HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. -- There's a tentative date for the return of football, and it's coming soon. July 28 is the day most NFL teams, including the Steelers, are scheduled to report to their home facilities for training camp. In just two weeks, the Steelers are scheduled to practice at Heinz Field.
Most NBA teams are back at practice, in an area called "The Bubble" in Orlando, Fla. Baseball and hockey teams are back at practice, too, in various parts of the country.
"The Bubble" sounds funny, but it seems necessary for us to be able to get back to the sports we love. I know I am looking forward to seeing some of the best athletes in the world perform. As I previously said, if given the opportunity, athletes want to compete and perform. We look for measuring sticks to see how elite we are or how much work is needed to get what we want in our personal and professional lives. Bodybuilders compete because lifting for no reason leads to folks using the label “meathead” and asking about the purpose of having all of those muscles. If I could insert a "LOL" into this article, I would, because I can see people laughing at that, but I'll keep it professional before DK threatens to kick me off the staff. I tell my friends I am going to grow up one day, but I’ve yet to do it.
But as we get older and continue to play this game for kids, those competitions grow into a business, which is something we have to endure.
Football players continually putting their bodies and health on the line is a given. It's what we do, and, to be honest, there isn't much anyone can tell you otherwise when it comes to your passions.
Devin Bush recently had a tasteful back and forth with fans about what he does as a professional and why he does certain things on and off the field. I loved seeing him share such personal and professional information, and he did not back down when people told him how he should act or what he should accept. Bush, like a lot of players, does not want 35 percent of his salary held in escrow in an effort to make up for lost revenue during the 2020 season because of the coronavirus pandemic as NFL Network reported last Wednesday.
I’m an entertainer. I give you my 1000% effort every game, every play. I train my butt off every offseason. I sign jerseys. I do appearances. I take photos with your children. It’s my job. I love my job, but don’t tell me how I should feel about it unless you are in my shoes.
— Devin Bush ll (@_Dbush11) July 8, 2020
I agree with him.
I won’t talk about what athletes should be making during a pandemic because, even at a reduced rate, it still is a very high salary. What Bush alluded to was the fact a lot is put at risk for the audience. I understood that.
There's another dilemma that will raise red flags amongst people in the sports world and will lead conversation pieces for a while this fall: Guys will be able to opt out of playing.
The opt-out options are because of the health risks associated with COVID-19 among other things. Throughout this pandemic, more details emerge about the potential risk associated with contracting the virus. Some guys have underlying health issues that are inherited, but there are other factors such as weight or body mass index, particularly for offensive lineman who are considered obese.
On game day, you leave your car willing to accept anything coming to you: Broken bones, concussions, strains or even infections.
Ryan Harris is a former teammate and, during a 2016 game against the Chiefs, he said he was about two hours from losing his leg because of a shin/hematoma injury.
“For me, I knew it was bad before that Kansas City game because when they revealed my leg for the surgeons to look at, they all jumped back and gasped as my flesh was just open and juices were flying out, but I had no idea what I was risking at the time," Harris said. "I didn’t know I could lose my leg. I just thought it was a bad bruise, not knowing I was two hours away from losing it.”
Think about this: Despite the picture Harris painted with that quote, he still finished the game. It ended up being his last game in the NFL.
The risk factor and willingness to play sports professionally is something that doesn't get enough credit. Guys who opt out during the season because something can affect their wives, parents or grandparents shouldn’t be scoffed at.
"When you speak about coronavirus, you speak about potentially losing your life, in particular, when you speak about offensive lineman, who are generally more obese than other athletes," Harris said. "But what about your chiropractor, masseuse, or family member who may have obesity or hidden health issues? You’re really putting them in jeopardy more than just yourself.”
The difference between what Harris put himself through while injured opposed to how he could affect others is a decision that can complicate how the next couple of weeks will look moving toward the fall.
Unprecedented decisions will be made in regard to the health or endangerment of loved ones.
As a human being, I get it. On the other side of things, I would love to see guys play this fall. Sports, from youth to high school to college and the pros, are a national pastime. Football in the fall just feels right. We love it and look forward to all that sports embody, but please be slow to judge guys who opt out or if there’s a decision to shut down for a couple weeks to get control of rising case numbers.
Let’s all do our part so we can have some normalcy soon.
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