Good morning, Coug fans! I’m happy to report that I’m home with my dog as I write this, so in case you need a peak of joy, there’s one for you! Aside from that, it’s been a weird time for the world. I feel a responsibility to check in about it, but I also want to create a little corner of the world where we don’t have to think about it all the time. Our podcasting friends over at Podcast vs. Everyone and The CougCenter Hour have also been doing that, and I highly suggest checking them out!

So, what should we talk about today? I’ve put together a little How-To, of sorts. And the main photo for this is CJ smiling, because we all need that level of happiness again.

How To Survive Without Live Sports:

Wake up, and immediately go for a walk. Grab a breakfast bar and just start moving. If you move, you can’t think about how you don’t get to watch other people move at various paces throwing various balls across various floors.

Once you are done, give yourself ten minutes to cry. Crying is fine- we all do it sometimes, and it’s better to get the gunk out.

Make a meal. You’re home, you have nothing better to do. You can look up fun recipes to make with the boxed pasta we’re all hoarding!

Go watch a game that you’ve taped- in my house, we have a basketball game against both Washington and Oregon taped, along with a few football games. Take a minute to exercise your imagination, and try to remember what it felt like when you didn’t know the outcome of those games. Put yourself back in that mindset. It’s a new game!! Exciting! Go back and find the Coug Center preview- ignore the date, that’s not important. Read it. Watch the game. Feel joy creep in.

It’s time for a nap, or a snack, or both. Treat yourself quarantine.

Once you are awake or full again, I would suggest watching a movie like A League of Their Own. Try to forget that Tom Hanks tested positive for COVID-19, and just think about how great sports are. Aren’t sports great?! But don’t think too hard about it.

At this point it is okay to cry again. It is also okay if you’ve cried throughout this process. It is also okay if you don’t cry. Emotions are weird. Watch Inside Out. That movie has nothing to do with Coronavirus, it’s just about a little girl who is depressed. But she’ll be fine, she has Amy Poehler in her brain.

I would suggest at this point that you read a book. Do something intellectually stimulating. Or, if you’re working from home, pop on one of our podcasts and get some stuff done. You’ll feel better once you’re productive.

It’s time for dinner now, and if you’re sick of pasta- I get it. So make a different recipe!

After dinner, go watch a different game. I linked some last week, if you wanna check them out. I want all of us to broaden our horizons during this time away. Sports help build community, and we’re lucky enough to have platforms like this, and the internet itself, to stay connected. Reach out, argue about Rolo’s Cougar Madness bracket (https://twitter.com/NickRolovich/status/1239631063447523330/photo/1) on Twitter. But remember, you’re arguing with people who love this stuff as much as you do. So argue respectfully.

Grab a night cap if you are legally allowed to drink and settle in. I’ve been thinking a lot about how this time is extremely difficult, and it’s my responsibility to take the precautions and do my best to help out. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t be upset about the plans I had for my own life. But I am extremely lucky to have good people to come home to, and a community like this. Feel sad, but count your blessings. Go Cougs.

Links make me feel better! Here:

The Fan Fiction NCAA Tournament: What would Friday be without upsets? – The Athletic
We're using KenPom.com probabilities, our staff's opinions and the minds of two writers to play out the 2020 NCAA Tournament.

A Grip on Sports | The Spokesman-Review
A GRIP ON SPORTS • Now this was hard. Trying to distill all the college basketball players who have played in the Inland Northwest over the past 50 years into the three most accomplished.

Future bright for WSU baseball | Sports | dnews.com
On the bright side, the Washington State baseball team finished with a winning record for the first time since 2015.

WSU baseball’s future is bright, just put on hold | Sports | lmtribune.com
On the bright side, the Washington State baseball team finished with a winning record for the first time since 2015.