By Kerry McGouran '21 Due to the rapid spread of COVID-19, there has been a large number of cancellations and postponements of some of the largest sporting events. Just this past Tuesday, March 24, it was announced that the 2020 Summer Olympics would be postponed due to the outbreak and will be pushed back to 2021. This is just the fourth time in the history of modern Olympics that the event has been postponed.
The NBA is amongst the many sports that was hit hardest by the outbreak, having some of the biggest players testing positive for coronavirus. They suspended the regular season indefinitely on March 11, and will reevaluate after 30 days. In College basketball, the NCAA canceled the 2020 Division I tournaments for men and women, along with their winter championship events. Baseball’s opening day was scheduled for March 26, but MLB announced last Monday that they will not be starting the 2020 season until at least mid-May. The NHL will also be putting their season on hold, while also having several players test positive for the virus. As far as golf goes, the PGA tour was cancelled after the first round on March 13. The 2020 Masters have also been postponed. Overall, the coronavirus outbreak has taken a huge toll on sports associations, players, and coaches, as well as devastated fans all over the world. Sports are no different from other industries as far as losing a mass amount of money due to the pandemic. However, most coaches, managers, and commissioners have agreed that it was necessary for cancellations to be made for the sake of everyone's health. Although the effects of the coronavirus will most likely carry out for years to come, it is important that all sports leagues are taking action now, and preventing the spread of COVID-19.
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By Alexandra Mauro '22 As a New York Rangers fan, it’s pretty obvious that the past couple of games played against the Islanders didn’t have the outcomes we all wanted. The worry has been setting in for fellow fans: the Rangers might be slacking. The Islanders, on the other hand, were directed for the third time toward a 5-0 misfortune to the Rangers on Wednesday, November 21st at Madison Square Garden, snapping their eight-diversion series of wins in the New York competition. The Islanders made a comeback after their defeat with a win against the Rangers, 7 to 5. This was both a shock and an emotional roller coaster for both teams.
Fast forward, the 2018–19 New York Islanders season is the 47th season in the team’s history. It will be their fourth season in Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, where they moved to in the wake of leaving Nassau Coliseum on Long Island at the end of the 2014–15 season. The Islanders are number 3 on the list of all hockey teams who have had the most winning streaks this year, while the Rangers rank at number 29. After having 29 long and hard games at their home at the Barclays Center, the Islanders winning streak came to an end after their 5-2 loss against the Edmonton Oilers. From now on, the Islanders will hold their home games at the Coliseum. This isn’t all that bad because the Coliseum had been home to the Islanders from 1972 all the way until 2015, so they have a familiar feeling when playing there. The only downside, though, is that the Coliseum is the smallest arena in the N.H.L. There aren’t as many seats or as many suites as Madison Square Garden. This hasn’t had any effect on the team itself, although they have stated that they will once again go back to Brooklyn during the playoffs. How long until the Islanders find a definite home? We aren’t sure. But for now, the team is sticking together and working with what they’ve got. Fans have had a positive attitude toward this arena change, and even explained how it made them feel “at home.” With the first game at the Coliseum, the fans and team celebrated their homecoming, but still have to deal with their split between the Barclays Center and the Coliseum. Many dedicated fans are really savoring this switch of arenas, and want to continue the original Islanders tradition. New York Islanders manager Lou Lamoriello is more concerned with the playoffs, and shows this by tweeting, “Individuals win games, but teams win championships.” With this quote, Lamoriello is making it clear that the Islanders are in it to win it and will continue to do their best no matter where they play. Of course, this caused an uproar from fans who absolutely agreed, and the loyal fans still remain on the edge of their seat as to what the future holds for the New York Islanders. |