By MONTE DUTTON

As another day of chipping away begins, I am relieved that perhaps Debby won’t be as much a downer as was thought. Staff meteorologists tend to get a bit giddy.

But my heart bleeds for Thursday.

If the weather outside is frightful, it might cost some scrimmages that are delightful.

Clinton is set to begin unofficially in Class 2A by facing 3A Belton-Honea Path, which ousted the Red Devils from the playoffs last season, and 5A James F. Byrnes. Corey Fountain puts his charges to a stern test. It had been scheduled for 6 p.m. at Wilder Stadium but has now been tentatively moved to BHP. It wasn’t played there, either, thanks to the rain.

Laurens is nearby, taking on Union County for a half, at about 9 p.m., after a bus ride up Hwy. 49, but now the McDonald’s Kickoff Jamboree has been moved to Friday. Two first-year head coaches, Greg Porter and the Yellow Jackets’ Quinnon Isom, test each other’s squads. Union won last season’s game, 20-17.

Meet the Raiders Night, set for Friday night, is off now but may be rescheduled for next week.

Provided Cathedral Academy of North Charleston can get to Johnston on Friday, Laurens Academy is to face the Cougars at 6:30.

Presbyterian College is holding an intrasquad scrimmage at Bailey Memorial Stadium on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

On the way home from LDHS on Tuesday evening, I happened to tune in S.C. SportsTalk and discover it was going live from Templeton Center.

I decided to drop by. Phil Kornblut and I have known each other since both of us were in college. Separate colleges, but we were both active in the athletics departments of our schools.

All I wanted to do was say hello, but Phil asked me to go on the show for a few minutes. Chris Burgin, once the Blue Hose radio voice while at WPCC, wasn’t in Clinton, but we chatted a while remotely. For about 15 years, I talked NASCAR and a wide range of other sports every Tuesday morning.

Most of the time I drove down to the station, but there were times I joined his sports show when I was in an airport waiting for a plane.

I hadn’t seen Phil since a Furman home game last fall, but I call in reports on his Friday-night high-school scoreboard show.

One reason I’m so frantic about football is that everything seems off kilter.

A man (or a woman) can’t turn on the TV without something earth-shattering. Early in the morning, I have to get up my nerve.

Momentarily, I was going to list them, but I realize I don’t want to search the web painstakingly so that I get them in order, with the additional likelihood that I’ll leave something out.

The West is on fire, and Charleston’s underwater. Other’n’at, ain’t much hap’nin’.

On the positive side, I heard Steamers is reopening. Red Devil fans need those pregame cheeseburgers.

I don’t know what I’m going to do about the impending scarcity of team handball once the Paris Olympics, a lovely affair, ends.

American athletes have performed gallantly. I have been moved by their artistry.

But NBC, its affiliates and subsidiaries have almost cornered the markets. I look forward to the weekend when NBC lets NASCAR race again.

Meanwhile, even the other TV powers concede the ground by running little other than reruns.

Tupperware never had so many guest hosts.

Hell, I’m considering playing a video game.

Football season is straight ahead, and I could use your help.

My goal has always been to restore coverage for the kids. It’s as much fun as the Daytona 500, but it’s not as big and harder to make a living at. I rely on readers who like the coverage I provide to make contributions.

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

You can support my site in several ways.

Support the advertisers. They are all fine people who appreciate my efforts, not to mention those of the kids, coaches, parents and fans.

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.

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Thanks for putting up with me.