NBA | A Heart Full of Conversations

Virtual Sports, The New Norm? by Klassy K

Home skillets! It’s been a long time and I know that it’s been quite a difficult time for all of us. Many have lost their lives due to the Coronavirus, became ill, and/ or suffered in some form of fashion. Whether emotionally, financially, physically, and/or spiritually, we all have been affected in some way. Our lives were completely changed overnight. One day we are going into work to working from home, taking kids to school to homeschooling, having social gatherings with friends and family to now social distancing, Zooming, and wearing masks everywhere we go.

Honey chile, I have to say that one good thing out of all of this was not having to take my kids to school and picking them up. Homework, class projects, assignments, checking and reminding them to go to google classrooms, e-mailing and calling teachers, making sure their lunches are ready, trumpet and violin lesson(s), clothes are cleaned, hair is done, whew chile! I am having hot flashes just thinking about it. I guess I’m lazy, who knows? Hey, that’s what working from home can do to you!

We (United States) were not prepared for this pandemic and unfortunately many lives were lost. Social injustice, police brutality, systematic racism, blacks being murdered, lynching of blacks (not suicide by “hanging themselves”), “Karen” incidents for just being black, and so many countless others, 45 and other political leaders are not doing much about it. I have to say that this “2020” was not what I was expecting it to be at all. As a matter of fact, I was looking forward to it because it is the election year. Now Americans are finding other ways to entertain themselves, since sporting events, concerts, and other crowded outside events were all canceled.

However, there have been many talks with owners of major league baseball, NBA, NHL, NFL, etc. to bring sports entertainment to the television. In fact, the Detroit Tigers will have their season game tomorrow, Friday, July 24 airing on Fox Sports, playing against the Cincinnati Reds at 6:10 pm. Unfortunately, the players will be playing in an empty stadium, but hey at least we can be somewhat entertained. What’s creepy though, some television outlets are thinking of creating animated virtual holograms to be “fans” in the stands. I guess to make watching the game seem “normal” since the virtual fans will make boo’s, clap, shout, and even do the wave. Well if that should happen at least we are going to be able to predict what they are going to do as soon as a player hits a home run, fouls out, or simply their teams are just flat out losing.

The NBA is doing “bubble” exhibitions with their players, which is another way of saying, welcome to the new norm pandemic basketball. The NHL is waiting to return to finish the rest of the season and the NFL is getting ready for training camps. I know eventually, sports entertainment will return completely. However, will the new norm possibly be wearing masks, only allowing 50% capacity into a stadium, having hand sanitizers everywhere, practicing social distancing? Who knows?

– Klassy K’s Sports Korner: A contributor writer for http://www.aheartfullofconversations.com

A Change Gonna Come by Klassy K

Home Skilllets! I hope all of you are well and staying home, staying safe. Prayers go out to all who have lost a loved one to the coronavirus, natural causes, or illness; rather, it was a friend, family member, or stranger. Just know that we will get through this together at some point. For those that have the virus or know someone that has the virus, stay prayed up, take supplements (vitamins) and seek hospital care. The pandemic has affected everyone’s lifestyle, including work, clubbing, going to the park or movies, vacation plans, concerts, sporting events, going out with friends/family, and or just going over a family member’s house to have Sunday dinner. Basically, the simple things in life we once looked forward to, and now it’s all put on hold until further notice.

We are trying to do all we can to stay active, sane, and healthy. Some of us have resulted in streaming, going to the store to buy essential items, zooming, or face timing with our friends/family members. Maybe even some of us are doing social media challenges or trying to do some exercise in our home, helping kids with assignments and coming up with other things to try to normalize our lives as we once knew it. This virus just “creeped” upon us like TLC and straight jacking up our lives like Ice Cube. It’s been boring. Hey, dull sounds good right about now, especially with everything that’s been going on with people dying, sick, or out of work. Please remember Home Skillets, this to shall pass. We all must do our part in stopping the spread of the virus. I’m with Governor Whitmer.

It’s only so much social media, challenges, streaming, and going to the refrigerator that we can take. I need some stimulating entertainment! Not “the over” 18 activity, but I actually miss seeing the Detroit Pistons lose. I missed the Detroit Tigers game day opener and even watching the Detroit Red Wings run up and down on a cold ice skating rink wishing someone could bring them a cold pop like Sweet Brown. All jokes aside, though, I miss watching sports, and I am a female, so you know I’m bored. If it’s not the Superbowl, the draft, All-star games, championship games, and maybe a competitive game that I might want to see, not interested. The men are more so sport fanatics then females, in my opinion. I guess that’s why men athletics get more attention than women athletics. It’s all about money, and which one generates the most money. Like C&C Factory, things that make you go hmmmmm.

Well, I don’t know if you heard the NBA and MLB are thinking of having empty seat games. Basically, it’s going to be a bunch of rich men playing like its practice, but it’ll be against an opponent. Due to social distancing, the games will be televised. Ironically, some countries are already doing this. It won’t be any time soon here though; many speculate in June. The WNBA draft was last week, which you probably did not know about, but I bet you know about the NFL draft? You know why? Right! Well, read the last two sentences in the third paragraph. The NFL draft starts tomorrow, April 23rd through the 25th. It’ll be a virtual draft. The Commissioner, Roger Goodell, will be announcing the draft picks from his house. This year the Detroit Lions have nine picks which one of them is the 3rd overall draft pick. Sport media outlets are thinking that the Detroit Lions will either pick an offensive tackle, defensive end, or quarterback. Yes, you read correctly, a quarterback!

Yes, we already have a quarterback, Matthew Stafford, but I’m speculating that he is going to want to be traded or retire. He had two back surgeries, been in the league for over 10 years, his wife had brain surgery, has two small children and he is over 30. Time for some new blood. I am hoping that the Detroit Lions franchise makes the right choice and pick Tua Tagovailoa, a junior quarterback from the University of Alabama. He is young, talented, and fine! Oh yeah, he can play too! Google for footage/stats. If they pick him, I will gladly spend $200 for nosebleed seats, ha! Who am I kidding? I’m frugal, and I’m social distancing. LOL.

On the last note, I would like to dedicate this blog to my friend and co-worker Latonja Degraffenreid-Smith and her husband Ricardo Smith. She recently lost her father in law and his father Rev. Richard Smith due to the coronavirus. I would also like to dedicate this to the front line workers that risk their lives every day to save others. All we can do is pray Home Skillets, for continuous strength, because the pain never ends. God bless.

Klassy K’s Sportz Korner, an “opinionated” sports blog

-A contributing writer for aheartfullofconversations.com

Photo by Diana Simumpande on Unsplash