Idle Thoughts, while waiting for the high school football playoffs, the UConn women vs. icky Notre Dame and for the Giants to get a first down:

• Dr. Idle, Dr. I to his close friends, is not happy today.

See, Dr. I ventured into education writing last year and crafted a lengthy story about an innovative math program in New London called “Teach To One,” that essentially allows students to learn math at their own pace.

The kids love it.

The teachers love it.

Test scores have improved.

Wish Dr. I had this during his failed bouts with learning math.

New London has earned national acclaim for its participation.

And …

Inexplicably, it’s on the chopping block because of budget issues. It’ll be discussed at the Board of Finance meeting Monday night.

Dear New London:

Everyone knows this city has been, you know, knitting with one needle for quite some time now. But if you cut this program — successful at every layer and level — you’ll be effectively thumbing your nose at the kids and their achievements.

Is that what you want?

Straight up: It’s the single best educational program in the city.

So don’t be obstructionist.

Honor the kids.

Keep the program.

• Line of the week comes from Dr. I’s pal Tom Doyle, the former basketball coach at Fitch:

“I’m really hoping the (Fitch) football team doesn’t win the state championship,” Doyle said. “The kids would never get into the (Fitch) Hall of Fame.”

(Tom shoots, Tom scores).

• Coolest thing Dr. I has seen all fall:

Old Lyme athletic director Hildy Heck was wearing a battery operated winter coat at a soccer game, thus making her the warmest person in Connecticut.

A genius idea, both from the maker and the wearer.

Sayeth Hildy, alluding to the battery pack, “You can stay warm and charge your phone at the same time.”

• News item: Oregon men’s basketball has signed Bol Bol, the son of the late Manute Bol, for next season.

Bol Bol got Dr. I thinking about other people whose names repeat.

There’s former UConn soccer player Carlos Carlos, former Georgetown basketball player Ruben Boumtje Boumtje and, of course, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.

• News item: For the second straight season, the Eastern Connecticut Conference crowned three football champions in the four-team Division II.

Combined record of Stonington, Montville and Bacon Academy: 12-18.

Just makes you want to bust out into “We Are The Champions,” doesn’t it?

• So let’s see if Dr. I has this right:

New London digs up diddly on the school system’s former technology and operations director Tim Wheeler …

And the guy still loses his job?

Does anybody in this city have the courage or decency to explain that one?

Without lying?

• Kevin Ollie after UConn’s win over Oregon the other night:

“I had to go to the small lineup because of the matchup problems we had with this team,” he told the Hartford Courant, “and they just came through for me.”

They came through for YOU, coach?

Uh, no. They came through for their team. You know. UConn.

The UConn that existed long before you and will long after you’re gone.

• Congrats to Old Lyme girls’ soccer not only on its state championship, but for defeating two schools of choice in the semifinals and finals.

Public schools just raised their record to 22-516 against choice schools in the state tournament.

• Congrats to the CIAC for dropping choice school and 2016 Class M finalist St. Joseph into Class S this season.

St. Joe’s gets to play O’Brien Tech in the first round of the playoffs, followed by the Rocky Hill/Valley-Old Lyme winner.

An absolute joke.

• Finally, Dr. I officially awards Montville High with the best concession stand at football games this year.

Great food and Kate Southard’s musings on the world.

Can’t beat it.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro