Any sports fan remembers March 11th because that was the day the entire United States pretty much shut down after Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. To that point the pandemic was around but was not taking seriously, then all the leagues shut down and the world went on pause. You would think after that experience, and rumors of a rift between Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, Gobert would become an advocate for safety but apparently not.

It was a long drought for sports fans and FINALLY we’re getting back to sports with major sports being led by the MLB and NBA. NHL starts shortly after with the NFL and college football, who has already made some cuts, keeping an eye on what the major sports do as they prepare for their own seasons. The key to the leagues is the bubble as an outbreak of the Coronavirus would derail the season. To combat this the NBA has set up an anonymous line for players to report on others and guess who doesn’t like it?

Ruby Gobert said about the anonymous line “I don’t know if someone’s gonna use it, but I think it’s sort of petty. At the same time, you want to make sure that people respect the rules.” It has been reported that even last month Gobert’s sense of smell wasn’t back to 100% since his March 11th positive test. To Gobert’s comments the obvious question is what about the pandemic response in the country right now thinks the honor code will work?

Is it a tough situation to be locked in a bubble for possibly three months? Absolutely, but the league will only work if there isn’t an outbreak so a snitch line could help the league proactive to stop a potential outbreak. How can Gobert be against it after being roasted, rightfully so, for how lackadaisical he was about it as the tipping point to the sports world plunging in to a full blown hiatus? Apparently he didn’t learn anything despite all he had to deal with. That’s especially concerning with the NBA in the Orlando bubble where thousands are testing positive daily in Florida.

Sports fans and the sports world need the NBA, MLB and NHL to work because if they don’t who knows what happens with the NFL. Not to mention college football seems to be teetering on not having a fall season with a couple of the power five conferences already cutting their non conference schedule. Again, the key is the bubble and that hinders on players doing the right thing because one positive test could quickly put a team out of commission. 

Gobert isn’t the only player to criticize the snitch line but his dislike of it isn’t universally shared as the line has already received multiple calls. It’s a sacrifice for contending teams to spend months locked away and that’s why I believe there will be asterisk for this championship, but the asterisk will be because of how tough winning in the bubble with no home court advantage. However, there is an opt out with several players already taking it. It’s not unfair to say if you’re going to play and go in the bubble then stay in the bubble. Fans want sports and the sports world need this year’s bubble seasons to succeed.