By MONTE DUTTON

I’m leery of initialisms and acronyms.

A history professor walked into a classroom and printed on the chalk board “fufn.”

First usage, full name.

During the regrettable times I wrote about local news, obscure terms crashed in waves from the podiums.

We paid for this with an IRSAY grant. The funding for the new firetruck came from BFQZ. We talked with the DAKA executive director. ARCC advised us to proceed. Blah, blah, blah.

(The terms above I made up.)

I scoured the net, winnowing out which of the dozen ARCCs was the magic one. I asked officials after meetings. They didn’t know.

This frustration isn’t merely as a journalist. When I read the local papers, I am mystified by the capital letters.

Sports aren’t much better. I just know them better.

The Olympics. I am more concerned that the world’s great athletes emerge safe than who wins the medals.

I can’t help it. Lately, every time I’ve turned on a TV, I’ve done so with trepidation.

It’s gotten where wildfires can rampage across northern California, and it’s barely noticed.

Perceived security is a false sense. It’s an angry country in an angry world, or that’s the best I can tell from a small town in South Carolina.

Everybody hates something. I don’t know if nobody still doesn’t like Sara Lee.

Watching the Opening Ceremonies … The last time as many Americans arrived in a boat, they were soldiers. Watching the cheering throng reminded me of old black and white reels of troop ships.

Wonder why the Yanks didn’t sing “Over There”? It’s only been 107 years.

Between the massive ships carrying the powerful teams, and small motorboats with obscure ones, it made me think of the old Ramblin’ Raft Race on the Chattahoochee.

More aptly, Dunkirk.

Now let’s touch a wide base at Furman.

The Paladins released the annual encyclopedic review of the past school year’s myriad of accomplishments, including championships, NCAA tournament play, All-Americans and and impressive work in the classroom.

Furman teams captured three Southern Conference team championships, claiming the football regular season championship and tournament titles in women’s and men’s cross country.

Two Furman teams, football and women’s cross country, qualified for NCAA play, with football advancing to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoff quarterfinals after earning a No. 7 seed and first round bye, and nine Paladin earned NCAA individual invitations.

Women’s golfer Anna Morgan became the first female athlete in SoCon history to capture league athlete of the year honors three times when she took home the award. Furman also netted eight All-Americans, four SoCon Players of the Year, three SoCon Freshmen of the Year, and 90 all-conference performers.

Furman athletes, coaches and staff representing the university’s 18 intercollegiate sports combined to garner 720 individual honors and awards accorded by school, conference, NCAA and sports/professional organizations.

Furman’s 322 athletes compiled a combined grade-point average of 3.38 for the spring semester, with 52 percent (167) earning Dean’s List and 53 student-athletes achieving perfect 4.0s.

Furman placed 235 athletes on the SoCon Academic Honor Roll, with 77 earning Commissioner’s Medals for posting GPAs of 3.8 or higher.

See the full list of accolades here.

As football season approaches – and, let’s be real, the free memory is dwindling – I expect to streamline the site name. Since the coverage – Furman and Laurens County – is difficult to convey in a word, I may stick with Wellpilgrim (com, net, et al.). Or, if anyone thinks of anything snazzy, I’ll take it under advisement.

A shorter name makes it more likely that readers go directly to the site without linking through social media (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

Advertising alone will not keep me going, but there’s room for a few more. Every ad is inset in every story.

Support the advertisers. They are all fine people who appreciate my attempts to restore coverage of local sports. They are dependable, and not too long ago, I sold a couple ads to folks who weren’t. I am thus cautious.

I rely on readers who like the coverage I provide to make contributions. Several ways work.

Please donate whatever you consider appropriate via Venmo at DHK Sports. You may also reach me by mail at 11185 Highway 56 North, Clinton  29325.

If you choose, make a monthly donation via Patreon. The Laurens County site is here. The Furman site is here.

In the off chance you’d like to read my novels and other books, they’re available on Amazon and many prominent bookseller sites. You can read them on your phones and other devices for a modest cost.

I make a bit more if you purchase the actual books, but what I mainly want is for folks to read them.

Sample my collection of short stories, Longer Songs (they were based on songs I wrote). Download it for 99 cents.

Photo galleries are posted on Instagram @furmanatt and @laurenscountysports.

Thanks for your support.