From COVID-19 Death Toll to COVID-19: For 365 days+, the Pandemic has been the Lede of World News
By: Keegan Hartman
I’m not sure if I have ever witnessed a year quite like 2020. Hell, I’m not sure ANY of us have experienced a year quite like 2020. We went a solid 26 days of good news (if you want to call it that) and then it seemingly felt like the world was coming to an abrupt end.
I don’t think there are many sports fans quite like myself. It’s something that I eat, sleep, breathe, and now, I cover for a living. In my three years here at the University of Missouri, I have been privileged with holding positions such as “play-by-play announcer” with the on-campus radio station, KCOU 88.1FM. Likewise, with that same station, I operate my own radio talk show: “Breakfast of Champions”. Beyond school, I have had unique opportunities and held everything, from a sports podcast (with a 2x Super Bowl Champion), and even have written for companies such as FanSided and Brawl Network. Sports is/was my medium that I was dependent on throughout the year of 2020. However, as we all know, sports came to an abrupt end on March 11th, 2020, when COVID-19 single-handedly shut down the entire NBA with one emerging case, which was Jazz’ Center Rudy Gobert. Yet, need we not forget the moments early in 2020 that seemingly foreshadowed this dark path we had yet to travel as a nation.
Flashback to January of 2020, and on January 20th, 2020, we would remember this day to be/of: “the first discovered US individual to have contracted COVID-19 stateside”, (the first American COVID-19 case). Six days later, the sports world would lose a legend, as 18x NBA All-Star, 5x NBA Champion, Los Angeles Lakers’ legend, Kobe Bryant was tragically killed in a helicopter crash just outside of Calabasas, CA. Along with Bryant, Bryant’s daughter, Gianna, we [would soon] learn later that she too also perished in that crash, along with seven other individuals.
This event came as one of the most blind-siding passings/events to happen in years, decades even. However, it is significant to the timeline of 2020 because it was the first major event of 2020 to have gained so much news coverage. For days, weeks, even months, Kobe’s life, as well as the other eight individuals who perished, were reflected on EVERY news platform. Sport Center reliving Bryant’s past with the Lakers, paying homage to some of Kobe’s most historical moments on the court, including Bryant’s 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors from back in 2006. Additionally, the NBA cancelling many of their NBA games the night of Kobe’s passing in honor of him. ABC, CBS, FOX- you name it, the news set Kobe’s death/legacy above all news, and rightfully so, because that’s how big of an impact Bryant had on the game of basketball. I could remember for much of the first three or so weeks, leading up to the 2020 NBA All-Stars Game back in February of 2020, tributes continued to poor in. Kobe’s most iconic games continued to air on Sports Center and even on ABC. I could remember flipping channels, and from ABC, CBS, to ESPN, Kobe’s legacy was at the forefront of the broadcast. A tragic event that left us shocked, speechless, among other things. Yet, I felt that Kobe’s tragic passing was, like I said, a foreshadow of what was to come for America.
Flashing back to the week of March 11th, 2020: I was working with KCOU, in the second semester of my sophomore year here at the University of Missouri. I was set to take on the opportunity of a lifetime: calling/covering the 2020 Southeastern Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament with my friend, Ben, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN. I could recall the day of March 10th real vividly, and it was a day I wish I did not remember. The night before I was rushed to the ER because I had a 102 temperature, aches, chills,… “the whole nine-yards” as they say. (Now, keep in mind, before you jump to conclusions about me having COVID, this was JUST before testing became relevant. To make matters worse, I live with a primary immunodeficiency. Meaning, to make a long story short, I have little-to-no white blood cells). That night of March 9th, early morning March 10th, I went to get checked out at the MU Hospital on campus. After a blood test, a nose swab, a couple of x-rays, I can clearly recall- even to this day- what the doctor said to me after reviewing my results, and just before sending me on my merry way:
“It’s probably just some lingering virus”.
Honestly, I don’t know if I DID have COVID that night. I mean, I have had the flu plenty of times, but whose to say the early forms of testing (in the month of March) weren’t all that accurate to determine otherwise?
From there, with the “all clear”, I had made the decision to carry out with my plan of going to Nashville… and boy, I was in for an eventful 48 hours.
March 10th rolls around and here I am, awoken at 10am after getting home and into my bed at 3am from the night before. After a couple of antibiotics and a cup of coffee, I am packed and ready to go Nashville, Tennessee.
(Cutting out an entire part of the story: That March 10th day gave me HUGE signs that “maybe this trip was not meant to be”. First and foremost, when I had gotten packed and ready for the trip, I had experienced a flat tire on my car that morning. I mean, not the biggest of deals, but put a slight damper on things and the routine, but just meant that we would be taking Ben’s car. Further, mid-ride to Nashville, I start to become sick again: congestion, a little bit of a sore throat, losing my voice… it was almost like God was throwing heavy signs that “you guys are in for a REAL treat if you continue with this voyage”. But again, my optimism was not about to let this bad day get in the way).
I couldn’t remember the state, better yet the location for the life of me, all I could remember was the text from our radio station group chat:
“All classes have been moved to remote learning for the remaining duration of the Spring 2020 semester”.
I was a little surprised, but confused with this news at the same time. I mean, I had an understanding that some IVY schools and schools, like the University of Washington (at the time) had gone to remote learning because of the pandemic, but I felt that was because those schools had seen a huge spiking in cases than schools like Missouri. However, part of me thought the move made sense, considering we were nearing Spring Break. Bringing students back to campus, assuming they were exposed off-campus, may result in a huge spiking and cause for concern. No matter what, I knew for me, personally, when I returned from this little “business trip” that I was going back home for a bit.
So, the ball was in our court to proceed with this trip at this point. We knew that the pandemic had to be taken into consideration, and that sparked so many questions:
“Was the tournament going to proceed?”
“Should we maybe turn back around and just go home?”
“How will the games be played if they proceed?”
etc.
I could remember, as Ben and I pondered our options, the Director of our radio station texts us once more:
“As of right now, the SEC intends on having the tournament…”
‘Okay, ball game.’
Now, Ben and I really cannot turn back around, we have to proceed and just see where this thing goes.
(It was at this point that, in my mind, this was not going to be like other assignments I have been on. And believe me, I have been to some pretty cool places, had some pretty cool experiences like the NFL Draft, the NFL Hall-Of-Fame Enshrinement Game, and even met a few NFL players in my time… but yeah, I think I knew I was about to be apart of some serious sports history).
We get to Nashville, and we are hungry, tired- (“hangry” to say the least) and just need to find some food, then our AirBnB. With news of the pandemic, things were kind of at a standstill when we got to downtown. We had been in communications with the SEC for a good duration of the evening and we were keeping a close eye on the situation, but then we got a sign that neither Ben, or myself, really saw coming.
(DISCLAIMER: If you ever go to Nashville, TN (post-pandemic) might I recommend Hattie B’s Chicken? This place is a staple, and the chicken?… don’t even get me started…)
We are eating dinner at Hattie B’s, and this place is swamped to say the least. Line is literally out the door. Ben and I, after about five minutes, finally find a small two-person table near the exit of this confined eating establishment, but on the bright side… the two sports geeks have a television with Friday Night NBA Basketball on it.
Yeah…
That wonderful feeling of “good food” and “sports” was about to be short lived.
Just then:
- Ding*… *Ding*… *Ding* …
My phone just goes crazy. Notifications and text messages just start piling in. Messages from our radio group chat start going crazy. Comments read like:
“I can’t believe it… I’m in shock… no way!!”
I have not the slightest clue in the world of ANY of these texts. Then Ben looks at me… jaw-dropped damn near to the table. He flips his phone around to show me news that, to this day, I cannot believe changed an ENTIRE NBA season. Hell, changed the ENTIRE sports landscape.
ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski had tweeted two tweets:
“Oklahoma City Thunder vs Utah Jazz has been postponed (At the time. Was soon cancelled)… C Rudy Gobert has tested positive for COVID-19.”
Minutes later, as the Dallas Mavericks were hosting the Denver Nuggets, Woj tweets once more:
“NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has announced that the NBA season is postponed until further notice.”
I look up at Ben, then back at his phone, then back at Ben, and he shakes his head in confirmation.
From there, that day, March 11th, 2020, I would begin to truly notice the magnitude of COVID-19 and its impact on our country and our world. If you are a dangerous pandemic capable enough to shut down the NBA, the MLB, and all of sports, then that is a very serious situation that should not be taken lightly. And from then on, the sports landscape was flipped upside-down on its axis. The pandemic became the headline of sports, not just that week, but for months ahead.
Where the “Agenda Setting Theory” and the “Framing Theory” come into play is, THIS WAS something I personally lived through. I felt misinformed about the magnitude of COVID-19 and its effects on our society prior to this sudden shut down. To make matters worse, as I am about to call the 2020 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament, we get the text from the SEC officials that, along with most conferences, the SEC WOULD not be proceeding with having their tournament as scheduled.
It was, indeed, a trip for nothing, but it was for good measures, and I fully understand, today, why that happened.
We’ve been living under the agenda-setting theory since COVID first began. From the continuous death toll that COVID claimed, in the months following its arrival to the United States, to the measures Americans have taken to try and contain it/erase it. News outlets have been at the forefront of the message, urging those to “wear masks”, “wash your hands”, “social distance” and these pieces of advice truly come from the news who has first-hand access to the guidance of outlets like the CDC, NIH/Dr. Fauci’s advice. They are our “eyes” and “ears” whether we like it or not. Sure, some of their messages can be sensationalized. With these new variants, it bugs me that they spring these new variants on us. Granted, it’s serious and should be taken into consideration for our safety, but it just seems like our trusted outlets “dig” for these stories just to put Americans in a state of fear, as if we do not have enough going on with the pandemic as is. It is almost like, especially in a year like 2020, our news was literally anything to do with death, the pandemic, riots, violence, police brutality. None of which are stories I want to hear about, personally. Yet, at the same time, to be informed is crucial.
Like the headline from above shows (courtesy of CNN) our news has been swamped with news surrounding COVID-19. In particular, most outlets have “honed in” on the vaccination rollout and who can receive the vaccines. Further, they’ve talked (and this being a day-to-day occurrence) about the multiple pharmaceutical companies rolling out new vaccines to distribute, the most recent company being Johnson & Johnson.
I think the framing theory, in terms of COVID-19, has been based on how they talk about COVID-19, its affects on the American people, and the utilization of sensationalizing some of the topics (IE: being very misleading when discussing the day-to-day outlook on COVID-19 “death toll” statistics).