Resuming, Ready or Not

By Michael Dobie | STAFF WRITER

September 16, 2001

They have heard the calls for a return to normalcy. They are aware that their endeavor is considered part of society's healing process in the aftermath of tragedy, such as Tuesday's terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

So after a week of postponements and cancellations, competition in college sports is set to resume around the country tomorrow, whether its participants are ready or not.

"It was fairly easy to say [postpone the games through] Sunday and theoretically resume on Monday. Now as this thing plays out, we really are not quite sure," said Kathy Meehan, associate vice president for athletics at St. John's University. "Everyone is kind of numb. We're not sure if anyone is going to be in a frame of mind to start back in a competitive sense. Our hope was to start back, not to play some stupid game, but just to return to some sense of normalcy."

Many of those involved in college athletics understand that will be difficult to achieve, and nearly impossible in the short run for coaches, players and spectators traumatized by Tuesday's events.

Sports, Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese said, "seemed like the most important thing in the world a week ago. We've all been brought to a point where we realize how trivial it is, but we have to start. We have no choice, because if we don't start . . . we lose even more. It's as if you're giving in to the whole terror thing."

Georgia Tech football coach George O'Leary was thankful yesterday's game against Florida State was postponed. And he is relieved his squad has a bye this coming week; the Yellow Jackets do not play again until Sept. 29.

"I don't think [tomorrow] is OK," said O'Leary, a Central Islip native who has three cousins involved in the rescue effort at the World Trade Center. O'Leary said his players still were "shell-shocked," especially since many had visited New York for the first time at last month's Kickoff Classic and returned home with pictures of themselves standing in front of the twin towers.

"I've always dealt with this football team on how they handle setbacks, whether on or off the field," O'Leary said. "This isn't a setback; this is a tragedy. A tragedy takes more time to heal. We need to take some time to reflect."

Though it often is said that sports can help with the healing process, Tranghese was among those who questioned that contention.

"I find some of that to be self-serving," Tranghese said. "I know if I had a close friend or family member in a tragedy, no football game is going to do anything for me . . . I find it hard to believe that the playing of a sporting event is going to provide them any relief."

But that's exactly what happened Thursday night when Tennessee-Martin played Kentucky Wesleyan in football, according to Tennessee-Martin athletic director Phil Dane. Dane acknowledged that one's perspective on the terrorist attacks changes "the closer you get to New York and Washington," but said the game was played in the spirit of making sure that daily activities were continued.

The teams lined up on opposite goal lines before the game with a phalanx of police officers at midfield. The Tennessee-Martin band played "Taps," a prayer was said and the crowd sang the national anthem and "America the Beautiful."

"After the memorial service, when I went through the crowd, what I heard was they felt a load had been lifted," Dane said. "They said it helped them with their grieving."

Dane admitted receiving some criticism for having played the game but said he was comfortable with his decision.

"Whether you're playing a ballgame or crunching numbers for a living, that's what you do," Dane said. "When you've had something happen and had an initial opportunity to grieve over it, the best thing you can do for your psyche is get back to business."

Easier said than done, St. John's football coach Bob Ricca said. Several of his players know people who still are missing. Ricca said it will get worse, as more players are affected personally by a rising death toll and an ever-increasing list of victims. With a game against Stony Brook looming Friday, Ricca said his players somehow need to focus on football.

"At a time like this, we realize what we do is insignificant," Ricca said, "but playing a game is what we do, which is why we keep practicing."

Ricca can imagine what this week will be like. He was a high school football player at Holy Cross in Queens when President Kennedy was killed in 1963. The students were told the news in an assembly. Then the football team went off to practice. "No one said anything," Ricca said. "It was eerie - silence on the football field."

The next day's game was canceled but Holy Cross played the following Thursday on Thanksgiving Day.

"The entire week of practice wasn't the same," Ricca said. "Even the game. Playing the game, you put things out of your mind but it still wasn't the same. There was something in the air. I hope this healing process is a lot quicker."

Like many, he suspects the opposite will be true - whether they play or not.