September 16, 2020

 

We had another prayer meeting in the morning. Unlike the previous that had been held most of the topic dealt with the upcoming transfer to baseball from basketball.  I was adamant that whatever the transition play was I planned on going home first regardless.  I fully understood the commitment to Turner but I needed to see my wife, see my dogs, see my kids, see my home.  I would bust my ass once I got to San Diego but this extended separation and isolation is a major challenge for me.  Once we steered the conversation away from work we were able to focus on spiritual topics that we had gathered for.  Keep in mind I am not a religious individual but I appreciated the fact that all in attendance were aware of that but I was welcomed and my thoughts and opinions were as well.  Tolerance baby that is all anyone wants.

 

I didn’t have to work again because the Western Conference finals didn’t begin until Friday.  I’m still pissed at the Clippers for not handling Denver when they had the series lead.  Anyway, that is water under the bridge.

 

Another Zoom safety meeting was scheduled at 3:00pm so I logged into that.  I wanted to provide some input from my point of view regarding several issues if the opportunity presented itself.  The first part on the call simply went over the same stuff that had been preached previously.  The second part of the call went over the same stuff that had been preached previously.  Oh, and the third part of the call went over the same stuff that had been preached previously.  Do you see the pattern here?  In other words, COVID protocol was stressed over and over.  There wasn’t any new information other than small children here on campus two years old and older needed to wear masks.  However, I scrolled through people in attendance and I didn’t see any players or families of players in attendance.  This information was directed at the wrong audience.

 

When the call was opened for questions there weren’t any. I don’t like presentations when nobody takes the opportunity to inquire even though they had questions.  So I piped in.  I asked about the reduction of access to areas that we previously had access to.  I asked about the failed fitness center policy of four users at a time. I asked about the pools we can’t go to even though no one is in them.  I asked about restaurants we wanted to eat at but were still off limits.  I asked about using the referee’s recreation center that they rarely utilized. All of these questions were answered the same way.  “We have these protocols in place to protect our players.  They are the reason we are here and we understand it is difficult but it is clear they are working as we have not recorded any cases of COVID.”

 

That response enabled me to respond accordingly.  In regards to reduction of access that had been shrinking the longer we were in the bubble, I asked why then, are the players and their families allowed to occupy space that had been set aside for us?  Why are they allowed in our dining area, yet we cannot visit the restaurants that are there for their exclusive use?  That didn’t make any sense. Why can’t we use the referee’s recreation center but they can take up space in ours? The large pool and Jacuzzi set aside for the players and families that is most empty, why can’t we take advantage of that now the number of occupants in the bubble had decreased?  I testified that these restrictions had caused stress amongst the long term residents.

 

But here is where I think my comments had the most impact.  The on-site mental health expert that I had spoken with days earlier was on the Zoom call.  I asked him if he had received similar calls from people like me recently and if the calls had increased or decreased or stayed the same.  He replied they had definitely increased.  I asked the NBA Security representative on the call what his biggest concern of staff behavior was.  He replied the excessive alcohol consumption by staff, especially at the Casitas Pool.  So I simply then asked a pointed question and left it at that.  “Does anyone on this call see a correlation between the reduced liberties placed upon staff, the increased calls to the mental health expert, and the increased alcohol consumption?”  There was silence on the call and then the organizer thanked me for my input and the call ended.

 

I am anxious to see if there will be any changes these final days of the bubble.  It is much different walking the grounds now as there are so fewer numbers.  It’s is almost ghost town like in a sense, especially if a game is being played that day.  I did receive great news following the Zoom call though. I received a notification that those of us at Turner that wanted to golf tomorrow could sign up and all expenses would be paid by the NBA.  Coincidence?