Ellington

Thursday, Aug. 20
High school football: The season officially kicks off in the metro area with a pair of intriguing games. First, it's St. Andrew's at Canton Academy (7 p.m., Canton, 1300 AM, 1370 AM) in one of those MHSAA/MAIS games. Then, McLaurin visits Bailey (7:30 p.m., Newell Field, Jackson) in the JPS opener.

Friday, Aug. 21
Southern League baseball, Mobile at Mississippi (7:05 p.m., Pearl, 103.9 FM): The M-Braves conclude their homestand with the BayBears. … High school football, Lanier at Jim Hill (7 p.m., Hughes Field, Jackson): The Bulldogs and Tigers meet in the latest installment of a heated old-school JPS rivalry. … Brandon at Clinton (7:30 p.m., Clinton, 93.5 FM): Meanwhile, out in the suburbs, the Bulldogs take on the Arrows.

Saturday, Aug. 22
Southern League baseball, Mississippi at Chattanooga (6:15 p.m., Chattanooga, Tenn., 103.9 FM): M-Braves manager Phillip Wellman returns to the site of his epic meltdown for the first game of a series with the Lookouts. The man is a YouTube legend.

Sunday, Aug. 23
Major League Baseball, New York Yankees at Boston (7 p.m., ESPN): The poster children of performance-enhancing drugs in MLB meet in the latest installment of their ancient rivalry at Fenway Park.

Monday, Aug. 24
NFL exhibition football, New York Jets at Baltimore (7 p.m., ESPN): The Jets rookie QB Mark "GQ" Sanchez gets his first national exposure without a bikini model standing next to him.

Tuesday, Aug. 25
Reality show, "Shaq Vs." (8 p.m., Ch. 16): NBA superstar-in-decline takes on Shaquille O'Neal and men's beach volleyball star Todd Rogers take on women's stars Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. Theoretically, entertainment will ensue.

Wednesday, Aug. 26
Southern League baseball, Mississippi at Chattanooga (11:15 a.m., Chattanooga, Tenn., 103.9 FM): The M-Braves conclude their series with the Lookouts with some brunch-time baseball.

The Slate is compiled by Doctor S, who's going to miss Maggie Neff's brand of editorial tough love.