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Tragedy and Sports In Perspective
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From the Anchor Desk
Friday, September 14, 2001

By Brian Bailey
Sports Anchor of WNCT-TV 9

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College Football and World of Sports On Hold

©2001 Bonesville.net

To play, or not to play. That was the question all week long, and the answers came in different waves.

In the end, though, common sense prevailed.

NFL leads, other organized leagues follow

The NFL was first, deciding not to play Sunday's games. Major League Baseball followed suit, postponing all games through Sunday.

College football was split on the issue. Originally, the Big East, the ACC and the Pac 10 all cancelled their games for this weekend.

East Carolina and Syracuse both had open dates for September 29th, so that game was rescheduled for then.

Meanwhile, the SEC, Conference USA, and other leagues looked to move forward, to play the games on Saturday. Individual schools, however, were given the option whether or not to play.

The SEC was the first to go public with plans to play. The idea was, as many have stated, to help get the country back on its feet, to not give in to terrorist plans to disrupt the country's functions and agenda.

But in reality, this is no time to play a game. How can we sit and cheer our team to victory, when thousands have lost loved ones in the cruelest act of terrorism that our country has ever seen?

A different cause to rally around this weekend

Sports is very important to our society. It is a great outlet, it gives us something to rally around.

However, this weekend should be spent rallying around the cause in New York and Washington, D.C.

As I write this column, two other groups of terrorists were arrested. Evidently, this horrible act isn’t over. If that’s the case, the sports world may not be back for weeks.

This weekend should be spent thinking about what is really important in life.

This weekend should be spent in prayer, in hopes that by some miracle, more survivors are found.

This weekend should be spent with loved ones, reassuring one another after a week that we will never forget.

USA security measures to change forever

Sports takes a definite back seat to this extraordinary week. Sports will also never be the same.

I remember just what security was like back in 1993, when President Bill Clinton was in Charlotte for the Final Four.

We were told to be at the game at least two hours early, to go through security.

I actually arrived at about 4:30pm for the 9pm tip-off. I went through several levels of security. My bags were searched and my camera was completely checked out.

I took about 45 minutes to get through the security, and I was an early arrival.  Security measures like these are soon to be a way of life in the United States.

To play or not to play?

I think we all want to get back to “business as usual.” The fall is meant for football, for crisp Friday nights for the prep stars, to sunny Saturdays at the Stadium for college football, to casual Sundays with the NFL on the tube.

I agree that these terrorists shouldn’t be allowed to take away our way of life. But we aren’t talking about canceling a season, just a game.

It IS just a game.  But it is our game, and we hope and pray that no one can take it away from us!

May God be with the families of the victims this weekend. Our prayers are with you.


Brian Bailey's C-USA Power Rankings [091401]

  1. Louisville…Best team in the league, to date. Blasted Western Carolina last week.

  2. Southern Miss…. Back to back off weeks for the Golden Eagles.

  3. TCU…. Was scheduled to host possible future Conference USA member Marshall this week.

  4. East Carolina….Pirates did come back in a big way against Tulane.

  5. Cincinnati….Slipped past Army for big league victory.

  6. UAB….Blazers played Florida State tough.

  7. Memphis… Picked up confidence against Chattanooga last week.

  8. Houston…. Cougars also get another week off.

  9. Army…. Cadets had several chances for upset over Bearcats.

  10. Tulane….70 to BYU, 48 to LSU, 51 to East Carolina…..Where IS the “D”?

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02/23/2007 01:19:30 AM
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