Opinion Corner: Change is part of the game

Talk about it

Rarely does it register a blip these days when a player moves from one team to the other.

Even when star players switch teams nowadays that too has become pretty SOP.

Although, it was weird the other day to see Peyton Manning in a Denver Broncos jersey. Not sure if it was the fact that Manning was not in the traditional blue and white of the Indianapolis Colts, or if it was the jolt of seeing him in those hideous sherbet-orange tops the Broncos mistakenly unleashed on the world.

Regardless, change is as common to sports as a ball, bat or glove — nationally, regionally and certainly locally. If you’re a sports fan, you have to pay attention because things are fluid.

There’s certainly been plenty of change in the high-profile sports for the Jimmies and Blue Jays.

Both football teams have new coaches. At Jamestown High School, it’s the first new coach in 15 years as Tim Fletcher leads the Blue Jays out tonight in Devils Lake for the first time.

Same is true for the JC football team. Good guy and quality coach Bud Etzold had been in charge of the Jimmies for more than half of the last 15 years, but after a couple of snakebitten seasons, some of the natives grew restless, and so a new era begins tonight in Miles City, Mont., against Rocky Mountain College.

New coaches are in charge of the men’s basketball, golf and women’s soccer teams as well at Jamestown College. In the spring, the Blue Jays will have a new baseball coach, but otherwise there wasn’t a lot of movement, at least not that I was told about.

For some people, change is good. New blood, new energy, new voice — all code words people use to justify making changes. It also can represent hope as in we all hope for the best. Writing and reading about winning is far more enjoyable than the alternative.

Will the changes work for the Jimmies, Blue Jays even Peyton Manning, or is it a case of re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic? Only time will tell.

Sun sports editor Dave Selvig can be reached at (701) 952-8460 or by e-mail at daves@jamestownsun.com

Tags: sports