Broken Record

I take no great pleasure in being right about MLB. Their desire to proceed with a 60 game schedule with only a 113 page protocol which does not account for everything, leaves the players vulnerable. Having a taxi squad of minor leaguers and fringe major leaguers standing by is their defense to making teams whole when, as we have seen, 20 Miami Marlins have succumbed to the coronavirus thus far, with a couple of Phillies and Cardinals aded to the mix. 

This has lead to postponements galore, schedule rejiggering, 7 inning doubleheader games and more is coming. Teams like the Yankees are winging it. At the last moment, as they were set to bus to New York after the postponement of their two games in Philadelphia, they ended up in Baltimore, conducted and 8:00 p.m. workout on Tuesday night and managed to continue their streak of wins at Camden Yards behind solid pitching from Gerrit Cole and the potent lineup, which is featuring a slugging Aaron Judge a healthy, powerful and consistent Giancarlo Stanton and the hit machine—D.J. LeMahieu.

But with a rain delay of nearly 2 hours on Thursday night, the Yankees were a weary team when they opened the home schedule against the Boston Red Sox on Friday. The fact that they won is more attributable to how bad Boston might be this season. 

If the schedule had been intact, the Yankees would have been in New York after playing the Phillies in the second set of home and home games, while the Red Sox played two games at Citi Field against the Mets, which resulted in two Boston victories and normal rest in their hotel. Good thinking gone awry with the input of COVID-19.

Speaking of rain delays, I echo the sentiments of Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo, himself a cancer survivor and extra cautious when it comes to the disease, carrying hand sanitizer onto the field with him. Ultimately there was a postponement of the Cubs game in Cincinnati on Thursday night after the teams sat in the clubhouses for over two hours. Rizzo observed the lack of social distancing during the time inside, ironically something the Marlins had complained about during an exhibition game in Atlanta. Ironically, it has been shown that Marlins officials did a poor job of following the rules regarding the virus. 

The Yankees had to endure a rain delay in Washington which shortened their first game. Then there was this rain delay in Baltimore. With close quarters and not everyone wearing a mask (that’s you, Aaron Judge), whereupon the CDC has said the chance for infection multiplies in close quarters, what is MLB thinking? Where could they fit the players in these empty and spacious stadiums? I worry that it is only a matter of time that infections arise with the Yankees, Orioles, Cubs and Reds.

And let’s not forget that the outbreaks on the Marlins, Phillies and Cardinals are probably the tip of the iceberg. Given the close proximity of the players, the laxity of mask usage and who knows what else, the incubation period is ongoing despite reports that the tests are returning negative so far.

As it is, the games are not very exciting without the fans. Piped in noise is inappropriate and the recorded music is just as bad. The Los Angeles Dodgers-Houston Astros bench clearing on Tuesday night was much more interesting in terms of context and action.

Players are still high-fiving, spitting and doing much of what was outlined not be inappropriate. Mask wearing in the dugout is not really in vogue. At least the Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton observed protocol with his mask and social distancing when he went to argue balls and strikes calls with the masked umpire.

What’s it going to take to turn this budding travesty into a disaster.? Or will MLB think it is a good idea to use replacement players to dilute the product while keeping it alive? If you are Mike Trout, currently on the paternity list for the birth of his first child, would you stay out for the remainder of the season or await to see how things progress? Commissioner Rob Manfred put the MLBPA on notice that if more happens this weekend in terms of positive tests, he may shut down baseball on Monday.

A little pity for the Blue Jays. On the road to open the season, their first home series was played at Nationals Park on Wednesday and Thursday. The team remains sequestered in D.C. as they were scheduled to play the Phillies and that series has been postponed. Plus their “home” stadium in Buffalo isn’t ready yet. With nowhere to go, the situation is ripe for Toronto players to have let downs in protocol and not remain sequestered. 

I feel like I am repeating this mantra every blog. These are supposedly very bright people in charge of MLB. Without a pod situation like in the NHL or the Orlando bubble that the NBA has unwrapped, baseball, like the NFL and college football, are at the whim of the coronavirus. MLS made their scenario work. The WNBA and women’s soccer, too. 

Intelligent people know how and when to protect their brethren. While the Big Ten is supposedly working on a 10 game conference only schedule, I have read that there is internal conflict about proceeding at all, given the use of testing measures not available to students and not to have long-distancing travel for the teams, the use of open dates to prolong the season into November is extending the possibility that, with cooler temperatures, the onset of COVID-19 will only worsen. Remember that Rutgers and Michigan State recently shut down their programs due to an influx of positive tests, which places them behind the other teams who can adhere to practicing protocols—until something goes wrong in those systems. 

Big Ten officials privately noted they are dealing with unpaid players who are young, living on a campus without football-only dorms, and susceptible to having fun to blow off steam. They recognize the reality. I will say it again—it is all about the money until the virus says no—and look what it has done to the U.S, economy with unemployment, a definite recession which is more like a depression. Very few businesses will go unscathed and the politicians argue about stimulus packages which are band aids. Let repeat this—we are in the throes of a surge right now which is imperiling many, many states and even putting New Jersey behind the curve due to summertime partying.

I watched the NBA open up Thursday night on TNT and Friday night on ESPN. By the scores, the games were close. To me they were boring and unentertaining. Sure the players played hard, but they didn’t have a real rhythm to their play. Lebron James looked particularly out of sync, yet he recovered to lead the Lakers to a win over the cross-town Clippers. In the opener, because he was on a playing time restriction, Zion Williamson’s absence then his mandated quarantine cost the Pelicans, as he wasn’t on the floor during the deciding minutes of the loss to Utah. So why are the Pelicans in Orlando if they are likely not to get into a one game playoff for the final playoff spot  by being 4 games out of 8th place when the “regular” season ends? 

Friday night James Harden demonstrated he can score—49 points in Houston’s come from behind win over Dallas. However, his Rockets’ teammates did the heavy lifting at the right time to tie the game in regulation and to preserve the lead in OT. On the other hand, the Mavericks may have a great duo in Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, but little else. I don’t see them going very far in the playoffs. 

The NHL Playoffs start Saturday with the top 4 teams participating in a round-robin for seeding purposes and the teams 5 through 12 playing best of 5 series. I read that hockey normally uses 26 cameras for its national games. For this season, there will be 32 cameras in use per venue. That, along with made for TV arenas, may make the games better viewing, although using crowd sounds from EA Sports isn’t going to make it sound better. 

A moment to celebrate the trade of Jamal Adams and his big mouth to Seattle. He’s yours, Pete Carroll. Yes, Adams may possess a ton of talent. There was no place for him with his “I” mentality, when we all know that Vince Lombardi once said that there is no “I” in the word team. GM Joe Douglas received a player who can start in place of Adams, two first round picks and a third round pick. If those pan out and Sam Darnold can continue the progress he started to show at the end of last season without suffering another injury, then maybe this moribund franchise might have something going. 

` Then there is the NFL. Ready to fine those who contract COVID-19 while providing no bubble for the players. The numbers of top players who are opting out prior to training camp bespeaks the dangerousness of playing football and going to locker rooms, showers, etc. It is near 40 and will rise during the week. Coaches may want to opt out, but unlike the players who receive a guaranteed salary of $350,000, the coaches are guaranteed nothing if they don’t coach. 

I see plenty of red flags with the NFL, not unlike college football. The fact that the ACC took in Notre Dame for this season to make a solid conference schedule is the best example of how panicked colleges are to try to play. The Pac-12 pushed its conference only start date back to September 26, as did the SEC, who went with a 10 game conference schedule. That is noteworthy, because the ACC went with a 10 game conference schedule and 1 non-conference game, to allow for long-standing rivalries like Georgia-Georgia Tech, Clemson-South Carolina and Florida-Florida State to continue uninterrupted. The SEC said no dice.

On PTI, Michael Wilbon said all this gesturing and pontificating will not matter. Football games aren’t going to be played this fall. He’s probably right. But the money is too great and the AD’s and Presidents know this. If they can get through this pandemic and keep their athletic programs afloat, then it will all be worth it. Yeah, right. Big if here. 

The logo for the Washington Football Team was unveiled. Analysts were all over it, trying to guess in what direction the team was headed, given the boldness and growth of the yellow color through the name Washington. Many surmise that the team will become the “Redtails,” a nod to the Tuskegee Airmen, three who came from Washington.

Alabama fan Harvey Updyke, who poisoned the Toomer’s Corner trees at arch-rival Auburn, has died. His hatred for Auburn was so deep that, when Auburn pranksters put a Cam Newton jersey on legendary Alabama head coach Bear Bryant’s statue outside of the Alabama stadium, in his rage, Updike stuck 800 darts in those trees. And he bragged about it on the radio. Updyke went to jail, was on probation and had had to make $800,000 in restitution. 

My Connecticut cousin made mention of the great commercial that Nike has put out in wake of the protests and upheaval. It is a much see. 

ESPN’s crawl irked me. It made note of an Orlando Magic player who did not kneel for the National Anthem before today’s Brooklyn-Orlando game. Leave it alone. It is his choice. Those who watched the game may have noticed it, along with the poolers and support staff in attendance. He can deal with the ramifications of his actions from the responses of his peers. Unanimity is nice. If he supports the ideals that his friends, family and teammates embrace, then that is enough. Which, he explained he does, as and ordained minister who deeply believes in the Gospel.

` My daughter has sent me a turntable for my collection of 1970’s and early 1980’s albums. At long last I will hear The Best of The Bee Gees again or replay Barbra Streisand Live at the Forum. Of course, there are Beatles and Rolling Stones records amongst the 35 to 40 I have retained over the years. Probably the most obscure ones I have are The Drifters Golden Hits and the Greatest Hits of Dennis Yost and the Classics IV. There is Glen Campbell, The Association, early Springsteen, lots of Billy Joel, and even Jesus Christ Superstar. Plenty of Linda Ronstadt, Carly Simon, The Doors, Steppenwolf. Perhaps The Doobies will do, or Michael Jackson. One of my favorites is the “Days Of Future Past” by the Moody Blues. Oh for a Tuesday afternoon, helped along by the London Festival Orchestra. Too bad I don’t have my Gordon Lightfoot album, nor do I have the Guess Who or Gary Puckett and the Union Gap. Bummer. 

Those records may be a bit warped from being stored away and from overuse many years ago. What they won’t sound is like a broken record, which is where sports is today.