THURSDAY COMMENTARY – DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)

I’M SORRY BUT YOU HAVE TO WONDER HOW IN THE WORLD THIS HAPPENED?

IF YOU’RE FOLLOWING SPORTS CLOSELY, THE BIG LEAGUES GOT FLIPPED ON THEIR EAR THIS WEEK WITH AN EXPLOSION OF POSITIVE COVID TESTS AND HUNDREDS OF PLAYERS AND STAFF GOING INTO COVID PROTOCOL.

GOSH KNOWS WE’VE LEARNED OVER THE PAST 21 MONTHS THAT THERE ARE BIGGER THINGS THAN SPORTS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE INTENSE GLARE ON THE INDUSTRY IT’S HARD NOT TO NOTICE ITS EVERY MOVE.

AND ON WEDNESDAY WE LEARNED INDOOR VENUES OF 1,000-OR MORE IN ONTARIO WILL BE GOING BACK TO 50% CAPACITY FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE DUE TO THE PROVINCE’S SURGE IN COVID CASES AND SOMETHING THEY CALL THE “OMICRON VARIANT”.

THE BIG LEAGUES ARE TIGHTENING THEIR COVID PROTOCOLS 10 DAYS AFTER THE CFL RELAXED THEIRS, SO TORONTO’S QUARTERBACK COULD PLAY IN THE EASTERN FINAL. I MEAN, WTH?

SO I DON’T KNOW. I SUPPOSE WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN PERSPECTIVES BUT AS THE HOST OF A TV SPORTS TALK SHOW THAT AIRS ACROSS CANADA AND IN 31 STATES, I’M JUST WONDERING IF THE SHOW (SPORTS) WILL CONTINUE TO GO ON.

THE WORLD JUNIORS IS TOP OF MIND FOR ME, WITH COUNTRIES FROM AROUND THE GLOBE DUE TO ARRIVE IN NORTHERN ALBERTA SOON FOR THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENT.

SHOOT, ON TSN’S SPORTSCENTRE I HEARD THEM DISCUSS THE NOTION OF GOING BACK TO A BUBBLE FOR SPORTS.

REALLY?

NOW HERE’S THE MOST CONFUSING THING: IF YOU LISTEN TO, OR READ, THIS COMMENTARY EVERYDAY YOU’LL KNOW I’M IN FLORIDA DOING MY BEST TO COVER AND ATTEND SPORTS DOWN HERE WHILE KEEPING AN EYE ON SPORTS NORTH OF THE BORDER. IT’S WORKED BEAUTIFULLY.

I GO TO EVERY SINGLE FLORIDA PANTHERS GAME AND THERE IS NEITHER A VACCINATION NOR MASK REQUIREMENT AT FLA LIVE ARENA. THERE WERE NEARLY 14,000 FANS AT TUESDAY’S GAME AGAINST OTTAWA. AND NO PROBLEMS.

IN THIS AREA THIS WEEKEND, THE MIAMI DOLPHINS PLAY AT HOME TO THE JETS AND THE BOCA RATON BOWL WILL BE PLAYED DOWN THE STREET FROM ME. BOTH ARE SOLDOUT.

THE CAPITAL ONE ORANGE BOWL GOES NEW YEARS EVE AS A NATIONAL COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEMIFINAL BETWEEN MICHIGAN AND GEORGIA. 65-THOUSAND SEAT HARDROCK STADIUM IS SOLDOUT WITH TICKETS STARTING AT $500US.

WHY THIS IS – AND WHY CANADA IS THE WAY IT IS – I HAVE NO ANSWERS.

AS THEY SAY, I’M JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA. Call your cable provider for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live or listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)