March 9-15

When the new week began there were a lot of jokes floating around the internet about how weird it could be, the most popular being that it started with the clock change, included a full moon and ended with a Friday the 13th. As that old expression says: "little did they know". In recent weeks there has been extensive media coverage of something called Covid-19 otherwise known as the coronavirus. It apparently developed overseas and has been working its way into North America, by all accounts it is supposed to be very serious. In the middle of the week the circumstances hit the world of sports head-on and in unforgiving fashion. A professional basketball player in Utah tested positive for the virus, upon receiving the news the entire league suspended operations nationwide until further notice. On Thursday most every other pro sport currently in season followed suit with no guarantees when (or IF) play may resume. In the ECHL the other shoe dropped on Saturday, it was announced that the remainder of the season plus playoffs would be canceled. The league began in 1988, this is the first time in its history there will be no champion. The records will forever show that the Royals' last game was a 5-1 victory in Wheeling on March 10. The final mark was 37-17-6 overall and 22-7-2 at the Arena. The Royals finished second in their division, fourth within their conference and sixth overall within the entire 26-team league. During the latter part of the week more information came to light regarding the virus, it was suggested that people remain home as much as possible and refrain from large gatherings (all of which undoubtedly played a large part in the ECHL's decision). For the record I was out and about as usual on Friday and there was no shortage of traffic, everywhere I went had plenty of activity. On Saturday I saw Jenny for lunch and nowhere we went was deserted. For my part I plan to go about my business as best I can but I will take precautions because it's the sensible thing to do (and maintaining normal accepted human hygiene is a big help as well). On Friday the governor of the state ordered schools closed until March 27 which throws the spring sports season into limbo, baseball season at McCaskey was supposed to start on the 20th. Over the next little while there won't be much happening anywhere within a sports arena, we have no choice but to ride this thing out and see where it takes us. Take care (now more than ever), thanks for reading.