Scarier and Scarier

As the Schloss-Blog keeps looking back at the situation in the United States and in sports, we keep getting more and more scared.

As I write this, White Sox pitching phenom Michael Kopech, he of the 100-mph fastball, and Giants MVP catcher Buster Posey have opted out of the 2020 season.

Am I missing something, or are all these leagues chasing the all-mighty dollar ahead of the health of their all-mighty players?

Fans want sports, some to the point of being willing to get sick to have them, but science has already confirmed that even the after-effects of COVID-19 can be and have been more devastating than the virus itself. If you're a multi-million dollar professional athlete, do you want risk compromised lung capacity, let alone the virus itself?

As I write this, Florida keeps setting records for daily counts in COVID diagnoses, ICU bed occupancy and hospital capacity. So does Arizona. And Texas. How many Major League ballplayers want to go there to play?

How many NBA players want to go to Orlando, live in the bubble and eat the grade school-caliber platters of food they're being served instead of the expensive dining-out experiences to which they are accustomed? And still risk getting the virus.

How many of you want to go to one of those games in Orlando? Or an NFL game in a domed stadium in Arizona? Or Detroit? Or Texas? Or Houston? Or New Orleans?

At this point, even if they do compete, with the virus in play, how many of you not named Donald Trump care that some players will take a knee or raise up a fist in protest during the National Anthem?

As I write this, among those out sick or opting out include: four Arizona Diamondbacks, including Kole Calhoun and Mike Leake; four Atlanta Braves, including Nick Markakis, who is approaching his 3,000th career hit; four Boston Red Sox players; Delino DeShields of the Indians, or whatever they end up calling themselves; three KC Royals; three Colorado Rockies, including all-star Charlie Blackmon; two Milwaukee Brewers; two Yankees, including D.J. LeMahieu; one Oakland A's player; two Pirates; three Cardinals: two Padres, including Tommy Pham; two Rangers, including Joey Gallo; four Twins, including Miguel Sano; Ryan Zimmerman and Joe Ross among the defending-champ Nationals;  David Price of the Dodgers; and Tyson Ross of the Giants, along with Posey.

Players have opted out in other team sports. But what happens in baseball, when, at the midway point, a team with an 11-19 record has its star players drop rather than risk getting sick? If you think it won't happen, you are as delusional as Trump is about the coronavirus in general.

Colleges are feeling the pinch too. The PAC-12 and the Big Ten have canceled their non-conference football games. The Ivy League has canceled all fall sports and all sports in general until January. Some sixty-six schools have had players test positive.

The MLS and NWSL soccer leagues have had whole teams withdraw from their "season tournaments," en totale.

And lest we forget, the Summer Olympics have been pushed back an entire year in Tokyo. In golf, the Ryder Cup and the President's Cup international competitions have been pushed back a year.

Yes, somebody out there is recognizing the danger. So why are Rob Manfred, Gary Bettman, Adam Silver and Roger Goodell willing to send their gladiators into battle, perhaps their last, wearing the same protective gear they've had on for decades?

And now high school athletics are in flux. School openings are in jeopardy as the government wrestles with local school authorities over opening protocols, with Trump threatening to withhold federal funding to school districts that don't open. Trump wants schools to open in defiance of protocols set out by the CDC. Apparently, he doesn't care if your children get gravely ill. Or your grandchildren.

Or you.

Do you want your children or grandchildren going back to school until and unless you are 100 percent convinced that they are in a 100 percent safe environment?

Me neither.

More tonight on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

Until then, good night, Mrs. Calabash and here's to you Mrs. Robinson.