At times like these, sports really are ancillary.
With people all around the area pumping out basements, being evacuated or worrying about loved ones, the decision of whether games should be played or not should not be a decision.
With both Herndon and Dalmatia having been evacuated because of rising water along the Susquehanna River corridor, Line Mountain was waiting for Jim Thorpe as late as Thursday night to decide whether the game should be played or not. A decision was expected to be made early today.
If you're looking for an unfair competitive advantage, go ahead and make kids play a football game while they're worrying about what they're going home to.
The same can be said of the Mount Carmel at Lewisburg game. Billed as an early-season slugfest, the game isn't nearly important enough to risk life and limb trying to get to.
There are several logistical nightmares in play. A) What roads and bridges will be open by tonight? B) Where will people park? C) Who is going to show up to watch a game?
Shamokin and Southern Columbia made the smart move of postponing their games. Southern's home game against Montoursville will be Saturday at 7 p.m. as it stands now. Shamokin's trip to Jersey Shore has been postponed to Monday at 7 p.m., leaving the Indians with a short week of preparation for Southern Columbia in Week 3.
Sports are an amazing way for people to heal, as the nation saw with New Orleans and its beloved Saints in the season after Hurricane Katrina. The New York Yankees seemed to be playing for all of New York after the terrorist attack on 9/11.
But in the moment of both events, sports was the last thing on the minds of anyone, as it should be now. Ultimately, football is just not that important.