All team members should dress for state tournaments

Dem da rules - I’m more than willing to declare a rule dumb if that is my belief but nevertheless abide by it if I have no power to change it. “Comply or goodbye” works for me. But the DIAA rule limiting the number of varsity players who can dress for a state tournament only succeeds in devastating some young athlete. How about if they limit the number of official adults who stalk the sidelines during tournaments busting on people like me? And the rule is selectively discriminatory and arbitrary; just allow the coach to declare, “This is my varsity team and has been all season. You get us all or you get none of us. We will leave no teammate behind.” 

Can’t trust this! The Phillies traded Canadian Ferguson Jenkins to the Cubs in 1966, and Fergie went on to record seven 20-win seasons, earn a Cy Young Award, and be inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. He also played for the Harlem Globetrotters in the off-season. According to Wikipedia, Jenkins is considered the anchor of the 12 Black Aces, a group of pitchers with at least 20 wins in one season. Besides Jenkins, members of that group are Mudcat Grant, Bob Gibson, Vida Blue, Al Downing, Dwight Gooden, Sam Jones, Don Newcombe, Mike Norris, J.R. Richard, Dave Stewart and Earl Wilson. Other African American pitchers to win 20 games not in the group of 12 are Dontrelle Willis, CC Sabathia and David Price. Luis Tiant from Latin America, with four seasons of 20 wins, expressed disappointment not to be included in the group. I started down this road only to say that the latest surge by the Phillies to climb back into the divisional race with multiple prime-time players out of the lineup makes me happy, but as a fan, I prefer to be blasé.  

Ballin’! Ballin’! Volleyball is a sport crying for spectators. Every point is celebrated. High school teams should turn it out for home games. A few years back, the football guys came into the Big House gym and after each Cape point were chanting like Gregorian monks, “Boring! Boring!” I went over to them. “You linemen who play unskilled positions and aren’t allowed to touch the ball think this is boring. That is rich! That is priceless.” One player said, “We sayin’ ballin’, Fredman. You know, like the song. We didn’t come in here to disrespect anybody.” “I’m sorry. I thought you were going ‘Dove Liquid’ and dishing them like a dirty plate.” Trust me, I know it’s dissing, but dishing is just funnier. 

I’m kinda busy - My first year in Lewes I coached Cape football in the fall of 1975. Player Albert Davis came up to me during a Friday night game in Lewes. “Hey, Philly Fred, come with me; I want to show you something.” “I’m kinda busy, Albert, trying to coach this football game.” “Only take a second, coach, and you’ll be glad.” I went over to the one wooden bench. The player, an Afro American with a big afro already gray in spots was not only conked out sleeping, he was snoring. “Ever seen anything like that in Philly?” Albert asked. “No, I didn’t, but I did see a sideline player order a hot dog, slap mustard on it, then tilt his helmet back so he could eat it. '' Boys to men, the accelerated program.  

Snippets - Jody Boyer is a senior on the Shippensburg University Raiders field hockey team. Marcella Sabbagh is a junior field hockey player for the Christopher Newport Captains. Nikki Parsley-Blocker, straight out of Milford High and Northwestern University, is the head field hockey coach at Liberty University. Darby Brennan, former Milford player, is a senior defender for the Flames. Darby is a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in human services counseling. Jordan Magee, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound quarterback while at Dover High, is listed as a redshirt freshman outside linebacker for Temple University. Amanda Sponaugle is a junior midfielder for the McDaniel College Green Terror. Katie Frederick is president of the University of Delaware Field Hockey Club. Jackie Cannon is club treasurer. Makenzie Savner is club vice president. Go on now, git!