I had that vision, so I said no to the job

I must admit after watching Redskins head coach Jim Zorn in his first press conference following a loss to the Giants, I thought with his bed-head haircut and vague answers that he seemed way in over his head - like a guy looking for a lost shoe. I really thought he might be gone after the first quarter of the season.

Sunday, Sept. 14, the Skins came from behind to beat the Saints, and suddenly Zorn looks smart enough to be a biking and conversational buddy with President George Bush. Talk about upping your game, but who am I talking about? That’s right; the coach of the Redskins and coach of the nation work out together on mountain bikes. That fact, to me, is just odd.

Speaking of odd, I’d like to see Barracuda Palin play Michelle Obama in a best-of-three, one-on-one basketball. I want to see somebody’s weak junk smacked!

ENVISION YOUR OWN SUCCESS - Sports psychologists make big money getting athletes to max out their talents, envisioning themselves being successful. Everyone in competitive sports talks a good game, but deep down to the core, how do you see really see yourself?

A mere 32 years ago I was offered the head football coaching job at Cape. I told them that summer of 1976 that the next time I was interested in a job I would consider applying for it. In the season of 1975, I was an assistant my first year in town, and the Friday-night football crowd was obnoxious, but at least many of the people were drunk.

I tried to envision myself as the coach who won 10 games a year and took the team to the playoffs. But there wasn’t a football commitment in the school, and the fans were absolutely whacked out of their minds. I envisioned myself the target of a disgruntled parent yelling at the back of my head and coming across the fence to answer his questions. I had that vision, so I said no to the job. The only thing that has improved over time is not as many people drink.

COACH COMES LOOSE - Coach George Glenn hasn’t been on the football sidelines for 12 years. Saturday night, Sept. 13, he joined me on the West Chester sidelines at Delaware stadium. We are all connected to Delaware, but George and I are also intertwined with West Chester.

Jim Brazil, who was an assistant coach at Salesianum under Glenn, before succeeding him after Coach came to Cape, is on the West Chester staff and so are two of his sons who love their “Uncle George.”

So anyway, in the second quarter Golden Rams quarterback Joey Wright lofted a pass down the sidelines on which the receiver appears to be jostled by the Delaware defender, but no pass interference is called. Suddenly Coach was going off.

“Are you kidding me? Are you freaking kidding me?”

Coach looked at me and apologized for coming loose beyond the acceptable decorum level of his credential.

“Coach, you got lost in the moment.”

Only a coach can understand that. There is no better feeling than to absolutely lose one’s mind then to get it back before the next play.

TRACK ATTACK - Cape’s Legends Stadium, with that new fieldhouse and bleachers, is just the best place to watch football. And now the facility goes on shutdown as the track is resurfaced for the fourth time since I was head track coach when the school opened, and school board President Jim Reed ask me how I like the new facility.

“It’s great Jim; just wish the track was eight lanes so we could host some major meets here.”

Jim Reed turned to Superintendent Frank Mercer and asked, “What happened to the other two lanes Frank?”

Talk about oversight of a construction project.

BABY COME BACK - I guess there was some parental consternation last week when Cape district ‘matriculaters’ attending other fine institutions of learning received letters telling them it wasn’t too late to return to the mother ship.

Beam them back to the beach was the initiative and many parents didn’t like the thought of their children receiving letters which generated independent thought which always produces its share of anxiety.

Parents living in the public school sector know that students can always return; the bigger question: How does it affect athletic eligibility?

Home school baby!

I’ve been trying to recruit my granddaughters but they just look at me like a silly person. The only problem I have with schools to the west of the beach is Route 9 and all roads leading to the Georgetown Circle. And where is the closest Wawa?

SNIPPETS - Last Saturday and Sunday were “too hot to trot,” but that didn’t stop outdoor activities.

I find more athletes falling out in September heat than in August having something to do with humidity and evaporation of sweat.

I’d add “be careful out there,” but goal-directed adult athletes who opt for elected misery of running or flag football will not be deterred by a common sense attack brought on by a little hot weather.

Zach Wood, former Cape player, is a freshman red shirt for the West Chester Golden Rams. Zach and Sal Viscount of Salesianum are the only two freshman Delawareans in the program.

“I run on scout teams in practice and get my share of contact,” Wood said.

Is it too late to “Save The Little Big House?”

I still can’t believe we are tearing down something that could be used by kids and the community every day of the week.