Chansky’s Notebook: Up In The Air

As the sun came up, three options were on the table for the Tar Heels.

Don’t you just love the way our country gets on the same page in times of crisis? Any wonder why we’re so divided over everything, thanks to a media ecosystem that is basically an echo chamber.

First the coronavirus was just a form of the flu. Then more than a half-million people died in record time. The Delta variant was no big deal, and now Omicron is so mild that ERs are filling up in various states.

It’s returned to the sports that pulled us out of the doldrums, as the NFL and NBA are having major breakouts. College games are back to being canceled. Sure, folks, it’s just a form of the flu.

Maybe when the death toll reaches 1 million, people will believe that this is very dangerous. Meanwhile, will the games go on or not?

Hubert Davis’ team is supposed to board a plane today for Las Vegas, where the CBS Sports Classic has been split apart by COVID. Whether UCLA will play Carolina in Saturday’s opener is unknown; the second game has fallen apart due to Ohio State health protocols.

The Heels might face the Bruins (with or without their coach, Mick Cronin) if they are cleared. Or maybe it will be UNC-Kentucky paired impromptu for the second straight year. Or maybe the Wildcats find another opponent, and the Carolina-UCLA game is postponed.

Just when we thought the other side was in view, the virus that opposing sides can’t agree on is pulling a major second-half comeback. In some states, the resurgence has not arrived. But if people are ignoring health and safety measures, it is bound to reach them eventually.

Hubert said, “Every day we talk about putting yourself in the position where you can stay healthy. . . healthy to play but also healthy in general, making smart choices when you leave the court.

“Last year, we had two games canceled when we had already gone through the scouting report. We can’t control that. What we can control is how we practice, how we prepare and how we play.”

Whether they do Saturday is still up in the air — with the flu.

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As the sun came up, three options were on the table for the Tar Heels. Don’t you just love the way our country gets on the same page in times of crisis? Any wonder why we’re so divided over everything, thanks to a media ecosystem that is basically an echo chamber. First the coronavirus was […]

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