Monica Farling's 'run happy' hat and Inknburn shirt on New Year's Day
Miz Monica - I photograph over a hundred races a year, taking about 7,000 photos and I’ve been doing it for a long time. I like the diversity found in the sea of striders; there are lots of stories, and the people are just so nice. Monica Farling, 41, from Dover, with her smile and “run happy” hat and following ponytail and cool shirt and gloves was just the best. She's a Happy New Year’s Day vision of promise pic I captured during the Hair of the Dog 10K on Bethany Beach's boardwalk New Year’s Day. And trust me, I know how to talk to the new women in my world. “Wow, where did you get that shirt? It is awesome.” I’m figuring Marshall’s off the rack; some people just have the knack of finding discontinued stuff and making it look good. Monica said, "It's from a family-owned business in California called InknBurn. Their motto is 'art on running,' and they focus on designs that are as beautiful as they are functional. They dye-sublimate all the artwork so it will never fade or wear off in the wash. I absolutely love their designs; they show on the outside how running makes me feel on the inside!” You can find out more at inknburn.com. I thought about ordering a double XL but instead of looking cute I’m afraid I’ll look like Grandmom Rose’s rowhouse sofa from 1957.
I’m bad, I’m Nationwide - Peyton Manning came off the bench late in the fourth quarter and “audibilized to the correct plays, and the backs ran harder and linemen dug down deeper and the Broncos pulled out a win over San Diego” to hear Peyton tell his story post-game to CBS reporter Tracy Wolfson. Peyton talked about it being a tough week - he opened the door to the next question - “What’s with your wife receiving human growth hormones through the mail?” But commercial man was talking about his backup role leading into the game. “Now I know how all those backups felt the 18 years I was starting,” Peyton said. “Great, but what about the HGH?”
Famous and funny - Sequestered in the Fort Washington Motel on a Friday night with the Temple football team before a Saturday home game in 1965. After the requisite team meeting, the coaches agreed to let recently famous Bill Cosby talk to the team. Cosby was 27 years old at the time. Bill made fun of all the serious people in the room from head coach George Makris to Athletic Director Ernie Casale. I remember the harder the players laughed the more grim the coaching staff looked. Afterward, we walked out of a big banquet room and Mac McBride, still laughing hard, walked through a plate glass window. “Those windows should be dirty,” Mac said, looking like Joe Frazier after a loss. “How else are you supposed to see them?”
Cross trained inside to outside - A rough estimate from Cape’s field hockey rosters 2015, there are about 23 athletes who also play lacrosse. During the winter “indoor season,” a percentage of these athletes play both indoor and outdoor hockey on the same weekends, sometimes on the same day. The Cape team of lacrosse sophomores played an 8 a.m. game at the Crown Center in Fruitland, Md., and afterward a few players motored to Pottstown, Pa., for an indoor hockey tournament. The motivations are different for everyone, but generally it’s just what they like to do. I figured it was a 14-hour, 350-mile, two-sport, round-trip day, but at least these kids are on the A honor roll. Someone else needs to tell me how these kids aren’t as tough and dedicated as they were “back in the day.”
Snippets - Cape boys' basketball, now 4-4, plays at 3-4 Dover Tuesday, Jan. 5, then at unbeaten Smyrna Friday, Jan. 8. Cape is close to 6-2 (except they ain’t) having dropped an overtime game to Concord and blown an 11-point lead to Appoquinimink. Dover is no joke, with losses to Neumann-Goretti, St. Georges Tech, Sanford and Friendship Collegiate Academy. The Cape girls are 3-2 and are home against Dover (3-2) Tuesday and Smyrna (2-3) Friday. Both games are winnable or losable. Wrestling is at Sussex Central Wednesday, Jan. 6, which is always a tough place to make a living. The swim teams are at Milford Thursday, Jan. 7. Middle school schedules pick back up Wednesday, Jan. 6. The St. Benedict’s basketball team autographed 4-year-old Mikayla Pollard's Slam T-shirt while waiting for their Kick n' Chicken. “They were so nice. The coach lined them up and every player signed her shirt while she was wearing it," said her mom Gabrielle. Josh Pollard is the dad and Charlie is the grand popper. Go on now, git!
