Cape volleyball is a solidly good team, and fans have found them

Gramps Interruptus - My talent is that no matter what or how much I’m doing, I always look like I’m doing nothing. People often step between me and who I'm talking to, and it is never a brief interlude, more like a one-act, off-Broadway play that will never make the Great White Way. After the Indian River at Cape volleyball game April 13, I tried to get a few words with each coach, but fans and relatives assessed me as a no-count somebody and stepped on my lines, so I responded with stupid commentary, a clear warning sign that I am old school and need to be pasteurized like a wide-mouth bottle of 19th century white milk. 

So many good athletes - Cape boys’ volleyball is a legitimate spring sport, and quite frankly, I’m a little surprised the Vikings got so good so quickly. But is there really enough talent to go around or does reshuffling the deck take talent away from established programs, weakening them in the process? And it always gets back to football. Football is a grinding sport. Practices are the least fun of all sports, yet the Friday night lights produce the greatest atmosphere, but it often looks like the kids in the stands are having more fun than the players. And talented athletes, males and females, make personal decisions based on how they want to spend their time. I admire those adults who work out daily in gyms or who run 100 races a year; I just don’t want to be one of them – but I will take pictures.  

Get down tonight - Lots of mercy rule results across the pantheon of high school sports. The question by school and program is which teams pile it on and which ones back it down? No coach will admit, “We like to grind people into the ground. It's not our fault they can’t play. We need the work.” It’s great to have a good team, but no fun if you don’t play a few teams that have an actual chance of beating you. 

Mission from God - Remember Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd) in the Blues Brothers? “We’re on a mission from God.” Elwood and Jake (John Belushi) were on a mission to save the Catholic orphanage where they grew up. I still would like to debate athletes in a philosophy class who call down God in post-game interviews. “Without God, none of this would be possible.” “True, and that team who couldn’t throw the ball into the ocean didn’t hurt the predetermined outcome either.” 

A seat at the table - I have a weird day scheduled for Holy Saturday. I will take photos at the Bunny Palooza 5K in Bethany Beach in the morning, then find my table at the Modern Maturity Center in Dover that evening for the Afro American Sports Hall of Fame banquet. My former athlete and friend since 1975, Vaughn Trammel, is being inducted. He said he wanted my wife and me at his table. I asked the obvious question, “How many tables you got?” Vaughn said five and started laughing. Everyone will be taking cellphone photos, but I’m bringing a big bopper noisy Nikon – it makes me look professional. And yes, New Balance sneakers on my feet. I don’t own a pair of dress shoes or dark socks. 

Snippets - Baseball is underway. The Phillies are .500 and are at the Marlins for a weekend series, which is never good. Remember the Sixto Sanchez trade for JT Realmuto? Sanchez, who missed last year to shoulder problems, has been assigned to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, which may not be the bigs, but they have great hats. The Sixers begin a seven-game series at home Saturday, April 16, hosting the Toronto Raptors. The better series will be Nets versus Celtics. Gina Voss, former Cape goalie, is the head coach of girls’ lacrosse at Caesar Rodney. Jasmine Hall is the head girls’ coach of Lake Forest lacrosse. Jasmine played for the Eastern Shore Lacrosse Club and is the sister of Caravel state champion wrestler Nick Hall. The Woodbridge boys’ lacrosse team is coached by former Cape player Juan Saez. Cape baseball will play at Sussex Central at 4:15 p.m., Thursday, April 21. There are a lot of good teams in Delaware that can play hardball. Go on now, git!