The first year of the new decade began on a Friday (that is correct: any new decade, century or millennium begins with the year ending in "1"). On Monday the 4th the basketball team at McCaskey returned to practice after a three-week government-imposed ban in another effort to "slow the spread". It's just an example of These Surreal Times we live in where "two weeks to flatten the curve" has stretched into ten months and the so-called experts can't or won't stop interfering. I personally believe that this could have been over with months ago had The Public simply been allowed to go about its business. I believe that we are all singularly responsible for our own health, I do all I'm able to in an effort to keep myself healthy and by doing that I am helping by extension to take care of others. More than that simply cannot be done because none of us are responsible for anyone else's health. I've never denied that this virus is serious and we need to take caution but having people live like hermits hasn't done any good and the statistics bear that out. Freddy Ramos is back for his third year as head coach at JPM, on Tuesday I dropped in at practice to get the scorebooks from him and everyone in the gym was masked up. I resist wearing masks because (a) I have a coronary artery stent and my ability to breathe is paramount and (b) I'm not convinced that a flimsy paper or cloth face covering can do anything against "The Deadliest Virus In The History Of Mankind". I have a neck gaiter I can pull up over the mouth when I'm around others but I only do that for the benefit of all the sweethearts who act like saying hello to someone is a death sentence. The season starts on the 8th, as it stands the club has seventeen games on its schedule. The league slate is thirteen games (seven home, six road), we also have four (three home, one road) against non-league opponents. On Thursday the rosters were firmed up, the organization has twenty-six players evenly split between Varsity and JV. The varsity squad has seven returnees but only one one with significant varsity experience, the others were part of a successful '19-20 JV team so hopefully that bodes well. Every year in high school sports is a new year and you never know what you have until you start playing the games. Take care, thanks for reading.
