Tragedy after tragedy, the tentacles reach into the sports world.
When a driver steered his rental van down crowded sidewalks in Toronto, causing carnage and death, of course, it dampened the mood and diverted attention away from the NHL playoff game featuring the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs. The teams held a moment of silence before the game and extra security surrounded the event.
Four people were shot in a Nashville-area Waffle House; the city’s NHL team is ready for the next round of playoffs. The Humboldt Broncos’ bus crash decimated a hockey team. The wife of San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich died of a respiratory illness. The Vegas Golden Knights retired the Number 58 to honour the victims of a mass shooting in their city.
The degree of sadness, no, of shock, varies from event to event. The sports world reacts, usually with compassion, continues to play its games, and reminds everyone that no competition is ever as important as life itself.