Sports rules and regulations go from serious to silly

Knick-Knacker - Caravel Academy softball coach Randy Johnson (School Lane - Cape kid)  was suspended for the first four games of the 2026 season for breaching DIAA regulations, “Undue Influence for Athletic Purpose.” Basically Randy had his two eighth-grade managers — they were transfers denied waiver to play the 2025 season — dressed in uniforms and going through warmups during the state tournament, and they were included in team pictures. That violated DIAA rules preventing “special privileges not accorded other students.” I picked up this information from a Kevin Tresolini story published Aug. 14 in the News Journal. I’ve known Kevin and Randy since I arrived in Delaware. Randy is not unlike me. Cape administrators once described me as a passive-aggressive insubordinate.  Flipping the script, DIAA had mandated for years that varsity rosters in some sports, such as field hockey and lacrosse, cannot exceed two times the number of starters that play in the game dressing for the tournament. That’s why sideline ballgirls were created. They got to wear neon vests and throw errant balls back onto the field but were not eligible for medals. Yes, it is getting more silly than serious. Randy “got ‘em,” and I’m guessing it was worth a four-game suspension.

Flip Like Wilson - It’s a cover band created in 1995 that plays large and small venues in Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Grandson Davey was presented with a flipper by the wrestling officials — a red-green wooden coin used before wrestling matches to determine first choice — prior to the 2022 state championship round. They wanted Davey to “Flip like Wilson” prior to one of the championship bouts, ideally before his brother Mikey’s 145-pound match or Lucas Ruppert’s heavyweight bout. DIAA rejected the idea as being without protocol or precedent. Davey took his flipper and went off to the wrestling room to grapple in the dark with whoever wanted a piece of him. The flipper was lost but later found and re-presented to Davey at the Baywood banquet by coach Chris Mattioni. The wrestling officials were disappointed, but my son Dave assured them that the family appreciated the gesture, and Davey had moved on to the next venue; that’s just the way he Granby rolls. 

I know the refs - My job as a sideline photographer — doing mostly field hockey and lacrosse in the last decade — who also writes  game stories is to stay out of the way and keep my mouth shut. If I get a chance, I’ll tell the ref, “good game,” and I mean it because I know how hard it must be when 90 percent of the fans in the stands have no idea why whistles are blown, corners awarded, or green, yellow or red cards given out. I first met Beth Bozman when she was working out at Gold’s Gym 20 years ago. Super fit, no time wasted or lollygagging between stations. I introduced myself and said, “Sports is my business, so I can tell you were an elite athlete at some level.” Beth, who is always reserved, said, “Actually, I’m the head field hockey coach at Duke and before that Princeton. I recruited Cape’s Maren Ford to Princeton. Do you know her?” We had entered into the Fredman muppet matrix, and coach Bozman and I have been simpatico ever since. 

Mike Castle - Bryan Mack was winning the Tommy Coveleski 5K on the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk in October 2012, and the finish-line banner was being held by Jane and Mike Castle. I told Mike, "Trip him; he used to work for Carper." Castle laughed. Bryan was close to Tommy, and it was a nice moment. Legendary RBP lifeguards Pete and Woody cajoled Jane and Mike to attend the race. 

Whack Fol the Diddle - It’s an Irish folk song refrain, similar to scat singing, doesn’t have a specific meaning, just used to fill in gaps. I took photos of a CR versus Cape JV play day 35-minute game Saturday morning on Bermuda field 2. Fans in lawn chairs were three deep. I mumbled that the scenario was “Whack fol the diddle” and wondered, “Why am I here?” CR scored a goal on a crank shot that was from outside the circle. Riders of the Storm celebrated. I knew the goal was no good and thought of turning and telling them why, but thought better of it. Perhaps they already knew, then suddenly I’d be doing an open-air clinic on JV field hockey rules.

Snippets - The Little League World series on ESPN is great, so why do announcers feel the need to keep reminding us how great it is? Phillies and Mets both look like implosion/explosion teams. They will face each other seven more times this season, and that will tell the story. High school football in Delaware is a “the word is out” sport. Football people talk to each other all the time. I know; I hear things without even asking for information. In court it's called  hearsay evidence; in sports it's “I hear tell” evidence. We will begin to find out Thursday, Aug. 28, with Cape hosting Saint Mark’s and Delaware State traveling to the University of Delaware. The vegasinside.com betting line on Delaware State/Delaware? There is none. Go on now, git!