What’s next in terms of CR sports section?

It’s a peculiar time.

Sports have come to a screeching halt.

The NBA and NHL have “paused” the remainder of the season.

Major League Soccer has been suspended as well.

Both the MLB and Minor League Baseball announced the start to their respective schedules will be delayed.

On Thursday, the NCAA announced its marquee event, the March Madness men’s basketball tournament, as well as all other winter and spring championship tournaments, have been canceled for the 2019-20 season.

Also Thursday, the OHSAA ended its winter season. As of press time, the IHSAA boys basketball regional tournaments will go on with limited spectators Saturday and the gymnastics state finals Saturday at Worthen Arena at Ball State University will be contested with no fans in attendance.

And, Jay School Corporation said in a release Thursday afternoon it is suspending all extracurricular and after-school activities — including sports — for 30 days.

That means, given the rule a team must have 10 practices before beginning competition, the Jay County Patriot spring sports teams will not be able to have a game until April 24.

Unless, that is, something drastic changes before then. But let’s be honest, the likelihood of that happening is slim.

There has been no update as to the status of Fort Recovery sports just yet, although Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said on Thursday schools in Ohio will be closed for three weeks beginning at the end of the school day Monday.

So, herein lies the problem: with virtually no sports — at any level — what will take up the pages of The Commercial Review sports section?

For more than six years (minus a few months) I have prided myself on making these sports pages the best source around for local sports by putting a higher priority on area athletes than I do state and nationwide sports.

You can read about those almost anywhere else. But local gymnastics, baseball, track? I’ve got you.

Recent events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have obviously put a giant hamper on what I will be covering in the coming days and weeks.

Since we have no definitive answer as to when sports at any level may resume, I write this column soliciting some help.

What are some things you, the reader, would like to see?

Are there any burning questions you have regarding athletics at Jay County and Fort Recovery?

If so, let me have ’em and I’ll do the best of my ability to get them answered.

Sports gurus are obsessed with top-10 lists. What sort of topics would you be interested in getting my take on with regards to these top-10 lists?

I’ve gotten a few ideas through my social media channels, but I’m always open to suggestions and story ideas.

(Send me an email at [email protected], or stop by the office to chat.)

The weeks between winter and spring sports locally have always been a bit of a lull; there’s just not much going on. Sure, I’ve been able to capture photos of middle school swim and wrestling meets here and there and use state and national stories to take up the other space on these pages.

But there’s no telling when even those leagues will resume competition.

As we all try to stay safe, remain calm and find our bearings in the immediate future without sports to take up our time — sports, after all, are minuscule in the grand scheme of things — there’s still a newspaper to produce.

And I want you to get the content you want. Because remember, I serve you, the reader.