By: Maxmillian Robinson
It's been a long time since pro sports have been available to us, but now the hiatus is over and sports are officially back. At a time of uncertainty many people, including athletes, have spoken out about continuing their season. While there were many skeptics, the masses wanted sports to resume this year.
The NBA and NHL are playing in an isolation bubble or “the Bubble” in which all teams (who have qualified for the playoffs) are joined together in a hub city, such as the NBA is doing in Orlando, Florida. In this city the playoff teams are situated in one hotel resort and are stationed to be on the campus until the season is concluded, therefore crowning a champion. On top of this, players are to be isolated in their own rooms quarantined, left alone with no family members inside, and not to mention will need to take Covid test daily to ensure no problems in the future. (If they test positive, a player must be situated in another hotel on campus by themselves for 14 days or leave with no return.)
We asked our fellow Panther athletes how they feel about this new normal for their favorite pro sports.
“I appreciate what the professional sports are doing to try to get their games back in the safest way possible,” said men's basketball guard Ronnie Silva. “Obviously, things are not better yet to get games back in a regular environment, but as long as the professional leagues are doing the right procedures to ensure their players, coaches, medical staff and media members’ safety with testing, wearing masks and social distancing away from their games, then I can support it.”
Men's basketball player Ronnie Silva
said he supports the NBA's and WNBA's
resumption of play in "the bubble"
The NE-10 conference, in which Adelphi competes, recently cancelled the fall collegiate season until 2021. This leaves the rest of our Panther athletes to live their lives, almost as regular college students.
“I think that it’s a good thing to have the athletes continue playing during the quarantine,” said women’s basketball player Katie Murphy. “With the proper precautions that each league is portraying, it keeps the players safe and the spectators safe at home. It also gives the fans something to watch and look forward to during the quarantine.”
Knowing that the NCAA has decided to postpone most fall sports, this leaves some of the athletes (who were in favor of continuing the season), disappointed.
“If I was a player in this, I would feel the same way as a fan,” Murphy said. “As long as they are taking the right safety protocols it is nice for the players to be able to play live games. I like the way the NHL is going about their season. First off they are having all of the players in a `bubble’ in order to keep the athletes safe. It is also exciting for the fans since the games are tournament style and using this time for the playoffs.”
Murphy isn’t alone in her approval for bubble sports. Silva also understands the task at hand. “I would feel all right about playing only if it was safe,” Silva said. “For example, what the NBA and WNBA is doing with a bubble environment is a great strategy. Women's basketball player Kati Murphy said
I like how the NBA and WNBA are that the safety precautions for the NHL and
continuing their season and NBA are good for players and fans.
keeping it safe for everyone in the bubble.”
While we may not be able to cheer on our Panthers until 2021, the safety precautions that our professional athletes are taking can be used as an example for our own athletes moving forward.