People who like post-season playoffs because they are more intense than routine games should follow the OPA Board of Directors post-election competition if heightened gamesmanship is their thing.

At stake  is control of a board that seems to have little these days, as members try to plunk each other with high, hard and inside pitches.

Fans of conflict are probably enjoying this, but casual spectators must be exhausted, given all the extra innings that have been played since the Aug. 11 voting deadline.

Game highlights so far go like this: candidate Rick Farr is disqualified midway through the election. Circuit Court Judge Beau Oglesby blocks the counting of ballots on Aug. 11. Judge Sidney Campen on Aug. 30 rejects Farr’s request for an injunction and says the OPA can count the ballots.

A week later, the board  agrees not to count the ballots until after a Sept. 27 motions hearing before Judge Campen. That hearing decides nothing as regards Farr’s eligibility, but the judge does say the board can proceed with the election process.

The board votes 4-3 on Sept. 30 to conduct a new election without Farr on the ballot. Director Camilla Rogers takes herself out of the game because of threats and insults aimed at her for finding that Farr was ineligible to run. President Larry Perrone does not attend the meeting in person, citing his possible exposure to covid-19, but does have drinks in public with Director Collette Horn shortly after the session..

Director Tom Janasek responds to an email about that by adding an offensive comment directed at Horn and it somehow goes public. A special meeting is set for Oct. 11 to hear Horn’s motion to throw out Janasek for being offensive. The board also will decide who it wants to fill the unexpired portion of Rogers’ term.

Considering all the above, all that can be said using the baseball metaphor is a tip of the hat goes out to the association’s crew for maintaining the OPA’s operations and keeping the grounds in shape while board members concentrate on trying to score.