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People In Sports

Some guys are more physical than quizzical

June 22, 2012

Mind and body guy - Some of us real guys are more physical than quizzical, and school schedules are skewed the wrong way for us. It should be six periods of physical activity from weight lifting and running to life sports such as lawn casting for grass shrimp and full-contact badminton, and one period of a “So what's going; on do you have a single clue?” class.  Wednesday night at the Gold scrimmage in Milford I ran into my friend of 37 years, Vaughn Trammell, a man I just always called “Tranimal!” I won't tell you some of the names he used to call me, but I turned him into the physical beast he is today by introducing him to the Universal machine in 1975. Vaughn's Belltown buddy, Blue, more properly known as Eugene Brittingham, would look at Vaughn's bulging big arms, then back at me and say, “I hope you know what you're doing.” Vaughn was a running back on the football team and a sprinter on the track team and one of the most serious packages ever at Cape, but a quadriceps injury his senior year slowed him down. Another one of my weight room creations was Shawn Bundick, better know as Bat Mite. I pulled him out of some last-period study hall, and to the Universal machine we would go every day. Shawn looks like a cross between a gymnast and an NCAA champion wrestler. I wish Cape would let me start a “beast it up” track for students so inclined and also teach the  life skills class. Guaranteed they'd be beating down the weight room door to get in there.

Portrait of a prospect - Just by random chance caught a nice photo at Lewes Lax Tuesday night of incoming Cape freshman Lexi Gooch, daughter of Eric and Terry, both stellar Cape athletes in their day. I called the photo "Portrait of  Prospect" then put it on Facebook. Lexi is coming up through the system and plays field hockey and lacrosse. I commented, “The talent just keeps coming.” The photo was hit with comments from teachers and friends about what a great kid Lexi is, which was no surprise to me as her parents are both supportive and sane. Zen Master P.J. Kesmodel now has created a Tuesday Lewes Lax night and a Thursday Eastern Shore Lax night with many weekends devoted to tournaments. There is an alumni game coming up at 8 p.m., Thursday, July 12, under the lights at Cape featuring alumni versus the Championship Eastern Shore 2013-14 team led by all-state players Anna Frederick and Sara Young.

Let it go! - There is a big part of me that wants to tell adults who attend the Blue-Gold All-Star game in their all-star jerseys from back in the day to “let it go” because it is getting embarrassing. There, I said it, because every all-star team is characterized by a few people who should have made it but didn't for political reasons like, "Vote for my guy and I'll vote for yours," or coaches who say, ”Trust me, you don't want him and his bad attitude.” Those individuals are sentenced to a lifetime of once a year here come the old jerseys back out and here come all the feel-good stories and "Sorry you were a two-way all-conference end and all-state defender your senior year, but we already had enough people at your position.” My nephew Mike played in Pennsylvania Big 33 game against Maryland 33 coached by Jerry Mears, brother of Lloyd Mears, the same year as Kerry Collins and Kyle Brady. I asked Mike if he brings the jersey out once a year and wears it to the game. "No, it stays in the basement." True story: Honorary game captain that year, 1990, was Tony Dorsett, who showed up drunk game night and was replaced as banquet speaker by Chuck Bednarik, who talked about what he always talks about, "Killing Frank Gifford."

Snippets - Cape individual awards from the 2012 baseball season include MVP Diaz Nardo, Offensive MVP Adam Marcinizyn, Defensive MVP Cody Dmiterchik, Rookie of the Year David Kwan, Viking Award Kai Vitella, Sportsmanship Award Chris Rivera, Chris Short Memorial Award Jake Dmiterckik and Most Improved Award Brandon Keller. I walked into Club Fitness Wednesday morning in my dumb bright red Under Armour shirt and overfed and undertrained self and ran into instructor Paul Eckert, who said, ”Hey coach, you're looking good today.” Paul is a former Degnan scholarship award winner who will run the Degnan 5K on Sunday. The rumor mill has Mark Quillen, Delmar head wrestling and lacrosse coach, going to Sussex Tech. I overheard it in Earl Teat Music Store in Delmar while looking for a  used trombone. Also heard Seaford super athlete Andre Washington is heading for Sussex Central.  Heard that at DMV which getting my eyes checked.  Go on now, git!

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