So ... just how far is too far in this world of COVID we’re living in today?

All I know is I witnessed “too far” last weekend at Veterans Stadium in Erie.

Butler’s football team headed up there to take on Erie High School. The Golden Tornado were trying to snap their 23-game losing streak and came close to pulling that off. Butler had a 12-0 lead early before succumbing by a 35-25 score in what was an action-packed game.

The shame of it was that no fans were permitted inside the stadium to see it.

No parents. No friends. No students.

Nobody.

As in zero.

Veterans Stadium holds 10,000 people. The enclosed facility has seating all the way around, except for the scoreboard end behind the north end zone.

At least 3,000 people could have been allowed in — wearing masks — with social distancing easily being maintained.

Instead, there were approximately 16 people from Butler — presumably parents of players — standing behind a closed gate, looking down upon the action. Some Erie faithful were doing likewise behind a closed gate on the other side.

I’m sorry, but this is lunacy.

And now we’re back to the 25 people indoor, 250 people outdoor limit. What’s next?

While I was north of Butler last Saturday, Lernerville Speedway was hosting a World of Outlaws Sprint car show south of Butler. Thousands of people were permitted into that facility to view the action.

What’s wrong with this picture?

Where is the consistency?

If watching a game at an outdoor venue is considered so unsafe that no one is allowed in, why is that game being played in the first place?

If it is unsafe to watch, isn’t it unsafe to play?

When this high school football season started, only 150 people were allowed in at certain venues. A couple of weeks in, that number swelled to 550 at some stadiums.

A few places decided to stop counting bodies and allow anybody in once a federal court ruling said they could do so.

Now the governor got his stay. My head is spinning.

In Erie, not only are no fans permitted inside the stadium, but teams cannot use the locker room facilities. They had to change outside or find somewhere off the grounds to get into their gear.

This is just the far western portion of Pennsylvania we’re talking about here.

Lernerville Speedway in Sarver.

Veterans Stadium in Erie.

A little more than 100 miles apart geographically. Eons apart in philosophy.

Can we all get on the same page?

Please?

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle