For the 2020-2021 season, there were games, and tournaments, but spectators were few, and at Northern Illinois, limited to immediate families of the players.
The 2021-2022 season began with spectators allowed in the arena, although subject to the state mask rules. Those rules were even more ludicrous for high school competitions, where players were running the floor with their Biden muzzles dangling off their chins. Sometimes the way to demonstrate the folly of a rule is to comply with it.
The Illinois mask ukases have mostly been lifted as of 28 February, although clinics and hospitals still require their use, as do transportation authorities. You'd think a government that wants to encourage mass transportation use would make riding the buses, trains, and planes less unpleasant, but thinking like a government official is something I've never done well, and I'm digressing.
Saturday's opponent was Central Michigan, which, despite being handled roughly by the local kids a year ago, won the conference tournament and was the Mid-American's obligatory one-and-done in the national tournament. This year, Central Michigan failed to qualify for the conference tournament. Go figure.
Most of the scoring was contributed by players who were by game's end resting. The starters and first substitutes got substantial rest.
That's a new custom, the players communicating their thanks to the band. There's no singing of the alma mater, Wisconsin's Varsity style. Look closely, the band members are playing through their Biden muzzles.
Senior recognition now takes place after the game. Under the corona redshirt rules and the transfer portal, it's not always clear who is a senior and who has extended play status. These kids all did their part. We'll see how being a middling team in the most mid-major of mid-majors Mid-American Conference fares in the tournament, commencing Wednesday.
People are getting back to public functions, the monthly train show in Wheaton was well-populated by children of all ages as well.
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