Photo/Sam JanickiDES MOINES -- The wild, crazy and chaotic day was finally coming to an end.
I glanced around an empty Wells Fargo Arena late Thursday night as I packed up my computer bag and prepared to head back to my hotel.
It was the most bizarre and surreal day of my 32-year career as a professional sportswriter.
My day began as I put the finishing touches on a feature story nobody will read. It was a piece scheduled for next week on Northern Iowa senior Taylor Lujan, the No. 1 seed at 184 pounds for an NCAA wrestling tournament that isn't going to happen.
My day ended covering an Iowa boys' state tournament basketball game that actually did happen. The remarkable run of two-time defending state champion Cedar Falls finally ended in a semifinal loss to a talented Ankeny squad. It was a game, under the circumstances, that maybe shouldn't have even been played.
March 12, 2020, was a day many of us will never forget.
For those of us who love sports, it was a day packed with an avalanche of emotions. And a day filled with shock, anger, frustration, sadness and reflection.
An unprecedented day many of us are still trying to put into perspective.
The deadly coronavirus has become so widespread that professional sports leagues started suspending play Wednesday night.
The biggest bombshells, as many of us expected, happened the following day. My phone started blowing up early Thursday afternoon on my drive to Des Moines when the NCAA canceled the upcoming basketball and wrestling tournaments.
My initial thought was disbelief. How could this be happening? How could they do this to all of the young men and women who have worked so hard for one of the most memorable moments of their lives?
It all seems so cruel. And unfair.
It's heartbreaking. And gut-wrenching.
Listening to how the news impacted passionate wrestling coaches like UNI's Doug Schwab and Wartburg's Eric Keller just tears your heart out.
Coaches like those devote so much time, energy and commitment into their athletes and their programs. And they are such positive role models.
NCAA Division II and III wrestlers were less than 24 hours from competing in their most important event of the year when their seasons were canceled.
The timing of this is so unfortunate. It's just awful.
The NCAA was about to stage one of the most memorable wrestling events in history with record-setting crowds expected next week in Minneapolis.
I was looking forward to attending my 20th NCAA DI tourney and my first one in person in five years. And looking forward to seeing so many old friends.
But now it won't happen.
I spent a sleepless Thursday night thinking about the impact this has had and how it has affected so many.
I tossed and turned as the same SportsCenter kept replaying on my television. And the same sad stories were continually told. It almost didn't seem real.
It was difficult to see when Gonzaga basketball coach Mark Few was informed in the middle of an interview on ESPN that the NCAA tournament had just been canceled. And then be immediately asked for his reaction before having time to process the magnitude of what had just transpired.
It's still hard to believe this is happening. It really is.
Obviously, steps needed to be taken to ensure everyone's safety. That's the No. 1 priority. And I completely agree with what was done.
The health concerns clearly far outweigh any sporting event.
But that doesn't make it any easier.
My hope is that the NCAA gives athletes like Lujan one final chance to achieve their goals. It would be really unfortunate if it didn't happen.
It would also be a shame if a dominant and dynamic wrestler like Spencer Lee was denied an opportunity to ultimately become Iowa's first four-time NCAA champion.
The third weekend in March is one of my favorites every year with the NCAA Wrestling Championships taking place.
The three-day, six-session extravaganza is as compelling and entertaining as any event in any sport.
I have no idea what it's going to be like next week without an NCAA tournament. And how empty it is going to feel.
It's difficult to imagine. Or even think about.
I just hope and pray we never have to experience it again.
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