Dealing With Tragedy Through College Sports

We all cope with tragedy in different ways. Some people run away from it. Some people try to immerse themselves in it. I kind of fall in between.

With the latest tragedy to strike out nation, this time in Connecticut, I have used sports to deal with the senseless violence. Today, watching the college hoops across the country gave me a brief few hours to put it to the back burner.

That isn’t to take away from the scope of the tragedy but you can’t be in that crisis mode 24/7 or at least I can’t. I’m a news junkie. It’s what I am and it’s my business professionally. However, there comes a point when you have to turn it off. Frankly, if you don’t you might lose it yourself.

Several times, throughout the Butler Bulldogs–Indiana Hoosiers game, CBS broke in with their news coverage live from Newtown, Connecticut. I get the point but this event is technically over. The investigation will continue, of course, but there still isn’t an ongoing situation. Couldn’t they have just let us be for a brief period of time?

It’s a tough call certainly but with the news cycle, and the availability of multiple cable news channels, it wasn’t necessary. In fairness to CBS, they don’t have one of those but when you show college sports you kind of surrender that part of the ratings war.

Fox College Sports got it right. They showed the Louisville Cardinals–Memphis Tigers game and made a mention of the tragedy but didn’t dwell on it. They realized that if you wanted more information about the victims or the shooter you could turn on one of their other channels.

Sports are a diversion  It is a way to get away from the craziness of the real world. That’s all I wanted today especially.

It even makes a difference that this is a weekend. Most of us are “off” for two days a week and we want to truly enjoy them. Perhaps one day we will without thinking of some of the awfulness outside.

Like my article? Hate it? Let me know on Twitter (@tmichaelcronin). I look forward to your thoughts.