Bobblehead giveaway days better than fat heads in the bleachers

Bobblehead giveaway - Checking the Phillies’ upcoming schedule, I see the team plays at the Dodgers Thursday, May 12, which is Max Muncie bobblehead giveaway night; then Saturday, May 14, it’s Don Drysdale bobblehead giveaway night. The Phillies should immediately start promoting a Will Smith bobblehead night giveaway when the Mets come to town Friday, Aug. 19. I’m halfway serious about this, which is about as serious as I get. In the words of grandson Davey, “You laughing, Will?” Will Smith graduated from Philly’s Overbrook High School, the orange and black Panthers – it don't get any more Philly. Chris Rock grew up in Brooklyn, where a common street expression is “fuggedaboutit.” 

Coastal Atlantic - On Saturday mornings, there are lots of places for me and my camera to travel. I elected Hudson Fields to watch grandchildren James and Meredith play lacrosse. I bring the camera because I own it, and every situation is an opportunity to get better and to bury mistakes. I had forgotten the rivalry between Atlantic and the down-the-road Beach programs. Young parents were yelling encouragement while I chilled like a head of arctic lettuce. Those yells of “go to goal” crash into my noggin like a man with a hangover, except I haven't had a drink in 20 years. Then a text came from granddaughter Anna, an assistant Cape lacrosse coach. “You have to get over to the high school for the Short versus Tall game. The theme is Batman versus the Joker. The costumes are incredible. You'll want to get some pictures.” After photographing so much enthusiastic fun at two different venues, my plan was to motor up to Lake Forest and catch the Keith Burgess Track Invitational, but I opted to ground myself like a Hopkins dairy cow. 

Route 24 - There are 24 state championship signs evenly divided between field hockey and girls’ lacrosse bolted onto the bleachers of Champions Stadium. Is that intimidating for visiting teams? Does it put pressure on the home team every time they step onto the pitch? I see no evidence of either. It's just a great place to play, with neither Cape or the visiting team giving it much thought.  

Snippets - Conference allegiances and requirements in Delaware were thrown out of the boat with the institution of the three-tier system in football. I believe schools should be able to opt out of conference play in a particular sport if there is a proven power imbalance. Cape boys’ lacrosse has beaten Polytech and Dover by a combined 41-0 and next must play Sussex Central (0-3) and Milford (2-5) before traveling to the Philly Main Line to play Radnor, the No. 3-ranked team in the tri-state area by phillylacrosse.com. Cape could run a Blue and Gold team, let the Blue play an independent schedule and the Gold can handle conference requirements. Josh Reinhold threw 6.2 innings in a 2-1 win over Caravel. Josh, a middle infielder, is also a sprint swimmer and one of the top athletes at the high school. He is heading to Christopher Newport next school year, where he will focus on baseball. With a 3.9 GPA, he will most certainly take care of his academic life. Cape boys’ volleyball is 7-0 and hasn’t lost a game, winning each match 3-0 . But it’s about to get real. The Vikings will host Indian River Wednesday, April 13, and Salesianum Friday, April 22. Varsity game time is 5:30 p.m. Eddie Houck jumped 10-feet-6-inches in the pole vault to place second at the Keith Burgess Invitational Saturday. Eddie is also on the Cape varsity lacrosse team and scored a goal Friday night in the 20-0 win over Dover. Tia Jarvis of Cape won the 300 intermediate hurdles in 49.2. Jarvis just started practicing the hurdles last week. The speed in between eight hurdles is what makes Tia, a 400- and 800-meter runner, such a threat. Scottie Scheffler, a 6-foot-3 25-year-old out of Highland Park High School in Texas, won the Masters Sunday. Highland Park, a high school of 500, can also boast  alumni Clayton Kershaw of MLB – three Cy Young Awards and a 2020 World Series ring – and Mathew Stafford, who won a Super Bowl ring with the Rams. I think they win the high school sports GOAT Big Three contest. Go on now, git!