MONDAY CAT COUNTRY COMMENTARY

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary at 9:50 am and 5:20 pm on Cat Country 98 FM)

I PRIDE MYSELF ON BEING POSITIVE BUT I’VE GOTTA ADMIT THAT EVERYTHING IN SPORTS RIGHT NOW SUCKS.

MAYBE IT’S JUST BECAUSE OF THE MONDAY BLUES, BUT WE’RE COMING OUT OF A WEEKEND WHERE NASCAR IS INVESTIGATING A HORRIBLE INCIDENT WHERE A NOOSE WAS FOUND IN THE GARAGE OF THE SPORT’S ONLY BLACK DRIVER, BUBBA WALLACE, BEFORE SUNDAY’S RACE.

THE OFF-SHOOTS OF THAT ARE MANY, INCLUDING MY LONG-HELD CONTENTION THAT RACISM WILL NEVER END BECAUSE THERE’S A LOT OF RACISTS WHO SEE NO NEED TO CHANGE.

A TOPIC FOR ANOTHER DAY.

THEN YOU’VE GOT THE TORONTO SUN’S STEVE SIMMONS REPORTING  MAPLE LEAFS STAR AUSTON MATTHEWS HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS BUT THE LEAFS WON’T CONFIRM IT AND SIMMONS HAS BEEN SHUNNED BY THE MAJOR SPORTS NETWORKS.

THE FAMED COLUMNIST IS BEING FLAMED FOR DIVULGING MATTHEWS PRIVATE HEALTH INFO, BUT THAT’S NOT ILLEGAL. SIMMONS COMES FROM AN ERA WHERE UNCOVERING THE TRUTH ACTUALLY MATTERED, RATHER THAN BEING AT THE BECK-AND-CALL OF YOUR LOCAL CORPORATELY-OWNED SPORTS TEAM.

AND THE POSITIVE MATTHEWS CORONAVIRUS TEST UNRAVELS A GIGANTIC TAPESTRY FOR JUST ABOUT ALL SPORTS LEAGUES. DO WE REALLY THINK THEY’RE GOING TO GET BACK TO PLAY IF THIS VIRUS TRANSFERS AS EASILY AS IT APPEARS?

I WATCH NFL COVERAGE ON TV EVERY MORNING AND THE PUNDITS ARE GOING ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS JUST LIKE ANY OTHER YEAR, WITH TRAINING CAMPS SET TO OPEN IN A MONTH.

I CATCH MYSELF THINKING, “ARE THESE GUYS UNAWARE OF THE PANDEMIC?” THEN IT DAWNS ON ME THAT THEY’RE SIMPLY IGNORING IT UNTIL IT AFFECTS THEM.

AND THAT SUCKS TOO.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY ON CAT COUNTRY 98.