The impact

It's been a tough week in the Olympic world, with the announcement that the 2020 Summer Games have been postponed, with the July start pushed ahead into the next calendar year.

With the social distancing still in place and working from home a thing, I've had a lot of time to think about all this stuff, which probably isn't good. I should probably be focusing on something else, something on the positive side.

As I sit here now in my apartment, NBC Sports Network is airing a special Olympic event with interviews with lots of different athletes who are impacted by the postponement and with an opening interview with Thomas Bach, the President of the International Olympic Committee discussing the situation. 

As I've spent hours being bummed out about not being able to go to Tokyo (never mind the three other trips I had planned between now and then), I've been seeing lots of social media posts from athletes who have been impacted by this and it got me thinking that this situation's impact on me is minor in comparison to the impact on the people who are so much more invested in the Olympics than I am.

The many, many athletes who are journeying to Japan from around the world should be the focus of any Olympic Games and as I'm watching this special on NBCSN, it's obvious that the majority of athletes seem to favor moving the Olympics and if that's what they want, then it is the right decision.

As media, we haven't received much in the form of updates from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee or from the Tokyo Organizing Committee. We received an e-mail early in the week from the accommodations folks announcing that the deadline for room cancellation had been bumped back a month. The original deadline to cancel portions of the room without penalty was actually yesterday, March 25. It was postponed a month but I anticipate there will be more communication on this front coming in the near future.

So far, I've sent more than $800 in as a deposit on my accommodation and I will have to make a decision as to whether or not I want to go to Tokyo next year or get the money back to plan for a possible Beijing trip in 2022 for the Winter Olympics. The good news is that I purchased insurance on my flight to Tokyo, which cost more than $1,700, so if I need to cancel or move that flight, I will get my money back.

Yes, I am disappointed, but this is about a lot more than me. This is the decision that was needed for the many athletes, coaches and so many more people who have a stake in these Olympics. As I sit here today, my gut says I will give it a go to get to Tokyo next year, but that's still a decision that is in the future.

And I should take a moment to thank all the folks who've helped to make these Olympic trips a possibility. Two trips to the Olympics have been a dream come true and I am forever grateful.

It will be a bit of a wait until we can see more Olympic action.