For basically my entire life (34 of my 37 years) I’ve been stuck in the Midwest bubble. We’re late on everything. Fashion trends, the latest popular music, and even the latest food trends. Heck, some of us will even be late for our own funerals. That’s probably a positive though. It hasn’t been all bad spending most of my time in South Dakota though. We get sheltered from a lot of the bad that is out there too. Even though I want someone to burst my Midwestern bubble I am grateful the NBA has created one for all of us. Since the NBA has decided to restart there season in a “bubble” I thought it would be fun to talk about many of the bubbles that have given us joy in our lives. Below is one of my senior pictures. 2001 was a hell of a year!
Don Ho loved his tiny bubbles. If those little bubbles made me a million dollars, I’m sure I would love them too. Hawaiian native, Don Ho was an entertainer for 50 years. He starred in his own television show, from 1976-77. Must have been a hit show? I know his hit song “Tiny Bubbles,” but that is the extent of it for me. People must have loved his entertainment. I was not one of them, but none the less he has a place in bubble history.
Who doesn’t love bubble wrap? Nothing like popping those bubbles when after opening a package, to get your parents fired up. Stress balls, forget it. Give me some bubble wrap and I will be breathing easy in five minutes. Bubble wrap came out in 1957, and was designed to be wallpaper. I thought the sixties were where the drug culture found its way. Anyway, someone came down off their buzz and figured out that bubble wrap as wallpaper was a ridiculous idea. Packaging material is where bubble wrap found its groove, and has been groovin’ for decades. Believe it or not, the inventors of the wrap were inducted into the Inventor’s Hall of Fame in 1993. Wild.
Then there is the bubble boy. The one I am talking about is the kid from Seinfeld. He was a jerk. Naturally George cause the bubble boy, Donald, to get so angry that in a fit of rage he attacks George popping the bubble. I can’t say whether or not this episode of Seinfeld was the inspiration for the Bubble Boy movie. I can say that as usual the episode was entertaining, and it provided a few laughs for us immature adults.
Finally there is the NBA bubble. The only one that really matters to me. Obviously Covid-19 has taken over our lives in ways a lot of us have never experienced before. Having to breath through masks when leaving our homes is a concept that never crossed my mind prior to this past March. As a high school teacher, working from never seemed plausible. Here we are though, our world turned upside down. Lucky for us Adam Silver and the rest of the NBA executives are problem solvers, and not problem creators. Of course there will be issues that arise in the bubble, players will probably get sick, and the NBA will probably be criticized for putting profits in front of players health. We need to be grateful for the proactive practices of the NBA. We are luckily they have the resources to test theories out regarding the virus. They will be able to provide us with legitimate information on what does and doesn’t work in the protection from Covid-19. I would be much more inclined to trust the finding of the NBA, than what we get from media sources like CNN and Fox News. According to a USA Today article, the NBA bubble at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex, in Orlando, has three broadcast courts and three practice courts available for the NBA teams. The teams will also be housed in the bubble, and the two teams that end up in the championship will get to enjoy that recycled air for a solid three months. The air isn’t recycled. That was a joke. No fans will be allowed at the games, and family and friends will not be permitted on the grounds for at least the first seven weeks. That will be the first round of the playoffs. All of the CDC recommendations and precautions will be followed closely. Even the Disney staff will be restricted to what their job duties will entail. For example, they will not be allowed to carry the Silver Spoon NBA player’s luggage into their rooms. Adam Silver stated that the NBA’s Covid risk management plan will be ever evolving, and they will follow the local, state, and national guidelines to help ensure the safety of all parties involved.
The NBA bubble is the best bubble in my life right now, and I hope that nothing will burst it! We need more sports back. We need to move forward in our lives, and not live in fear of what could happen. We may need to take precautions, but we need to live. Let’s hope for the best, while preparing for the worst!
Food For Thought:
- Are you willing to live in a “bubble” for your occupation?
- Should we just let sports go for now? Is the NBA bubble a giant waste of money?
- Will the NBA actually finish their season?
-Josh Mach
Mach's Mind 