Brag sheet of wrestlers includes GPA

Brag sheet - Bragging on yourself is considered annoyingly uncool and needy unless someone asked you to do it. Before wrestling in state finals, the grapplers are asked to fill out a brag sheet so the announcer can hype the bout. What I noticed at the state championships Feb. 28, was that across 14 weight classes, every athlete-student mentioned their GPA, all at least 3 and some over 4, because no one lists a 2.1 GPA in general classes topped off with a Wawa joke. Jokes aside, the days of dummies by choice (I was one) winning championships and having bright futures as college class cutters are mostly gone. And it is a good thing that athletes are proud to rock their GPA in front of a packed house. 

Animal instincts - Unleashed in nature's wild kingdom, combative animals dial in all their resources, mostly efficiently but at times stupidly like the time my Darby dog went face-first into a raccoon and it cost me $800 to have him stitched back up. He looked like fighter Carmen Basilio after the Sugar Ray Robinson fight. He may have won, but at what cost? A few wrestlers in the state tournament showed their behind, which means they acted badly in victory, angering fans. The fans then root against the kid in the next round, which shows little maturity if you're middle-aged and 40 pounds beyond your high school weight. There’s another expression, like, the official got the behind and threw out the coach. That means to get really angry. Wrestlers rarely sell wolf tickets because talking noise can result in point deductions for your team, and you can take one for the team, but don’t expect the team to lose one for you. 

Help, I need somebody - Professional sports and most major colleges across all the sports use video review and don’t take it personally when their call on the field is overturned. Basketball goes to three officials for big games, while blood-round wrestling gets two referees who can go belly down and pop back up. College field hockey has a video referral system where a video umpire reviews footage and communicates with on-field umpires via radio. The referral system is used regarding the award (or non-award) of a goal, penalty stroke and penalty corner. It’s unfair in high school championship hockey to put it all on the ref with no backup system in place. Women’s lacrosse? Don’t even ask. 

Lobster rolls - I visited the Cape hospitality area at wrestling states Saturday afternoon. I call them Booster Mommies of the Western World. Four separate women whispered to me, “We have lobster rolls in the back.” Each time I whispered back, “No, thanks, I’m good.” And then coach Garrett Smith came by with one wrapped in his right hand and offered it to Patrick Irelan who said, “No, thanks, I’d rather talk,” and so I had my fifth and final opportunity and gave up the ghost, “Give me the damn thing.” Man, it was for real and so good: lumpy lobster rolled in a wrap handed off like a relay baton. Sport snacking is just the best.

World Baseball Classic - There are three Phillies on the USA roster, including Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Brad Keller. Gunnar Henderson of the Orioles is also on the team. Jake Gelof is on the Israel team roster, as is former Phillie Harrison Bader. The World Baseball Classic began play March 4. A complete schedule can be found online. Semifinals and finals will be played in Miami March 15-17.

World Cup - A field of 48 teams will participate in the World Cup June 11-27. The venue is North America with multiple nations hosting. Iran is in the field, but if they drop out, they will be replaced by Iraq. These two world events coming after the Winter Olympics show the confluence of politics and sports. Keep a close eye on this country of mine and pray all sides walk the line. 

Snippets - Reagan Ciabatonni was on the ACC Academic Honor Roll her four years as a student and field hockey player at Duke. This spring, she will have something celebrated that Duke basketball player Cooper Flagg will likely never have unless he returns to campus as a 6-foot-9, 40-year-old guy, and that is a degree from Duke. Reagan is just the best and nicest person. Cooper Flagg signed a four-year $62 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks. Proposition: would I move to Hawaii for $62 million? Nope! You know the song “Wherever I Go, There You Are,” except the people and things I care about are right here. Go on now, git!