Are you listening, Sam Page? and St. Louis Christian Academy aces The Grind Session 2

Two things on my mind today.... rumors that Sam Page is going to shut down St. Louis County sports and a few lines about St. Louis Christian Academy.

First, the rumors.  Some are saying that Dr. Sam Page, St. Louis County executive, is going to announce a shut-down of sports on Friday.  I think Dr. Page has done a wonderful job managing the County during the pandemic.  According to a SLU study, the masking mandate, while unpopular with some, has led to fewer cases, and deaths, than if he had not mandated the order.  COVID Cases Dropped in Counties with Mask Mandates: SLU Study | News Blog (riverfronttimes.com)

If we had the same orders in other Missouri counties, we might not be inundated with outstate patients.  Our Governor has decided on a laisse-faire approach and said that people should behave responsibly.  Well, it starts on top and if our President and our Governor had shown some responsibility, we would be more like South Korea (less than 600 deaths in 50 million people) than Sweden (herd immunity which backfired).  One populous County cannot control the state's irresponsibility and the horrendous, out-of-control pandemic we now have.  Missouri's refusal to participate in the Obama Care Medicaid expansion plans also backfired and many of the regional hospitals that would be treating rural patients are now closed.  Rural hospitals are closing because states refuse to expand Medicaid - Vox  The ones that are open are ill-equipped, also, in part due to the lack of a federal covid response.

So now, because our rural neighbors have ignored masking and social distancing, the virus is out of control around the state and we are getting their patients.  We also get exposed by workers and visitors that come into our city and county.  And what are we going to do about it?  Shut down sports?

It seems like a poor trade-off.  We mask and social distance, even on the basketball court, while our out-state neighbors do not.  Our boys and girls will have their season canceled or delayed, while out-state teams will continue to play.  Isn't that ironic.  I really don't know how cancelling our sports schedules will help control the pandemic in St. Louis without some improvements in pandemic management everywhere else?

 Please, Dr. Page, before you make this decision, tell us how sports, with masks and no spectators, is going to wake up our Governor and out-state neighbors?

 

On a brighter note, I followed The Grind Session 2 scores for the St. Louis Christian Academy out in Arizona with key interest.  I did not watch the games, other than a few highlights posted by the team, but I did analyze the box scores.  The had a couple of bad games but played very well overall.  I say bad but both were close and one was to one of the top teams.  I rated all the teams vs. my pre-season rating for SLCA and they were in the top four, even with two defeats.  One of those losses was to Our Savior Lutheran of New York, and maybe a fluke.  SLCA had an off night shooting or they might have come out with one loss to an excellent BFL Prep team from Washington.  Maybe Our Savior Lutheran doubled up on Nesbitt; he was 2 for 9 from three that night.  

They were suppose to play top-rated PHHoenix Prep last night but that team had a covid situation and so they rolled over the PHHoenix Blue by 33 points.  Would have been fun to see them compete against the tournament best, but it wasn't in the cards.

 Overall it was a great tournament for the Cougars and we should expect more great things, if they can continue to come to play and avoid the off-shooting nights.  It will be fun to see them compete against some St. Louis teams, if it can happen.

Here's my final ratings for the Grind:

The Grind -Session 2 Team ratings
PHHoenix Prep AZ   142.0
BFL Prep WA   138.3
St. Louis Christian Academy MO   137.1
Arizona Compass Green AZ   134.7
Veritas Prep CA   133.6
Dream City Christian AZ   131.8
Southern California Academy CA   129.6
Our Savior Lutheran NY   127.7
Prolific Prep CA   126.6
Balboa School CA   126.1
US Basketball Academy OR   123.3
Eduprize Prep AZ   123.1
West Oaks  FL   122.3
PHHoenix Blue AZ   117.0
Southern California Institute of Sport CA   112.6
Bella Vista Prep AZ   111.1
Pony Express AZ   66.0


 That's my two cents worth today.


 

 

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