By Tim Peterson
Anybody else forget that the Dodgers acquired Mookie Betts? I saw a headline the other day that reminded me that yes, he was indeed a Dodger.
A total shutdown of sports for three months tends to do that to you. Didn’t they pick up David Price too? Thought I heard something about that. I was talking football with a guy the other day and he told me he liked Tampa Bay this year because of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski? Wait, they got Gronk too? When did that happen?
I like the Rams personally. I mean I like the Rams as a fan but I do wonder if they have done enough to improve on a team that missed the playoffs last year. Can Cam Akers or Darrell Henderson Jr. have the impact that Todd Gurley did a couple years ago? Will Jared Goff improve? Does the defense have enough? Yeah, there’s a lot of questions about the Rams.
Speaking of the Rams head coach Sean McVay won my Twitter poll of who should be the next coach on the MVS Q & A. But since he’s currently not available I’m going with Warren’s Kevin Pearson who finished second. The interview will be posted soon.
I can live without professional sports. Now don’t get me wrong, if the NFL gets shut down, yes that would be a major bummer. But so far I really haven’t been affected by the sports lock down. The NBA was on the home stretch anyway and they look like they’ll be back next month with playoffs coming soon. We cover the Galaxy in the MLS but only the first half of the season was lost and the league has announced they will have a tournament in July as they get set to resume. No big deal. Missing out on opening day for baseball was a little rough and now the whole season may be in jeopardy as the owners and players exchange barbs. Kind of a drag, sure, but it’s not going to kill me. A 162 game season is too long anyway. I can live without it for one year.
But what I can’t live without? High School football. And not just the games on Friday nights. I miss the whole high school football season – the passing leagues, the four-way throws, the lineman competition, the whole shot. In fact the lineman competitions might be the coolest thing of all. The West Covina comp was a must see every year. Is there a better picture than a kid pushing and pulling a large truck tire down a football field? Or four kids working together pushing a Ford Expedition to a finish line? All that is gone this year.
So far COVID 19 has forced the cancellation of not only the lineman competitions but also the Super 7 Charter Oak Tournament, the Rumble at the Ranch (El Rancho), the Air Assault at Bonita, and the SGV Shootout at Arroyo which is traditionally scheduled in July but was in late June last year. And then there were all the 4-way throws that happened during the week. Arroyo used to host at least two on a weekly basis all summer. All gone!
Man it’s killing me! Walking out to a field, snapping pictures, talking to coaches about returning players, upcoming schedules, realizing that the receiver that you thought was a senior last season, still has a year left…I miss it all. We may still get the season, but there’s already been a huge void for me this year. A year without passing leagues is like a Double-Double without cheese. It just doesn’t pack the same punch.
Over the last few months, all of the coaches I’ve interviewed feel that there will be a season in one form or another. It could be shortened or possibly with restrictions but they do think there will be football. Northview head coach Marcel Perez had the best line. “Will it be abbreviated? I don’t know. That’s up to the guys who get paid the big bucks.”
According to CIF a decision will be made no later than Monday July 20th. Here’s hoping the guys that make the big bucks give us a season. I don’t care about Mookie Betts. Just give me some high school football.
That’s my principle.
Tim can be reached at tim.midvalleysports@gmail.com or on Twitter @tspeterson40.
I miss this
OK, Mookie, the pressure’s on. Everyone is waiting for you to have a career 37 per cent of a regular season. Then (hopefully) it will be on to the playoffs!
Mookie Betts still has zero hits as a Dodger.
60 game rental is at this time the worst pick up in Dodger history
Here in the USA, we have no idea how the world-wide economic shutdown has affected the populations of third-world countries. India in particular is being very hard hit. The estimate is that 260 MILLION will die of starvation before this supposed effort to save lives is over. Seen from the perspective of a full stomach, it’s swell to turn-off the economic activity that supports our lives, so long as the casualties of that act remain far away.
It’s difficult to see high school football being played this Fall. Numbers were already low in most area schools before the pandemic, now it will be even lower. There will be a lot less lower-level programs that’s for sure. Many parents are not allowing their sons to play because even if played, there won’t be any fans in the stands. If parents can’t watch, then their sons are not going to play.
@Tank
Advocating for the burning of schools… uh huh. You red caps like to take it to extremes, don’t you?
SGV may not know it, but he/she is part of the problem and should keep her views away from high schools. Pretty soon she’ll be advocating the burning of the schools.
@ Really?: You brought up an interesting topic.
I believe that high school football will continue for a long time after the coronavirus is finally brought under control.
But, the sport could die out on campuses where the programs were already struggling. Budget cuts are likely at public schools because the pandemic has caused a drop in tax revenue, and there could be a further decline in interest at schools where the teams haven’t been competitive.
In view of the deep recession that we’re currently experiencing, it would be wise of college and professional teams to give fans a substantial break on their ticket prices. The idea should be to get people into their stadiums; once inside, they might have just enough money left to buy concessions and a little merchandise.
That would be good PR, and it makes good business sense during difficult economic times.
However, in order to make that work on the professional level, the highest-paid players might have to yield some on their salaries. I’m not sure that’s going to happen.
@Tink: You better believe it red cap.
I assume SGV really wants football to resume so he/she can kneel for the Anthem.
Tim, I have an interesting question. Is COVID-19, as well as the possible cancellations of NFL, NCAA, HS, and Pop/Jr All America football the egonning of the end of football?
The NFL is a billion dollars a year industry driven by not only attendance but TV revenue. The parents are already pulling their boys out of tackle Youth leagues. Leagues have folded and participation is down to half in most areas in the country. High Schools are also having problems filling 3 teams. I remember when there were 4 teams per school; even at Keppel. Coaches keep leaving and good players leave their local area if they are good. Colleges are closing their football and other athletic programs that don’t bring in the attendance. Less athletic scholarships less participants. After all it’s not the Ivy league. The boys today have video games, the Internet and girls to worry about, because mommy told them that they need to pee sitting down. They won’t play if they have an outlet to play, not even in their backyards, and they won’t care about football because no college team will be playing and because of prices won’t go to NFL games with the family or care about watching the greatest game on TV. A huge domino affect. What are your thoughts and the other readers? Thanks.
@ SGV: Sensible words. Having anything remotely resembling a normal school year and completing a high school football schedule before next June would be tremendous victories for everyone involved.
CIF can scream all they want that we are going to have football. It’s like Trump saying he was going to have a packed out arena with a rock stage outside to hold 40,ooo. Estimates are 6500 showed up and by the end it was just a few sad true believers. Football will be decided by the Superintendents and elected School Boards of the many districts in Ca. Some rural counties may say play ball but then who are they going to play when neighboring districts say no way. Further more these admins and politicos will always be very cautious. Right now CIF is as impotent as a eunuch and I don’t know why anyone listens to them at all. Lets be real and understand football is totally shut down until very few are getting sick and their is a medicine that can take it on. I mean we can’t figure out a way how to get students into the classrooms and we talk about football? I know I love high school football more than almost anyone but as long as folks are wearing masks and local infections are not going away there is no hope. Fantasy SGV football is what we have. Let’s figure out how to play it.
Hey Tim just curious , since it has something to do with sports, is what is your opinion on this new wave of athletes, coaches, owners, even veterans declaring they are now behind kneeling during the National Anthem? It wasn’t widely popular the first time around but it seems it’s become “politically correct” to jump on the band wagon this go round.