The difference between a milestone and a millstone is one letter

Moving through Milestones - Big Mike Donovan, a 6-foot-8 former Marine and a bit of a wild child, saw me before the start of Saturday’s Breast Fest 5K and said, “Today is a bit of a rough day for me. I turn 60 today.” I told Mike, “Go up to the Boardwalk and find another 6-foot-8 60-year-old walking along behind a mask. You won’t find one because there aren’t any others. Congratulations to you.” Then during the race, Skip Kiefer, the Lancaster landscaper, trekked past my camera and said, “I turned 80 yesterday. I can’t believe I made it this far.” I said congrats, gave him a fist bump and said, “The finish line is just around the bend.” Why did I say that? Because I commune with the cosmos, as my late friend Bruce used to say of his brother Lance. Matthew Garvey pointed at the oak trees logo on his shirt honoring his late son, who died of an accidental overdose, and said, “Today is his birthday.” Two weeks ago, I captured a photo of my son Dave and grandson Mikey on Mikey’s 16th birthday, while Dave will turn 50 on Aug. 23 and granddaughter Anna 25 on the 29th, a milestone for all of us as I try to comprehend having a 50-year-old son and 25-year-old granddaughter. I always say numbers track your life, and if you say them out loud, one of two things happens: people either clap or back up.    

Terp Chirper - Chris Stanley is a UPS driver, a runner and an avid Maryland sports fan. He runs and talks with enthusiasm. Chris is one of those wired-for-enthusiasm personalities, unless there’s a dark side only his dog knows about – but I doubt it.  “We are so super busy,” he told me, which is not surprising to hear considering the governmental self-sabotage of the U.S. Postal Service. Chris told me he doesn’t go into nursing homes but leaves the packages at the door. Before you say, “That’s so mean,” it’s more to protect the residents, many of whom know turtles but have never heard of terrapins. Speaking of The Turtles, the runners were “So Happy Together” Saturday morning. 

I thought that was you - I often joke, “I’m the sports person in Delaware who knows the most people who don’t know him back.” On Thursday night I was at DE Turf taking photos of a middle school summer league game featuring Milford versus Newark Charter. I didn’t expect to be recognized by anyone, but there was Chris Stahl, married to the artist formerly known as Kerry Schab. His daughter Madi was in goal. Chris, a big ol’ Carolina rascal, said, “I thought that was you,” and it was. Later, a man under a Jerry Smith (basketball official) haircut said, “I thought that was you,” and in fact, it was both of us. Jerry’s daughter was coaching the Newark team and he had three granddaughters in the game. But more surprising, Jerry knew more about my sports family than people I see every day. By the way, look out for Newark Charter. It’s an emerging player in the sports world and is going to break some hearts. 

Grown men to grandmothers - I know grown men that sound like somebody’s grandmother when it comes to discussions of the pandemic, and its impact on school and sports and what is most important in a child’s life. And I only know what they think because they are in positions to make decisions that I may not like, but at least my opinions carry no responsibility from my saying them. Think of school as a poker game. Keep three – athletics, academics, arts – then draw two from the clubs and social groups available. And don’t let nobody else tell you what’s most important for you; just play all five talent cards in your hand with passion, maxing out your abilities and aptitudes. Psychologist Carl Jung called it “self-actualization,” being all that you can be. 

Snippets - I am chasing my tail on my sports beat. My philosophy has always been, “I am bigger than no event or athlete, and none of them is bigger than me.” I am looking for live action this fall wherever it may happen. I am mobile with escapability like Randall Cunningham, Mike Vick and Lamar Jackson. Major league dugouts are funny places. After home runs, there are all kinds of shenanigans that remind me of the Cape dugout, an absolutely crazy place that doesn’t compare to softball dugouts whose orchestrated cheers will drive you up a chainlink fence. Can’t capture any of that virtually or in Zoom class. Go on now, git!