Busted

My new normal has been interrupted.  Yesterday evening, with supper consumed and dishes duly placed in dishwasher I eagerly head downstairs to my man-cave in pursuit of next item on the agenda, Stanley Cup Playoffs!  Not quite sure whether the 'important' game (Vancouver vs Vegas) was first or second on the evening's TV schedule, I settle down on my television chair and grab a quick look at the App (NHL App on my cellphone that is) very handy for quick fact checks.  There they are looking almost normal, but also very strange; block letters PPD before my face. What?  Could this mean postponed?  POSTPONED.  

But this is what I had planned for tonight.  All day as I took care of those several agenda items on my physical distancing coronavirus workaholic retiree agenda, I anticipated this reward.  Playoff hockey would be waiting for me.  Already I was pleased with my great creativity and hospitality to things as they had transpired in the last while. Christian virtue even; I had accepted that my Edmonton Oilers are gone, thanks to Chicago's excellent teamwork!  My next favorite Calgary Flames, wiped away by Dallas!  Montreal and Toronto gone! Vancouver; the one Canadian team not yet wiped out. Surely, surely, maybe?  Maybe they will beat those upstarts from that millionaires billionaire team from that American sin city, Las Vegas.  Surely. Maybe?
 

I remember the news from the evening before.  The NBA has literally come to a halt, beginning with Milwaukee Bucks walkout of playoffs game against Orlando Magic.  The NBA, which would be non-existent without black basketball players are making a statement about the most recent racist police shooting of an unarmed black man Jacob Blake in front of his children.  A multi-billion dollar sports industry is saying to the rest of the sports addicts all over the U.S. that enough is enough.  And the NHL, the professional league with the least number of black players but with a huge number of white sports addicts like me, has fallen in line.  White sports fans like me have been inconvenienced two nights of entertainment in front of our televisions!
 

Already I hear further news and further commentary.  Already much debate about the difference between making individual statements and whole teams and their fan base standing together.  The only way to make a difference is to stand with one another.  This will be a pricey decision for the major leagues.  How else can we give attention to society's biggest sin, racial inequality?  Check out Jim Wallis, America's Original Sin (Baker, 2015).
 

So my habits are busted.  I look forward to the games resuming on Saturday.  Maybe a little extra conversation with my wife and daughters was needed anyway.  Who knows, we may yet learn a few lessons within this pandemic season.
 

This, however, is only me and my household.  The big question, the BIGGER QUESTION is, what about all those basketball players and fans down there?  And what about the wife and children of Jacob Blake?