Simmons Says Mailbag - June

The mailbag returns in June, and man, it couldn't come at a better time. Dead period already slows sports down, but Monday's monsoon made it even rougher.

Anyway, these are questions I've either had submitted or have been asked while working on The Warren County Way website.

Thanks for reading. Let's get rolling.

Q: So after listening to you a few times, let's hear it: Are you for or against data centers?

More than a few people have wanted to pin me down on this topic, as if somehow my opinion holds a ton of sway (or I should get canceled if I answer the wrong way). Here's what I'll continue to say, just like I did in the last mailbag: I want to see government work in a way that values the community's opinion.

So far, so good.

The county's unanimous decision Monday to put a moratorium on data centers, following the city's 18-month moratorium earlier this month, gives 99 percent of the people I've spoken with exactly what they wanted. Warren County will largely remain unchanged from the "they're coming to steal our water" fears, or whatever other complaint a lot of people probably looked up on ChatGPT before delivering their final speeches.

Here's where I think it gets trickier: Why now?

When many people were clamoring to enact the County Powers Act to stop rock quarries, we didn't get unanimous backing, and the complaints sounded pretty familiar to me: They're going to pollute the water, hurt neighborhoods, blasting will shake foundations, the sound will be unbearable, etc.

Yet the County Powers Act barely got off the ground. NIMBY - "Not In My Back Yard" - became the common way of arguing for or against it. If it was going to affect you, you cared deeply. If it wasn't coming into your neighborhood, maybe you didn't care quite as much.

(Full disclosure: I know a lot of that happened because our county attorney pointed out the county could run into targeted legislation issues, and that essentially ended whatever momentum the proposal had.)

On my drive home this weekend, I decided to guesstimate the distance between the proposed data center and my front door. It's about two miles - less than a 5K from my house. Most people could walk that in 20 minutes. I'd need about 40.

So yes, I guess this qualifies as "my back yard."

And I still have the same question: Why was it so much easier to say no to data centers than it was to say no to rock quarries, chicken houses, ISHA (man, we forgot about that outrage quickly - and I'm glad) or any number of other controversial projects?

Maybe it's because we aren't really saying no. We're saying, "Not right now."

Personally, I don't think this particular project is happening. You can take that prediction to Polymarket and see if it gets you a penny.

One last thought: I don't have any issue with how this played out. I think Warren County spoke loudly and, for the most part, spoke with one voice. That probably made this decision pretty easy.

But I did have a conversation with someone who wasn't completely against the project. Their question stuck with me: How many businesses already operating in Warren County would meet the city's or county's eventual definition of a data center?

I'd guess the answer is more than zero.

They arrived quietly. They operate quietly. And hardly anybody has ever said a word about them.

Food for thought.

Q: Would you ever write a book about Warren County sports?

If I had access to everything I've written over the years, I think I could already put together a pretty good scrapbook. Or, at the very least, I could just feed it into ChatGPT and see what happens (Kidding - Let's not poison the watering hole).

My dad asked me this last week during our Father and Son Friday show, and I've been thinking about it ever since. If I ever did it, I'd probably start by finding a copy of Bobby Newby's book on Warren County sports and just pick up where he left off.

The way Dad talked, he basically made it sound like I was the Three-Eyed Raven of Warren County. I know all our recent history (Sorry for the Game of Thrones reference - I was pretty fired up for the return of House of the Dragon).

But he made a good point - If we don't do a good job documenting our history, eventually we're going to lose parts of it. That strikes a nerve with me.

There are countless stories I've written over the years that I wish I still had. My own archives would be a pretty good jumpstart on telling the story of 21st-century Warren County sports.

It may not seem like a lot, but this fall I'll have covered 17 of the 58 seasons of Pioneer football. That's nearly one-third of the program's history.

Sure, it's not Jay Walker numbers, but between me and Jay, I bet we could craft a pretty good novel about Pioneer athletics. Heck, Jay probably has enough untold stories to fill a book by himself.

I know I do.

Q: What is the next team you'd like to profile?

After I got the chance to really dig into the 2001-02 Pioneer basketball team, I got flooded with this question.

First off, thank you to everybody who reached out. It truly was a pleasure to hop in the time machine and relive some of those moments.

Off the top of my head, I think the 2000-01 Pioneer soccer team would be next. I've already done a good bit of research on that group and know a large chunk of the roster, so I think I could pull together a pretty complete story.

I can probably cross the 2012 volleyball team off the list (click the link if you want to know more about them), as well as the 2013 girls soccer team. Those were two of the most special teams I covered during my first stint at the Standard.

I also did a 20-year reunion story on the Pioneer baseball team,so baseball is fairly well covered for now. Then again, next spring marks the 35-year reunion of another great Pioneer baseball team, so maybe it's time to revisit that one.

Trev also reminded me last week about the 16-page tab I produced on the 2019-20 district championship team, so maybe I could do a look back on that. That said, if you still have that tab - it’s a perfect time capsule of that squad.

I've also looked back at some of the outstanding Pioneer football teams from the late '70s and early '80s, so perhaps it's time to tackle the 1990 squad.

If you have suggestions, let me know.

I know James has a couple of projects in the works that should bring back some local national championship nostalgia, so keep an eye out.

Q: Do you like writing or hosting the show more?

I got this question from a kid who I think is eventually going to major in journalism - or JEM (Journalism & Electronic Media) - and it caught me off guard.

Honestly, I still don't think of myself as a show host, even though I'm back to doing it five days a week and probably have more than 300 shows under my belt.

I still enjoy writing more, mostly because I think I'm a lot better at it.

If we're borrowing Malcolm Gladwell's "10,000-hour rule" from Outliers, I think I've passed that mark two or three times over. The basic idea is that it takes around 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to become an expert.

For me, I think I've reached that point covering sports - Warren County sports, in particular.

I think I could cover just about any high school sports beat with confidence, but Warren County is home. That familiarity allows me to cover it with precision and professionalism.

Maybe I'll get there behind the microphone someday too.

I enjoy it, and when it comes to coaxing a conversation out of people, I'd say I may be one of the best in the county.

Interviewing, though? I'm still hit or miss.

Q: So will there be a Date No. 2 after the "Father's Day" fiasco?

Nice try. Some of my life will continue to be private.

Thanks for reading.

Have a question for the next Simmons Says Mailbag? Email wcsportsauthority@gmail.com. Sports, county government, journalism, Warren County history and just about anything else is fair game. If it's interesting enough, it'll probably make the next mailbag.