The year 2020.

So many things continue to go on that dwarf the importance of sports, yet sports are deemed important enough to go on.

The latest is the mask mandate for high school athletes coming out of Gov. Tom Wolf’s office earlier in the week.

While there are concerns about young athletes maintaining their stamina and normal breathing patterns while running up and down a soccer pitch, football field or basketball court while wearing a mask, the implication of this mandate is clear.

No one wants to take the privilege — and it is a privilege — of athletic competition away from these kids.

So much has been taken from them already this year.

Performing any sport while having a mask covering one’s mouth and nose will be an adjustment for everybody involved.

But at least they can still perform.

The sports shutdown of last March hurt a lot of people in a lot of ways. Just ask the Butler boys basketball team.

Nobody wants to see that happen again.

If wearing a mask means the games can go on, so be it.

Oust penalty kicks

I know this will never happen, but high school soccer needs to get rid of penalty kicks as a means to decide postseason games.

The penalty kick format forces the goalkeeper to guess which direction the shooter is going. Even if he guesses correctly, it takes a monumental effort to make a save.

If he guesses incorrectly, the only way a goal isn’t scored is if the shooter somehow misses the net.

In other words, a lot of luck is involved.

I wonder why a soccer overtime period can’t be handles in a similar fashion to NHL overtime. In hockey, the game becomes 3-on-3 in overtime, opening up more ice and greatly increasing the chances of a goal being scored quickly.

Make high school soccer 7-on-7 in overtime and a goal would probably be scored before too long.

It would be different, but it’s better than penalty kicks.

Just a thought.

16-0?

In a word, no.

Steeler fans are beginning to think such a thought, but it’s not going to happen.

This team is good, make no mistake about that. The Steelers just aren’t that good.

Seven of their nine wins have been extremely close. In some cases, they held on. In other cases, they came back. In a couple of cases, they’ve gotten breaks.

That’s what it takes to win nine straight games in the NFL.

Again, this is a good team. This is a Super Bowl contender.

But this is the NFL.

At some point, some team will jump up and bite this team.

Don’t know where. Don’t know when.

But it’s coming.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle