Sanning: Be prepared to lose your spring game, Tennessee fans
What looked to be a promising three weeks for Tennessee football is likely going to come to an abrupt end in the near future.
An no, that's not me giving you inside information. It's just a gut feeling. A bad one.
Following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus throughout the United States, sporting events across the country are meeting premature ends.
The NBA, MLB and NHL have all suspended activities until further notice. Every conference across the country cancelled their respective basketball tournaments, and last night, we got word that for the first time, we will have no March Madness.
Sigh.
It's not like we didn't need this wake up call as a country, however.
While yes, there is an extreme likelihood that the fatality rate of COVID-19 could not even reach four percent, but it's spreading like a wild fire, and quite frankly, I don't blame our higher-ups for trying to halt it in its tracks.
I'm not claiming to be a health expert, and in no way am I diminishing the effects that his disease has had across the globe.
This is a big deal, and it is not to be taken lightly.
I do not come from the particular age range that this is fatally affecting at the moment, but I don't want to be the first one to find out.
Which brings me to the Orange & White game.
Yesterday, UT's director of football communications, Bill Martin, made the wise decision to cancel player availability and close practice to the media, and I commend him for that.
It's just his third week on the job, and he's already making the right decisions.
He told us yesterday that he already had enough material that he'd be able to write a book on his first three weeks, and I had but one reply for him.
"That'd be quite the page-turner."
I meant that with all sincerity.
Because in all seriousness, this has been quite the whirlwind for everybody, particularly the ones that are in charge of making tough decisions.
I hate to be the one to say this, but I feel I owe it to Tennessee fans enough to help them embrace for the inevitable: there likely will be no spring game this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if the remainder of spring football is cancelled following the conclusion of next week's spring break.
No, that is not me having "inside information" on the subject, it's just a gut feeling.
My gut has served me well in many instances in the past, and I don't believe its reading the vibe wrong this time around.
That doesn't mean I'll be right, however.
Maybe the virus is contained, or maybe UT Medical Center has actually found a cure that fights off the virus, who knows?
The one thing I can say at this time though is this: just be prepared, Vols fans.
That's always been my motto. Be prepared.
