FROM THE VALLEY: And to start with

It’s stunning how some people don’t recognize what’s staring them right in the face.

Relax, this is not a political rant.

I’m talking about the football player from Texas Tech, whom I won’t mention by name, who said he did not believe in outer space because he’s “real religious.”

He said because of that upbringing, “I don’t think there’s other planets and stuff like that.” He was talking to reporters gathered around him and other potential NFL players at the annual NFL Combine. That’s where he, an outstanding college defensive-back, and the other athletes were showcasing their talents to coaches and scouts in the hopes of securing careers in the lucrative business of professional football.

Well, I have to agree with the guy, in a way. Namely, his first three words: “I don’t think.” and if I was an NFL team owner, I would have to wonder if I’d be willing to trust a guy who can’t even trust himself with what he sees in the night sky with his own eyes.

For me, the most amazing part of the story is that this guy got into college. Texas Tech must have its admissions bar set at: “Can you run fast?”

OK, let’s move on, maybe pick up the speed a bit. What else have I got for you?

Here we go: Merriam-Webster recently announced, “It is permissible in English to be a preposition you end a sentence with.”

That’s how they cleverly told the writing community that the long-standing rule of not ending a sentence with a preposition had been changed. You can now do it (end a sentence with a preposition — for those of you who are easily distracted or are simply addicted to hitting “refresh”).

Great news, I can finally relax without the image of my high school English teachers spinning in their graves like the tail rotor of an Apache helicopter, due to my penchant for ignoring everything they tried to teach me.

Additionally, I’m now at ease because I’ve lived in terror worrying that the CWP (Correct Writing Police) would burst through my front door and drag me off to the state Pen and Pencil Correctional Facility over that penny-ante infraction. Then again, I’m paranoid by nature.

Incidentally, regarding that preposition-ending issue: it’s been said that Winston Churchill, who considered such a stringent guideline to be pure poppycock, once wrote, “This is the sort of nonsense, up with, which I will not put.” But being religious and all, I’m not so sure I actually believe he said it.

Before I break off to some totally unrelated topic, I must remind you that another rule of writing — never start a sentence with the word “and” — remains intact. And it’s considered to be a steadfast rule, and quite gauche. And it’s inferred that only an idiot would do such a thing. And that’s all I have to say about it.

Next: A participation joke. You simply have to supply the name of a politician when and where I tell you. Let’s do this.

“Why is an escaped convict a lot like (OK, do your thing here and now)?”

“Because neither one of them can finish a sentence.”

Yeah, that was bad. Let’s try something else.

A college guide was taking an older gentleman on a walking tour of the ever-changing campus. The older fellow had graduated from there decades earlier and wanted to see how the college had grown.

“That’s our newest building,” the guide pointed out. “It’s Hemingway Hall.”

“Oh, I’m so glad to hear it was named after Ernest Hemingway. He was my favorite,” the alumnus said.

“Well, actually it wasn’t Ernest, it was Kevin Hemingway.”

“Kevin?” the old-timer questioned. “Was he a writer, too?”

“You betcha,” the smirking guide replied, “he wrote the check.”

That’s it. Drive carefully on your way home.

“And” … that’s the way it looks from the Valley.