NIT Finals proof that the time of COVID will be real life ‘Avengers’ ‘Blip’ | Opinion
When we review the time of COVID 10 years from now, it will be just a “blip” no different than when Thanos snapped his fingers to make half the population vanish in the Avengers film franchise.
For the uninitiated, Thanos is the menacing bad guy who made half the world vanish with “a snap.”
Eventually, the half who disappeared returned when Captain America and his sexy hot super hero friends reversed “the blip.”
The time of COVID is real, of course. There are millions whose lives either ended, or are changed forever, because of it.
For those of us fortunate enough to have survived it, COVID will be a real blip.
We were “gifted” the chance to re-set so many things, and so many of us promised to do just that; what we yearned for more than anything else was the same. Not for change, but for “normal,” flaws and dysfunction included.
Your guiltiest of parties is none other than sports.
Case in point, the existence of the NIT Finals.
On Sunday at 11 a.m. in Frisco, Texas, before about 500 fans who paid at least $35 for one general admission seat, Memphis defeated Mississippi State, 77-64, for the 2021 National Irrelevant Tournament title.
The win ended Texas’ two-year run as defending NIT champions. The Longhorns won it in ‘19, and the event was canceled in ‘20.
If any event on the sports calendar in 2021 should have been axed it was this one. The National Intramural Tournament is meant only for Madison Square Garden, not the Comerica Center in a far away north DFW suburb close to a Target, Chili’s and a Chick-fil-A.
If that wasn’t bad enough, there was a third place game, between Colorado State and Louisiana Tech. At 2 p.m.
We know why. Because ESPN. Because gambling. Because college sports’ needs the money.
This was the first time in the 83-year history of the tournament that it was held outside of New York City.
For those who care - the players and coaches cared. They were engaged, hustled and tried.
There was some spare, obligatory white dude named Conor Glennon at the end of the Memphis bench jumping around after made baskets; he led the Tigers’ fans in attendance with the “De-fense!” chants.
The Memphis players all celebrated, and cut down the nets, too. As his teammates put on their championship T-shirts, Memphis guard Damion Baugh beautifully executed a flip on the floor.
The fans were into it.
Some fans paid $32 for an “National Invitational Tournament North Texas” T-shirt. Or $12 for a smoothie.
One fan in particular, Nick Stephenson of Melissa, Texas, paid $60 for a ticket on StubHub.
Stephenson, 40, is a Memphis alum. He was born and raised in Memphis, and his family all graduated from Memphis. He was once in the University of Memphis band.
“For me, I just value getting out more and being able to do this again,” he said. “COVID has made me value my time more, and the moments like this.”
No harm in that.
As the number of vaccinations increase, and the amount of active COVID cases hopefully decrease, the world of sports will return to way it was previously set.
We can see that now with MLB’s regular season set to begin on time in stadiums all over the U.S.
Because the leaders in sports are no different than you are I: That’s what we know, so that’s what we want. That includes the flaws, and dysfunction, that not only don’t add up but drive us crazy.
(And the leaders in sports desperately need the cash spigot turned back on.)
One of the unintentional benefits to the time of COVID is that it gave us time to re-evaluate virtually everything we did, or do.
For guys like Nick Stephenson, it made us appreciate the moments like watching a Memphis college basketball game in person. Or anything in person.
At least when it comes to sports, don’t expect any dramatic permanent changes as a result of COVID.
Eventually, this will all just be a blip.
This story was originally published March 28, 2021 at 1:27 PM.
