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The Malatesta-Minute: Like Never Before, Sports Do Matter
So, I guess sports do matter.
As we trudge through the minute-by-minute news of Coronavirus, I think we underestimate the power of sports. We take them for granted.
Like literally, what do we do? I'm stumped.
No NBA, MLB, Masters, NCAA Tournaments or high school sports, nothing. For traditional sports fans, this is a disaster. This is the second-best time of year as the NCAA Tournament usually carries the day. The Brackets. What I would do for a bracket?
The birds chirping at Augusta National for a four-day weekend. Jim Nance on the call.
The Masters turns into meaningful NBA Playoff basketball – LeBron, Giannis, Kawhi, Harden and…. Rudy Gobert. Wow, he quickly became relevant.
The NFL Draft… yes, it's still going on, but virtually. I find myself on the edge of my seat for NFL Free-Agency.
No crack of the bat, popping of gloves or the smell of freshly-cut grass. No centerfield monitors.
The Olympics? They are putting on a brave face, but no way.
For now, it's old 30 for 30 reruns and MMA fighting. There's not even The Bachelor and Pilot Pete's Mom that we can rally against.
And I'm just talking about the spectators.
What a complete heart-breaker for the athletes. We've all heard the stories of the college seniors in spring sports having played their last game. If the NCAA does grant those athletes another year, that would be unprecedented and brilliant.
Pros are still getting paid and are on an extended vacation, but what about the high school seniors? The ones we cover so closely from soccer and boys' hoops to track and baseball. Ughhhh. All the memories unmercifully evaporated.
What we miss the most is just the comfort of flipping on a game or going to a practice to improve a skill. The early-morning workouts and the fan message boards all taken away by something we can't see and really know little about.
The camaraderie of the players and the fans are all halted. It's so weird.
It sounds corny, but sports weave through the fabric of our lives. That's real.
When we do come back on-line, I firmly pledge that I will watch MAC college football on Thursday nights, the XFL, women's college basketball and international soccer. I still can't with hockey, corn-hole or bowling. I have standards.
On the bright side, we do have the internet, Netflix and Chick-fil-a… for now.
Locker Talk ATX/SATX Highs of the Week (Ep.1): Shaka Smart's Future At Texas, XFL's Role, RSNs & More
VYPE editor Thomas Bingham, Hill Country Indoor sports director Evan Beyer and "Producer Josh" Waclawczyk kick off the new Locker Talk ATX/SATX Highs of the Week show. On this week's episode, the guys share their personal highs of the week, discuss what Texas men's basketball coach Shaka Smart has to do to save his job, how the XFL continues to intrigue audiences, the changing media landscape, and more.
If you enjoyed the program, check out this week's Locker Talk ATX/SATX Rapid Fire show.
For more sports coverage, follow Thomas (@Texan8thGen) and VYPE (@VYPEATX/@VYPESATX) on Twitter.
Looking to get more involved? Check out ShopVYPE for fresh gear that supports local schools and the VYPE U Ambassador Program. To sign up for the VYPE U Program, apply at VYPEU.com.