Crunch Time

I's coming down to the wire here at the high school track, and what a turn out it is, Bob!

Yes, it seems that most juniors have turned on the boosters and most seniors have hit the emergency breaks, George!

Well, Bob, this might be the closest finish we have ever seen. Who will make it to the end: the over-it seniors or the just-starting juniors? We'll just have to wait and see.

I guess that's right, George. This is crunch time, ladies and gentlemen; it's time to put everything you can muster into this final stretch of school and get to the end! The pit stop is just around the corner, you guys can make it!

From what I've seen in previous years, Bob, the juniors save some gusto for their final lap around the track, but the seniors putter in and put everything they have into this last quarter (or at least those that have saved anything for this final period) of play.

That's too bad, George, because the seniors have another race starting almost right after this one!

And what's that one, Bob?

It's the college race.

That's true, Bob.

I know, George. I know. That race is just as intense as the high school race, but the stakes are higher and the rewards are greater. Or so I've heard, considering I have not competed in the college race yet. This is total speculation, George.

I think you're right, though, Bob. It is the same length as the high school race, but competition is more intense at the college race. Only the qualified racers go that track. Some clubs forget that when the majority of their racers qualify for the college track, but other clubs understand that only the racers that show potential and drive make it into the prestigious college track.

Well, George, let's hope that the seniors can muster up the same vigor they had as freshmen racers in the high school race so they can be just as alive and rearing to go for the four laps of the college track!

Well, Bob, before we get carried away with the college race coming up next for the seniors, let's focus back on the current high school race winding down here.

Good idea, George. We don't want to get ahead of ourselves. Well, would you look at that, EVERY SINGLE RACER SEEMS TO HAVE SLOWED DOWN! Not just the seniors, George, but also the juniors! What kind of a strategy do you think this is?

Well, Bob, I think that they are all trying their best, but they've just run out of that gung-ho attitude booster that got them through the prior 3/4ths of this lap.

I think you're right, George. They seem to be frustrated at the length of the track. I think that we shouldn't have made the last quarter of the track the longest part; they seem to be noticing it now.

Yes, I think they are finding the extra 100,000 feet of track in the fourth quarter of this lap to be extra difficult. Maybe we should think about making the last quarter of the track the shortest part, and make the first quarter the longest?

I think that's a great idea, George! That way it will feel the same length all throughout the year! Brilliant!

Well, that's all the time we have, folks, but come back in about a month and a half to find out the ending to this exciting high school race! And to all those racers out there, keep it up, you're almost there! This is Bob and George, signing out.