It was as if Tom Brady went up to the line and shouted “COVID-19! Hut! Hut!” and all the players scattered, the fans streamed to the exits, and the stadium became a quiet, empty shell.
Actually, the NFL continues to make news because this is the time of off-season transactions and the buildup to the draft. But all the sports that would be playing now — basketball, baseball, et al. — are shut down from the professional to the youth leagues because of the coronavirus pandemic.
NBA fans can only hope that an interesting season in which the Lakers and Clippers are both title contenders can eventually be played out to some conclusion. The sports blackout really hit home in Santa Barbara when the NCAA and the NAIA decided to cancel their basketball championships as well as all spring sports competitions.