Where it all stands

With the announcement that Vermont would postpone the beginning of their winter season until December 18th, we are once again left in limbo. It is hard right now as the very hobbies and interests that we use to bring joy or distract ourselves during times of stress are also drenched in a layer of uncertainty. However, right now, health and safety are far more important. I would love to have a little normalcy back into my week by having the opportunity to cheer on my favorite team. Our routines and rituals help shape our lives and give them meaning. But now we all have a larger and more important purpose. To protect those far and wide who we love. In order to do that we have to err on the side of caution every time. Everyone wants to be playing games or watching games or seeing loved ones. The sacrifices we make now will make the future brighter. I want to be a part of making things better and I hope everyone else does to.Whether we get basketball back next month, two months or next fall I will be ready. 

I would like to finish with a little humor and joy. By day I am a music teacher and I also have two young children so the movie soundtracks are in constant rotation. While listening tonight I was reminded of this little ditty and think it perfectly captures how everything feels right now. 

Enjoy! 

Everything's not awesome  

 

Bernie Andre leaves the Vermont Basketball Team

With the season only a few weeks away the Vermont team suffered their first loss. Bernie Andre, the grad transfer from Northern Arizona, left the team for personal reasons. Landing him from the transfer market was a big accomplishment for the Cats as he was a highly sought after grad transfer. I was very high on his role with the team and think he would have had a tremendous season for Vermont. The Vermont program was bound to be affected by these uncertain times at some point. This is going to put pressure on guys like Duncan Demuth and Isaiah Powell to make a leap from last season. I think Vermont is still the favorite in the league but the gap between them and UMBC has definitely shrunk. The season is going to have many moments of uncertainty still to come. Coronavirus cases are rising and the season is certainly going to be affected. Already one of Vermont's non-conference opponents, Seina, has paused their season due to positive tests within the staff and team. There are likely to be scheduling changes and postponements throughout the season. I have held off on writing a season preview because of the scheduling uncertainty and will probably continue to wait and see how many of the non-conference games actually come to fruition. I am still hopeful for some form of a season but it continues to be hard to go all in on the excitement of the season with so much up in the air.