RULES FOR FOOLS - I have watched more sporting events and paid more attention than anyone in the history of planet earth and I realize what I don’t know which is plenty. What stuns me is how many experts are on the loose and quick to render rulings to officials and umpires.
Twice in the last week something happened on the softball field and before anyone asked me I was already saying, “I don’t know, I just write stories.”
A Cape base runner was called out for running into the shortstop during the Milford game on a ball that seemed nowhere near the shortstop. Cape put up a mild protest but a Milford parent, who may be coach and maybe not, was on the field clarifying the rule to the one umpire who did show up for the game.
Lacrosse is just insane and again I always answer illegal push versus legitimate hit with, “I have no idea.” And when everyone starts screaming “offsides” I just never know if it is or not. I do know if I get mired down in rules I can’t enjoy the game.
FENCE HANGERS - I admit I don’t like seeing talented athletes in the springtime hanging over fences at track meets and ballgames doing nothing except talking about how they are basketball players. How about representing your school in a variety of sports and pushing yourself to your physical limits?
Delaware is chock full of mediocre basketball players who will never play beyond high school and that includes adult leagues. How many do we need? But a seven-foot high jumper or 24-foot long jumper - now you’re telling me something.
TRASH CAN CATHOLICS - It is the second time in three years I have been at a sporting event at a Catholic school and took a picture of a trash can chained to a bench. There are trust issues at play here.
The first was at St. Thomas More when I was covering a soccer game and, most recently, at St. Mark’s watching girls lacrosse. With all the new stuff around Cape’s turf field you don’t see any brand new trash cans chained to benches and that’s because we sport blue barrels. Old, funky, nasty, always half-filled, sticky bacteria barrels. Just dive your head inside and take a deep breath and you’ll acquire instant immunity to all pathogens discovered by science and a few undiscovered.
HALF-PRICED NICOBOLIS - Cape was protecting a lead against Milford in the late innings last Tuesday as head softball coach Andy Givens was in the dugout sitting on an upside-down bucket flashing signals to Becca Bernheimer who relayed them to pitcher Chloe Vescovi. Andy has a Roadrunner tattoo on his right calf from his days coaching at Delaware Tech.
Coach turned to no one in particular and asked,. “Hey, isn’t this half-priced Nicoboli night at Nicolas?”
Allison Sullivan, recruited to keep the book, smiled and said, “You need to worry about finishing this game, not Nicobolis.”
Coach had the perfect answer. “Whether we win or lose this game is not going to affect my dietary choices.”
Meep! Meep!
HOLISTIC MEDICINE - You enter the current medical mosh pit which is, of course, a business model with a complaint and often that is the only thing looked at. Like, if you have a flat tire the mechanic is not checking the compression in your cylinders. And if you don’t look sick or lame or whine and complain no one will prompt you.
Holistically speaking, parts of my body are not cooperating with each other and because I don’t need to look or feel or walk perfectly, I don’t get taken seriously, which is fine with me because what moron looks for invasive surgery? And so the sports guy limps and the coaches on my beat go right there.
“Why are you limping?”
And I always answer, “Because it’s fun,” knowing any answer longer than 10 seconds is of interest to no one because they have their own story to tell. I may open a business on Route 1 - Tell Me What Hurts - and I’ll just listen for 30 minutes then collect your money.
HIPPITY HOPPITY - I was on the sidelines at Caesar Rodney last Wednesday afternoon watching the Cape girls play lacrosse and I think the sequence was Lillie Lingo to Allison Young to Raelynn Grogan for a quick stick goal which impressed the pale-skinned young couple along the fence causing the guy to exclaim, “Yo, they practice that stuff?”
The woman responded, “Cape ain’t never been no joke in lacrosse.” Actually I think Cape has always been no joke.
MISS BARBARA - Barbara Sumlin, who worked at Cape all the years I was there, passed away earlier this week at the age of 69 and for me and my entire family she was just the best person. She also worked a lifetime at the Adriatico Restaurant in Rehoboth where my three sons worked for years.
Barbara was fiercely loyal to her friends and Cape sports and was never anyone’s fool. I never heard any young person say a bad word about Miss Sumlin. She always laughed at me saying I knew more people by nicknames than anyone, black or white, and had nicknamed more people than anyone.
Her son Emory was a starting guard on the 1976 Cape Henlopen state champion football team and a defensive back in football. I’m not being eulogy guy here - just saying goodbye to a longtime friend of the family.
SNIPPETS - Zack Wood, Cape’s All-State safety, is heading to West Chester University which I believe is a good fit for him. I hope to see him sticking a few Delaware running backs in future years.
Some big games are at Hudson Fields on Saturday morning in Atlantic Lacrosse as the city of Salisbury brings some quality boys and girls teams to town.
And don’t forget spectator-friendly flag football on Sunday mornings in Rehoboth.
April 19 is opening day for the Lewes Little League. Cape Athletic Director Bob Cilento has been asked to throw out the first pitch - and all the rest of his pitches. Brackets will be complete by Tuesday paper.
I have Kansas, but honestly, I think North Carolina is going to win the NCAA tournament.
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Sports Editor Emeritus
Email Fredman at fredman@capegazette.com
