Pets and throw rugs account for most orthopaedic injuries

El Hombre Blanco - Martin Rodriguez jokingly calls me “Mi Amigo Blanco.” I call Martin “Mi Amigo Rapido.” Martin injured his foot Aug. 2 in the Race for the Paws 5K (ironic) and had to be carted off the course. Martin broke the second metatarsal in his right foot and will be wearing a boot the next six weeks. I broke a toe years ago while playing adult basketball and had to call a tow truck. It felt like a cherry bomb went off inside my shoe. The top two causes of orthopaedic injuries are pets and throw rugs, not surprising. It sounds like a country album.    

Addled not rattled - Prominent guys my age like Biden and Trump have been described by pundits as addled, which is defined as fuzzy in the head, a little foggy and confused. My strength is leaving an entire audience addled after I walk away from a microphone or podium, having individuals asking each other, “What was Fredman talking about? And what did he mean saying he misses half his own jokes?” But all seriousness aside, the changing sports culture, from gambling to Google Cloud to streaming sites like Apple and Hulu all the way down through high school sports, has me addled. Breadth and depth are missing from sports stories – it's all glitz and glamour. Some athletes actually wear the bling of the outlet that is conducting an interview. I have my standards. If you’re wearing someone else’s bling, we’re breaking up and I’m not talking to you anymore. 

Lineman for Life - Joe Carbone, now living in Lewes, will be inducted into the University of Delaware Athletics Hall of Fame Friday, Sept. 12. The group being inducted will be introduced at halftime of the football game Saturday, Sept. 13, against UConn. Joe’s bio as published on the UD website reads: “One of the most dominating pass rushers in Delaware's illustrious football history, Joe ‘White Shoes’ Carbone was a defensive catalyst for teams that captured back-to-back national championships in 1971-72 under hall-of-fame head coach Tubby Raymond. A native of Old Westbury, N.Y., and a 1973 UD graduate, Joe was a three-year standout at defensive end who led Delaware to an incredible record of 29-3 in 1970-72, including capturing AP/UPI small college national titles in 1971 (10-1) and 1972 (11-0), three Lambert Cup trophies (top team in the East), and two Boardwalk Bowl victories. During that period, Delaware's defense held opponents under 10 points 16 times and posted six shutouts. He dominated as a senior in 1972 when he earned first-team Associated Press All-American honors, was named the ECAC Eastern Co-Player of the Year, and was selected Defensive Player of the Year by both the Newark and Wilmington Touchdown Clubs. He recorded 136 tackles and recovered six fumbles during his career and was selected to the Delaware Football All-Time Team in 1989.” Note: Joe and his wife have lived in Lewes the last 13 years. Some of his teammates at Delaware from the 11-0 football team include locally connected Scott Reihm, Ray Sweeney, Herky Billings, Charlie Hudson, Paul Jones, William Booth, Mike Bonagura and Jeff Cannon.

Battle of the Bypass - Delaware State football plays at Delaware Thursday, Aug. 20, to kick off the 2025 football season. The Hornets are a traditional HBCU college playing in the tough MEAC. Delaware has changed its demographic. Scrolling the Blue Hens’ posted picture roster for 2025, there are no fewer than 65 players of color. The Blue Hens play game 2 at Colorado Saturday, Sept. 6. Delaware head coach Ryan Carty faces head coaches DeSean Jackson and Deion Sanders in consecutive weeks. Delaware is a first-year FBS-level program. Carty was on the 2003 Delaware national championship team that also included Cape’s Mark Moore and Trip DelCampo. Delaware State has posted a 2-21 record over the last two seasons. Both universities have great bands, which is another reason to show up in person.  

Snippets - College rosters for Division II and Division III fall sports for the 2025 season are generally not posted until September. Freshmen photos take weeks to show up, and I’ve never figured out why it takes so long. Duke Greco is the head football coach at West Chester, beginning his second season after going 91-15 at DelVal. He is the 17th head coach for West Chester, which tells me coaches don’t hang around very long. Cape has had 16 head coaches since Frank Coveleski in 1969. Addy Basile (Sussex Academy/Cape) is a sophomore field hockey player for the Ohio University Bobcats. Addy, a fast forward, appeared in all 14 games as a freshman. Addy is one of many college athletes who work on the Dewey Beach Patrol in the summertime. Maurki James (Cape) is listed as a 6-foot-1, 206-pound redshirt freshman on the 2025 roster of the Old Dominion Monarchs. Junior year of high school begins the recruiting process. I've read about all the new changes and had them explained to me by insiders, and I’m still confused. The whole process needs to be turned over to Carvana and just wait for them to roll up your driveway with a contract that shows actual numbers. Go on now, git!