Like so many families across Chicagoland and Illinois, Porter Moser and his family are adjusting to a new normal, as the Loyola coach, his wife and four kids are back together living under one roof in Wilmette due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"We’ve played Spike Ball, we’ve played different things when the weather’s been better," Moser said via FaceTime. "Whether it’s playing some games at the house, whether it’s just sitting here talking – having tons of family lunches, breakfasts and dinners. We’ve had a lot of that going on. There’s blessings in everything. That, with your family, that is one thing you’ve got to look at and take advantage of being together."
Moser says while his family remains at home, his kids are busy continuing their school work.
"They’re all in different rooms taking Zoom classes or online classes and e-learning," said Moser. "It’s just uncharted territory, but we’re all going through it."
Moser's kids aren't the only ones in the house staying connected through Zoom. The 51 year-old is constantly video chatting with his staff and players, and on Friday, the Ramblers will get together for a virtual lunch. His plan for that lunch is to talk about everything except basketball.
"Some of our team Zoom meetings are about academics: 'Alright, who needs our tutoring?' Or, 'What are we doing to work out?' Stuff like that," says the Ramblers coach. "We’re going to have a Zoom team meeting that has nothing to do with that – it’s going to be like, “What are your top 3 Netflix shows right now?”
A notoriously huge sports fan, Moser says he misses watching games right now, but he's found a pretty good way to get his fix. He's re-watching the Ramblers 2018 Final Four run, but for the first time, he's doing it as a fan, not a coach.
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"I watched the Miami game, I got done, and I felt like I was on Netflix wanting to push the next episode," Moser said with a huge smile. "I’m like, ‘Alright, the Tennessee game, let’s go!’ Tennessee gets over, Custer hits the shot, I’m like, ‘Okay Nevada, let’s go!’ So I felt like, you know how you do when you do when you get binge watching your favorite show, I found myself binge watching."
Moser is quick to say the absence of college basketball and sports pales in comparison to what many people are dealing with as the coronavirus pandemic rages on.
Still, he's confident things will eventually return to normal.
"Yes, this is uncomfortable," Moser says, "But I have no doubt in my mind we’re going to come out stronger on the other end. Chicago always does, [and] our country always does."
