After making 24 starts at right back for LAFC in 2019, Steven Beitashour entered free agency. With nine years in MLS, 247 appearances and Supporters' Shield wins with three different teams under his belt, you would figure someone somewhere in the world would give him a chance to contribute. And they probably would have. But the world seemed completely disinterested in the idea. Beitashour, a member of the Iranian national team, had offers from two countries at the beginning of the year.

"I had some offers overseas in Iran and China, and it's crazy because before those things happened, crazy events that you'd never imagine occurred. So both just kind of ended,” Beitashour said.

COVID-19 had just begun to take hold of China and Iran was recoiling from the death of its most prominent general. Neither felt safe for Beitashour and his family. So he began to look toward joining his fifth MLS team. We know where we are with that.

Clearly the free agency of a professional soccer player is infinitely microscopic in the scheme of all these events, but anyone in a situation where massive global events repeatedly cut in front of them with every move would have to stop and ask for at least a split second: Is it me?