Game On?

David M Singer
Sep 12, 2001

In the aftermath of the most horrific event of my lifetime, all sporting events across America were cancelled or postponed. Thoughts and prayers were diverted from games to lives in an instant. Barry Bonds chase for the home run record seemed inconsequential and I forgot the check the spreads for the upcoming NFL games. Some NHL teams sent me training camp rosters, but the only release that stood out was from the Los Angeles Kings.

Two scouts, one a former NHL player, were aboard Flight 11 from Boston, the plane that struck one of the Twin Towers. As the sports world gets put on pause for a few days, I wonder how long it will be until we see sports again. Should there be a long mourning period or shall we start the games again quickly? One wonders if speed will put our minds at ease and remind us that life as it was must continue here in order for this country and others like it to still thrive.

The New York Rangers were holding their first training camp at Madison Square Garden this year. All events at the Garden, including this weekend's Felix Trinidad-Bernard Hopkins title fight, have been cancelled, at least through the weekend. Most of the first NHL exhibition games have also been cancelled (any games on the 15th included). Major League Baseball has shut down for a few days. College games, golf, soccer and most other sports have all taken appropriate breaks. The National Football League has had office people and players speak their minds on both sides of the issue.

No one disputes that a break is necessary. But resumption is inevitable. When to resume is a pretty touchy issue today. People are afraid of not mourning long enough. As they are also afraid of putting large groups of people together at once so soon after these attacks. Others insist that we must resume American life the way it was, because if we don't, then haven't the terrorists accomplished their mission?

We cannot shut down for an extended period of time. This weekend should be a moment of silence, and afterwards, the crowds should be able to gather again. Americans need something to cheer for. Short distractions with positive impacts on people's lives are what sports have always been about. The games can help represent our resistance to terror.

There will be no unanimous decision about an appropriate re-starting time. When events progress I am sure there will be many dedications, ceremonies and moments of silence for the victims of the World Trade Center attacks. Emotions will be running high throughout the players, coaches and fans. Security will be tight and plentiful I am sure. Certainly there will be more eyes watching over the children attending.

But in the end, we cannot sit home in fear. We cannot let our children live in a world of evil and terrorism. They must be free as we have been for so long, but at the same time we must make sure these acts of terror have ended. Let us take a breath and step back to fully comprehend what has happened and why. Then, let us exhale and step forward to live the lives we all have come to appreciate even more.

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