Sports fans: Everybody’s watching everybody else

Lumbering along - Sunday was a long day’s journey into the night for Fruity Fred Pop. I’d say 10 hours spent taking and processing photos of girls ages 6 through 18 playing field hockey and lacrosse from Champions Stadium to DE Turf. Imagine for a second an anonymous gramps man pulling his oxygen tank and cart to a faraway field, someone stopping him and saying, “Ditch the tank and hike up the mask, Grandpa Walton, you’re putting us all at risk.” There is no doubt there is a difference between fresh air and stale air. Seriously, I come from the generation of carburetors and air cleaners. I don’t want to choke out my engine. I’m tired of mask talk and protocols. I am a willing and agreeable person, but I’m not a good player. Sports practices for high school sports began Monday, Sept. 28. That means increased vigilance and protocols and sideline arguments bracketing the actual game, which is all I care about. I can’t remember the last time a masked gray panther dropped f-bombs on me and flipped me the finger for improper mask wearing. Yes, I can – it was Sunday morning at Champions Stadium. My heart rate did not elevate; I even considered the man was right. I even offered my hand, but he jumped back like I was an ebola hoagie from Jersey Mike’s. 

Walk-off punt - That’s the spirit. That’s Philly Tuff. Play the “Rocky” theme. The Eagles were set for an attempt at a game-winning field goal of 59 yards with 19 seconds on the clock versus the 0-2 Bengals. The left guard flinched for a five-yard penalty, making the attempt 64 yards. The 0-2 Eagles then elected to punt for the tie.  Author unknown: “A tie may be like kissing your sister, but losing is like kissing your dog.”      

College football - There were some great college football games on television Saturday. I was going back and forth between Mississippi State versus LSU and a Texas 63-56 victory over Texas Tech in overtime. Mississippi State graduate transfer quarterback K.J. Costello threw for 623 yards. The Bulldogs Air Raid had three different receivers with 100 yards. Costello is 6-feet-5-inches, 225 pounds and a Stanford graduate, and most of the nation has never heard of the guy. This is the first year for coach Mike Leach at Mississippi State. Leach is a legend, a football genius, and if there’s a rocker on the front porch, Leach is off it. I did notice there were 25,000 fans allowed at LSU, which included a highly interactive band and cheerleaders. I’d like to see all high schools make that happen while everyone is so suddenly interested in the mental health of teenagers. Addendum: There was a bar on Pine Street in Mahanoy City, Pa., simply known as Joe Sippy’s. My wife’s grandparents, Mart and Nellie Murphy, lived on Pine Street. When Joe died, his wife took over the bar and it became known as Mrs. Sippy’s. 

Cart before horse - The hay is in the field but the horse is in the barn. The Cape volleyball nucleus will be practicing and going through tryouts Sept. 28 and 29 at the Big House gym. The Division of Public Health hasn’t yet approved the gym (they’re out sick), but Cape’s application is pending, so the amber light has been turned on. The Vikings have a nucleus (not school related) that has been traveling to the 76ers Fieldhouse in Wilmington for Tuesday and Thursday practices, court time 8-9:30 p.m., and will continue to do so. Games are played Sunday nights. All the spectator protocols have yet to be mapped out, but if I’m transporting my dog to Wilmington three nights a week, you can best believe that if they are playing a game in Lewes, I am in that gym. 

Snippets - There are real-time, in-person cross country races on the sports calendar for October – nothing more colorful than young kids running down trails through fall foliage, but when did everyone start bringing their dog? Cape’s girls’ and boys’ cross country teams are deep with talent and should have a great season if allowed to proceed under somewhat normal protocols. Remember rainy washout days with teams scheduling the gym for practices? Well, that ain’t happening – just another wobble in the wonderful wide world of sports. Go on now, git!