Whether one agrees or disagrees with Friday's PIAA decision to move forward with fall sports, there are some people who deserve a lot of credit right now.

Kudos to school districts in Philadelphia and Harrisburg, along with Uniontown and Summit Academy, and any others for deciding not to participate in fall sports before the PIAA's board meeting Friday.

Those schools took the bull by the horns and let their communities know exactly where they stand on this issue.

School districts that continue to move ahead with fall sports since being given the PIAA go-ahead were equally staunch in their decisions to play. Any districts who choose not to play now — and there will likely be some — are questionable in that regard.

Nothing has changed in the COVID-19 pandemic to suggest they should suddenly decide not to play. Any schools that opt out now were clearly hoping the PIAA would vote against playing and they wouldn't have to concern themselves with a decision.

In other words, if a school district decides not to play now, it probably knew it wasn't going to play for quite some time. So why allow your athletes to condition, prepare and put in all that time and effort if you just wanted to shut it down anyway?

Liability issues could cause an about-face in decisions to play. Time will tell.

College football exposed?

The argument has always existed that major college football players are pawns in a multi-million dollar industry.

Consider that confirmed.

Collegiate conferences are so hungry to proceed with the season — and get that TV money — that they're not worried about whether fans can be in the stands. They're not even worried about if students can be on campus.

Have these football players sign waivers and come on in.

Disgusting.

If ever a union was needed to be created to protect the interest of these young people, it's now.

Slamming a slam

Fernando Tatis, Jr., hits a grand slam on a 3-0 pitch, with his San Diego Padres leading by seven runs late in a game against the Texas Rangers, and he gets criticized for it.

The Texas pitcher threw the next pitch behind the head of the next hitter — and that was OK.

Tatis was publicly admonished by his own manager and teammates for hitting a home run. If he missed a take sign and did it, that's one thing. His manager should have talked to him about that privately.

But to say Tatis violated an “unwritten rule?” Really?

This is pro sports. If you're getting beaten that soundly on the scoreboard, take it and move on. Get better. Play better.

Tatis was doing his job.

That pitcher needs to get better at doing his.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle