It's time we all get back to that peaceful, easy feeling

The distrust between the Major League Baseball Players Association and MLB was as thick as the World Series trophy that Commissioner Rob Manfred once referred to as a piece of metal.

Manfred made those comments one month before the COVID pandemic shut down baseball in 2020, as well as other sports that serve as an emotional outlet to fans across the United States.

Fortunately, a gale of relief swirled throughout ballparks as the acrimony subsided to the point where both sides reached a new Collective Bargaining Agreement that alleviated the worst fears of pure baseball followers.

Nevertheless, tension soared in the last four weeks and dotted a wide black eye on one of the most enjoyable times on the sports calendar.

The exception is the NFL, which continues to dominate news in the offseason. The sobering news of Calvin Ridley's one-year suspension for gambling on football games was doused by Aaron Rodgers' decision to return to the Packers, the Seahawks' blockbuster return from the Broncos for trading top-notch quarterback Russell Wilson and Bears linebacker Khalil Mack to the Chargers.

Much of the recent tension has corralled college basketball, which enters the height of its season with conference and NCAA tournaments.

Three weeks ago, Michigan coach Juwan Howard attempted to turn the face of Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft into pixie dust minutes after the Badgers called timeout with 15 seconds left and Howard's Wolverines trailing by 15 points.

Howard's penalty - a five-game suspension and loss of pay - addressed the severity of the infraction but caused another scar on Howard's coaching resume and his ability to lead young men in a professional manner at his alma mater.

Many schools have resumed the traditional handshake routine since COVID cases dropped, although some coaches still point or wave in the direction of their opponent.

After the saturated buildup and subsequent letdown to Mike Krzyzewski's final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, video hawks spotted Duke assistant Chris Carrawell not acknowledging a postgame handshake offer from victorious North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis. Carrawell told reporters later that Davis didn't shake hands with any of the Duke assistants before the game, but Davis later called Carrawell and impending head coach Jon Scheyer and he was in "a great spot" with the Duke staff.

Considering the ferocity of the rivalry, the peace chat allowed the storied programs to move on to larger goals.

Unfortunately for Syracuse, they fell short to Duke in an Atlantic Coast Conference quarterfinal game Thursday largely because leading scorer Buddy Boeheim threw a punch to the midsection of a Florida State player with his team leading comfortably in the second half of a game the previous night.

Boeheim apologized to the player after the game, but videos don't lie as they caught the incident. Coach Jim Boeheim blamed officials for not catching his son throw the punch, which would have resulted in a Flagrant 2 foul that would have resulted in his ejection but kept him eligible against Duke.

Instead, it likely ended the college career of the younger Boeheim.

Bruce Weber's coaching career could be ending as well, especially after taking a few shots after announcing his resignation from Kansas State.

But a candid Weber, 65, who coached Illinois to the 2005 NCAA finals, criticized the NCAA for its lack of action in an FBI investigation (involving rival Kansas) and local critics of the Wildcats' program.

"The negativity that surrounds K-State times is really sad to me," Weber told The Associated Press. "This is the only school I've been associated with that I tell our recruits to avoid our social media. I'm afraid of what they'll see. Hopefully that can change, maybe with the new coach, and everybody can be positive about K-State and K-State athletics."

As Weber assesses his options, it's a good time for everyone to pause and appreciate what we have - especially in light of the events in Eastern Europe.

After Thursday's MLB settlement, Manfred - who temporarily canceled two weeks' worth of games after a gulf of differences during negotiations - made a vow to cultivate a better relationship with players.

We can all get along, can't we?