It looks like it’s “game on” at least for now

Friday’s meeting of the Kentucky Board of Education wasn’t as popular, view wise, as the earlier KHSAA meeting, but it was, at least for the two hours I could stay awake, almost just as exciting.

However, the bottom line, at least for now, is that it looks like we’re going to get to watch some football, soccer, cross country and volleyball this fall. At least until the numbers involving positive COVID-19 cases should rise above a point where one of the voices of authority – and apparently there are many – that control such issues, steps in and says “slow down”, “pause for awhile”, or “stop altogether.”

While we still don’t know exactly what things are going to look like if we’re sitting on the bleachers or on the sidelines, we do know a few things.

Brandon Pharis, District Athletic Director for Clinton County Schools, has been keeping us up to date with what is going on during the pandemic, in regards to the high school sports scene, with regular media update notices, and in one last week, he explains that while the local plan for games and crowds still has to be approved by the Lake Cumberland District Health Department, he at least knows what the KHSAA is requiring, at a minimum, for all schools.

As for the local plan, Pharis is meeting with LCDHD this week to hopefully get a nod.

As for the KHSAA requirements, it goes something like this:

• Anyone coming to an athletic event will be required to wear a mask. This is a non-negotiable from KHSAA.

• All coaches will be masked. All players on the sideline and cheerleaders will be masked. Players competing do not have to wear a mask, but when they come off they will have to wear one.

• Between games (ex: V/JV, or VDH) benches and essential equipment will be sanitized.

• Crowd capacity will be determined by LCDHD.

• Stage 1=20 percent, Stage 2=30 percent, Stage 3=40 percent. At no time this year are we allowed to go over 50% capacity.

On Monday, Pharis received another message from the KHSAA that included even more guidence from the KBE regarding practice, games and matches.

More on that as details develop.

He added that ticket plans are still being worked on, and will be dependent on the capacity limits and percentages as determined by the LCDHD, but parents and immediate family of players will have priority, followed by an allowance for family of the visiting team. General public tickets will be sold after those groups are met.

It’s going to be a little strange, but not as strange as no sports this fall at all.

With that said, we, at the Clinton County News, are now pushing forward with the fall sports Big Blue Preview.

Labor Day, Derby Day all in one

Of course, this will be the first time I’ve ever had to combine two special events such as the Kentucky Derby and Labor Day tourism into one weekend, but here we are, locked in another COVID-19 anomaly.

First things first, the Labor Day holiday is upon us, getting underway this Friday with the arrival of the RVs, campers, cars, trucks, boats and the trailers they sit on.

And, of course, all of those guests coming with them.

This is the last of the big three tourism events for our county this year, and I don’t have to remind everyone that we need these guests, we need their money and we want them to come back (but I just did anyway).

It’s been a busy season on the lake during COVID-19/2020, because it seems that everyone rushed out to their dealer and purchased boats and personal watercraft (PWC) this spring. Now they are all on the lake.

Be patient, local readers, it’s about over for this season. Give yourself a little extra time, a little extra room, and be nice. After this weekend, the lakes are ours for the best time of the year – fall boating.

“Let’s be careful out there”

Derby #146

Racing purist are already arguing that a sweep of the Belmont, Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes this year won’t represent a true Triple Crown – yes, in that order – this year. At best, it would be a Triple Crown with an asterisk, and the other argument is that a Triple Crown is a Triple Crown, run under the rules of the season.

Of course, we’re going to be watching without the seersucker outfits, silly hats and drunken infield mess on TV this year, but watching the race on TV is really the norm for me anyway.

As far as my bets will go this 146 Derby, I’m going with three, and the first two are lazy picks, you could say.

The top rated contender for the trophy and blanket of roses this year will be Tiz the Law, the odds on favorite as of this writing Tuesday morning, and the only horse that could capture a Triple Crown this season, having already won the Belmont on June 20.

Trained by Barclay Tagg with Manny Franco up, Tiz is the favorite, which is his only cross to bear on paper – favorites don’t always win the Derby.

My next pick is going to be the second favorite, Authentic. A horse partly owned by Spendthrift, he’s a Bob Baffert trained runner and Baffert is looking to win his sixth Kentucky Derby.

With John Velazquez up, Authentic will also have experience in his favor. Velazquez won the Kentucky Derby first in 2011 on Animal Kingdom, and again in 2017 on Always Dreaming.

Now, for my best name pick, I’m going this year with Storm the Court.

The whole year of 2020 has been a storm of sorts with this COVID-19 bunk, and because of the pandemic, we’re likely not to get to see any court storming, or court action for that matter, this season.

He’s not a total wash anyway – having earned over $1.2 million to date, with an upset win in the Breeders Cup Juvenile almost a year ago as a two-year old.

Julien Leparoux will be up on Storm the Court, and will likely be the long shot to cross the finish line in the money.

Post time – 6:00 p.m. Hopefully we’ll be picking more Derby winners next in late April, 2021.

. . . and they’re off!