San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
Props to CIF for doing right thing
Sez Me …
Baseball’s 60-Yard Dash has begun, but expect hamstring pulls before the finish line (Juan Soto, one of the game’s better players, already got a viral false start).
The NBA is cavorting in its Bubble, which could be blown into that pandemic needle. What about everyone else, the stragglers?
COVID-19 is more serpentine than a bad mountain road. It’s black ice slippery, and keeps throwing us curves hazardous to our health.
So, hard as it is, we must turn our good ear to the voice of reason, use the right side of our brain.
At least some of us are trying. Being by far the most populated state, California can get things wrong unlike any of the other, smaller screwed-up colonies.
We can lead by pathetic example, such as the multi-billion dollar bullet train to Nowheresville.
So, when something is done right, praise is in order — after we actually recover from our collective swoon.
Last week, the CIF, governing body of California high school sports (which has a long history of hitting foul balls before taking one on the outside corner), made a strong decision. For now, all fall sports will be moved to the winter and possibly beyond.
Not a surprise, in that Gov. Newsom has ordered at-home schooling for students in counties determined to be COVID-19 hot spots.
It’s the right thing to do. And the colleges should get in line.
Or maybe we can go with the maniacal rantings of Missouri Gov. Mike Parson: “These kids have to get back to school. And, if they get COVID-19, which they will — and they will when they go to school — they’re not going to the hospitals. They’re going to go home and they’re going to get over it.”
What about their parents and other adults?
Just incredibly uncaring and idiotic. Missouri. The Show Me How Not To Vote State.
There is a concern among the athletes that a delay in play will affect their collegiate recruiting status. There should be no fear — unless football games don’t begin in January, but say, March, which would be foolish, making the season far too close to fall, 2021.
If you’re good, they already know who you are. And if you don’t get to show your stuff until winter, remember, you are their lifeblood. They will scout and find you. They will look at your tapes. There is no reason why you can’t perform even better at that time of year.
Colleges, the same thing.
Will universities pushing back football to the winter affect the players’ draft status?
There is talk of some certain eligible high first-round picks — such as quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) and Justin Fields (Ohio State) — sitting out a delayed season.
I may be in the minority here, but what difference does time of year make?
If the virus has eased by January, the fear factor will be lessened. If injury is the reason, players can get hurt during the summer and autumn just as easily as winter and spring.
No worries about slipping through the cracks anymore. You couldn’t get an electron through today’s cracks.
Maybe a few top preps will graduate in December and get to their universities in time for spring. But collegians could be playing real games at that time, which would complicate matters.
Meanwhile, the NFL will try to play on time, which I doubt will happen. No chance for the colleges.
The NFL probably will be forced to push back the April draft and February combine. So what? Players will get picked after a delayed meat show.
California is being cautious. If football, at any level, goes on in the winter, games will be played, hopefully under safe conditions, possibly with fans in the stands. Good enough.
Let the games be delayed. …
I do hate having to wait for “Prep Pigskin Report.” ...
No NFL exhibitions. Good. But this is a bad time for teams to be going into a COVID season without any sort of dress rehearsal. …
For now, what used to be the racist Redskins will be known as the Washington Football Team. Which makes them the Oxymorons. …
Anti-football Team protests have begun . ...
Besides, I always thought the Washington Football Team was the Huskies. …
The NFL has given up on the possibility of players participating in games from home . ...
How can Woody Johnson remain owner of the Jets? Maybe he’d be kicked out if he did something serious, such as authorizing the illegal pressurization of footballs. …
Ah, baseball. Peanuts, Cracker Jack, the scent of freshly mowed lawn, the crack of the bat, meandering strike zones, the banging of trash-can lids . ...
So they will appear even more talented when they don’t win a World Series for at least another decade, the Dodgers have signed Mookie Betts to a massive 12-year contract. …
Bad news for Twinkies from Fernando Tatis Jr.: “We’re aiming for the big cake.” …
Fernando added something no selfrespecting Dodger would ever say: “Let’s go win a World Series.” …
Why the wild, crazy movement on Dr. Fauci’s first pitch? Purell ball. …
We need to tap into the inspiration tree that is Alex Smith . ...
Just when Buffalo is anticipating athletic success, it gets the Blue Jays . ...
Penn is naming its baseball park for
Tommy Lasorda, making it the first stadium in which vendors in the stands will serve linguine with clams . ...
It appears Mike Tyson will fight Roy Jones Jr. — during the Early Bird Special at Golden Corral . ...
Mask-deprived Dwight Howard says he didn’t know the virus would be “flying through the air looking for people.” See what we’re up against? …
Stink O’ The Week Sezment: Wrigley Field is now covered with enough ads to double as an enormous, aging NASCAR driver. …
With no fans allowed, L.A. players are asking if they can get to Dodger Stadium late and leave early . ...
Following baseball’s lead, the Judases/ L.A. Lodgers will put cardboard cutouts of empty seats in their empty seats. …
RIP, TV icon Regis Philbin, who got his first talk show here and refereed the famous 1963 Ernie Ladd-nick Cordileone eating contest at the U.S. Grant (Ladd threw up, but was given the win, anyway) . ...
Know who would be perfect at Padres games? The Chicken. He’s great, always covered up and doesn’t make much noise. …
Chief NBA Bubble complainer JR Smith laments taking just seven pairs of underwear to Orlando. Or, what I pack for an overnight stay . ...
“Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.” — Einstein, long ago, when we actually were smarter. …
Sports are salves, not saviors.
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