carry on with a fans-free March Madness rather than postpone. These disruptions have economic impact, after all. And for many people who are sports vendors and such, the lack of income, despite pledges by athletes to help out, that may only go so far. Oh, speaking of? Notice how, other than Mavs owner Mark Cuban, the ownership class is pretty silent on offering such help? That said, athletes have guaranteed contracts; owners don't have guaranteed ticket revenue. So, Cuban gets an extra salute.

I don't know how, speaking of Red Satan, broadcast contracts are structured for eventualities like this, but, per the Wall Street Journal, it appears that broadcasters are required to keep making payments to the sports leagues with whom they have broadcast contracts. And, I would think it's highly unlikely that any of the networks have insurance, or even that such insurance exists. CNBC notes that this could also accelerate cable cord-cutting.

The NC-DoubleA reportedly considered a 16-team tournament. Top 16 teams, meaning not all conference winners get in. But after Gobert and the Jazz, it punted.

And overreacted. Already now killing college baseball and softball title tournaments? Ridiculous, IMO.

Again, as I said on my second post, about science and math literacy, this is not Trumpism (if you're a regular reader, you know that) or other denialism. Rather, it's my educated layperson's realism.

High school sports? Here in Texas, the UIL has delayed, but not killed, the boys basketball tournament, and scrubbed regular baseball and softball games, along with UIL academic competitions, until March 29. I think that's "just right."

High school kids aren't paid, or even compensated with scholarships. At the same time, high school sports in general is drawing lower attendance than collegiate, let alone professional sports. And baseball and softball are (see above) outdoors. Unless there is good reason otherwise, I think the suspensions should be lifted when they run out.

Speaking of academics? A number of Texas school districts are petitioning Greg Abbott and TEA Commish Mike Morath to kill the STAAR for this year.

Ain't.Gonna.Happen. MIGHT be delayed a week or something, but killed?

Ain't.Gonna.Happen.

OK, so I was wrong! (I thought a postponement was quite possible, but didn't expect a cancellation.)