A month without sports. I never thought I would type those words. None of us did.
I feel the same sadness now that I feel the day after the Super Bowl every year. But on that day, with the flip of a channel, I can tune into my other passions — NBA, college hoops, hockey, skiing — even a little motorsports … and the sadness passes.
What gets me through February is sports. Now, with the coronavirus redefining the meaning of the phrase “dark days,” I wonder what the sports networks will play. As I hear the pitter patter of my two boys running around upstairs, I have hope that I can turn our new normal into something truly educational.
In the absence of live competition, I am going to teach my sons about the history of sports. I am going to have them watch some of the greatest sporting events ever. With the help of Jim McKay and Howard Cosell, I am going to show them that what is old can be new. I will teach them that the power of sports is eternal. It unites us in times like these.
While our current heroes take a hiatus, let’s hope that the networks air some of the classics that remind us of the roots of our passion for sports. The image of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in short shorts, Arnold Palmer in checkered pants, Billie Jean King taking out Bobby Riggs, The Miracle on Ice, Al Unser winning at Indy, Martina and Chrissie battling at Wimbledon, Jimmy V and N.C. State’s iconic 1983 NCAA championship run — too many more to name.
I hope the sports networks help us remember — what is old has value to our psyche. Sports unites like no other. We could use a little of that right now.
Molly Arbogast is president and CEO of POV Sports Marketing in Philadelphia. Follow her on Twitter @mollyarbogast1.
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