The message is clear, and it is a good one.

But will it be enough?

Reading colleague Tom King’s notes from the NHIAA, then catching Jamie Staton’s WMUR-TV Face Time interview with Executive Director Jeff Collins, it was reassuring to see that the kids matter.

They still matter, and the powers that be understand that sports are important to these student-athletes.

“We’re prepared to do whatever is necessary to give the kids a chance to play this spring,” said Collins to WMUR.

“Especially for the seniors, to get out there and represent their schools one last time.”

There is an air of desperation, of course. The reports of peaks and surges are certainly depressing at the least and alarming at the most.

Collins feels it, and it would make sense that he speaks for the entire executive board.

“Let’s see what we can get in, see what we can do with the time frames given to us,” Collins continued. “We’d love to have them get out there, even if it’s a home and away regular season game then go right to the tournament, just so the seniors could have some sort of senior day.

“We’re looking at all options. It’s important in this time period to give the kids some hope.”

We were tough on the NHIAA in this corner, back in mid-March. When they blew up the playoffs, mid-tourney, it was a tough pill to swallow.

There had to be a better choice. Even now, I wonder if games were played without fans and true champs were named, would it have done any damage virus-wise.

Spring offers a second chance, not just for the athletes who had their winter seasons ripped away.

It’s reassuring to see these administrators understand, in these most brutal times.

ODDS AND ENDS

The answer is “not a penny.”

The question: What should anyone have to pay to watch the upcoming Phil Mickelson/Tiger Woods II golf grudge match?

You do not put something like this on pay-per-view during a pandemic where the nation is otherwise shut down. …

Has anyone heard from the commissioner of baseball, Rob Manfred?

While the NFL is attempting to be as “business as usual” in this pandemic, MLB has chosen to run for cover.

Perhaps we are being asked to draw our own conclusions as it pertains to Alex Cora’s 2018 crew electronically cheating its way to a World Series championship. …

Look, I’m not one to doubt a man with six Super Bowl championships.

But losing Tom Brady, Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins, didn’t you expect more out of the New England Patriots in this free-agency period?

Enter Dan Vitale, Beau Allen, Damiere Byrd, Brian Hoyer, Adrian Phillips, Brandon Copeland and Corey Davis?

If you were keeping track at positional depth charts:

WR (must play at least two) — Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry, Mohammad Sanu, Jakobi Myers.

TE — Ryan Izzo, Matt Lacosse.

LB (must play 3-4) — Dont’a Hightower, JaWhaun Bentley, Chase Winovich, Shilique Calhoun.

Ouch. Now that is hardly comforting at any of those key spots.

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