For the players and coaches, this is a significant piece of their universe. Allow them room to feel robbed, devastated, angry and shocked. They are allowed to process on their own terms, too.
There will be stickier plot points to sort out later. The NCAA issued a statement expressing a willingness to grant spring sport athletes an extra year of eligibility. That’s the right thing to do. But how does that impact scholarship numbers? How does that impact the incoming freshmen? Will returning seniors be able to transfer upon a return?
These are only some of the logistical questions for the NCAA. There’s time to figure it out. We can and will bother with that, too. But we’re still in the early stages of grieving.
These are uncertain times. These are the times when we turn to sports to turn away, even if only for a few minutes or a few hours.
Medicine game, right? But that’s off the table. TV, movies, books and video games may fill some of the void. Maybe we’ll start talking to each other on the phone again. Maybe we’ll put down our phones for a little bit, too.
The world will be different on the other side, but we will get through this. We’ll bring out the best in each other. We’re all on the same team now. We each have a part to do. We can overcome the opponent if we work together toward a common goal. And when it’s over we’ll hear the cheers again, too.
After all, sports did teach us something.