Comments on: The Normalization of COVID-19 in the NBA

By: Thretch

Thretch — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 00:06:16 +0000

I’ll be there for the next “Memphis Sucks” night.

By: mlslaw1

mlslaw1 — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 23:25:32 +0000

Complicated for sure. You listen to all the sports talk and it’s pretty much biz as usual. The virus is just a roadblock to the games; a roadblock with an effective detour so the games will go on in some form or fashion. Are sports essential to our emotional well being? For some the answer is yes for damn sure. Certainly a distraction. When I hear health care workers say things like “how can you all go to malls when we’re in here fighting and clawing to save the critically ill?” or “if you see someone not wearing a mask where it’s obvious they should, slap them in the face” — when they say these things I clearly see their perspective and how some may feel that we just can’t afford sports in a pandemic.

Throughout organized human history, we’ve had sports. They entertain, sure, but it’s more than that. Though it’s a biz where there’s plenty $$ to be made by those fielding teams and leagues around the planet, the product provides us sort of a healthy outlet. This may be trite, but it’s been said that for humans to have joy and contentment, we need: someone or something to love, something to do and something to hope for. And Shapan, you mite agree that those with a healthy passion for sports tend to have strong immune systems based on excitement/endorphin firing and so mite just fare a bit better fighting off a virus.

And I’ll just end with this: I’m betting there are plenty of frazzled and traumatized health care workers who make it home after work and unwind/decompress by rooting hard for their favorite team.

By: Shapan Debnath

Shapan Debnath — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 22:52:52 +0000

thank you! i can’t tell you how grateful i am to have gotten out of residency when i did, ive since been easing back into practice and have not been in the thick of this brutal wave a bunch of my friends are going through. luckily there’s some light at the end of the tunnel.

By: Lucas Hann

Lucas Hann — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 20:57:31 +0000

Totally agree

By: Lucas Hann

Lucas Hann — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 20:54:29 +0000

213Hoops night 😉

By: pegitom

pegitom — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 20:37:15 +0000

To Shap and Thretch and anyone else who works in the medical field, God bless you for doing what you do on an everyday basis.
At my restaurant, I see a lot of customers who work in nearby hospitals and I can see how tired they are when they come in. Hopefully when this is all over we can all get together again for another Clips Nation night!

By: Thretch

Thretch — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 15:23:56 +0000

You’re right Lucas. They are doing it because they can. But because trey “can” does it mean they “should”?

But the question of “whether they should” is moot. We have little outlet for showing our disapproval; can’t really boycott something for which we aren’t paying any money.

I’m a STH, and I can’t see a game. They already have my money for this season (Ballmer’s Magical cash flow machine). If the owner of a retailer or public figure did something socially irresponsible I (or we) could boycott them. But the NBA really holds the cards. They do not well represent “their constituency”.

Hey! Got to say “moot” in a conversation! Rick Springfield would be proud.

By: Lucas Hann

Lucas Hann — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 09:13:40 +0000

Here’s the real reason why pro sports can still exist: their profit margins are so absurd that they can afford to do all of these adjustments–daily tests, no fans, etc–and still rake in billions. Broadway doesn’t have the infrastructure set up to livestream shows from empty theaters and if they did it would cost them money as that would become the norm and nobody would go back to paying $200 for a ticket in a 400-person theater to see the popular play of the season.

The NBA isn’t playing because they think basketball is more important than X, Y, or Z, and they’re not playing because they want to provide us with some outlet during a time when life is so abnormal–they’re doing it because they can make money doing it.

By: Shapan Debnath

Shapan Debnath — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 07:54:51 +0000

thank you! i think america in general has led to an idea of normalcy a ton in the thick of pandemic fatigue.. i think pro sports might counter you in saying “look you’re deprived of so much, at least we can give you the game!” when they were designated essential early on in this pandemic it was pretty ridiculous. but yes, this is all so risky, and if they stopped it tomorrow because of the risks, i wouldn’t be against it.

By: Shapan Debnath

Shapan Debnath — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 07:50:47 +0000

it’s tough, the league starting back up in the height of this is just a hard pill to swallow. i understand saying the show can go on and if any league can pull it off with the least number of casualties, it may be the nba. but any casualty is massive, and it’s hard to sit through and watch knowing that someone can be affected.