“A true Zen Master can see the value in a loss,” said Grandmom Rose. “Why should I care if Poppy ever comes back from that loaf of bread he went out to get three months ago?” I started my long sports day Saturday, May 15, after a stressful Friday afternoon watching girl’s lacrosse win at Tower Hill, by covering the Surf Bagel 5K and 10K. My granddaughter Anna Frederick is a freshman on the lacrosse team, so I care more than I wish I did about outcomes, although I love all the athletes equally the same - like a good godfather of all granddaddies should.
The Surf Bagel race was to honor Mike DeStasio, a close friend of Dave Vitella, who is living with ALS, sometimes called Lou Gehrig’s disease, although my spell checker keeps changing it to Lou Gerbil, which proved there is laughter imbedded inside the direst of prognoses. Mike and his wife Wendy are awesome and inspirational people who amazingly make us all feel better about ourselves. Mike told me that was OK dealing with ALS and that at first he wasn’t, but now he has learned to put all of life in perspective. I just wish he would stop calling me “mister,” and he agreed he would. Cousin Larry, a sportswriter, has ALS, and my amped and wired-for-sound mother-in law said: “Larry tells stories for hours, but I can’t hear what he’s saying.” Human spirit and inspiration surround us all day long.
BLEACHER BUMS! - I lost the Little Big House battle, but I’m ready to push for a first-class bleacher section for turf field 2. I’m ready to bring out Title IX and disabilities acts and the Sportswriters Defense League. Don’t even think of putting those raggedy portable bleachers around the new field. Check out Tower Hill’s classy configuration, then just do the same thing. The Milford setup isn’t bad, but Tower Hill rocks (sans the nastiest Porta-Potty not left over from a weekend mud hop).
BLAME EVERYBODY - The Cape boys track program has fallen on hard times, scoring just 4 points in the Division II state championship meet. I figure it’s time for an irresponsible raiding party and time to just start blaming everyone on the planet. In no particular order, let’s blame head coach Charlie Pollard and all his assistants; indoor track and cross country coach George Pepper for not developing more talent; athletic director Bob Cilento for not placing a priority one rating on fixing this disaster; basketball coach Dwight Tingle for not getting more of “his athletes” out for track; football assistant Todd Hatchel for running a weight room program attracting 30-40 athletes three days a week and not making them run track; Kai Maull for signing on as a girls assistant; and all other head coaches for not loaning out athletes to double up and help out track. Now, of course I am being stupid. I’m just as much to blame as anyone, but I come from the day of the $4 McDonald’s meal allowance. Burgers always taste better if someone else is cooking them and paying for them. too.
SNIPPETS - Cape boy’s lacrosse is the second seed in the state lacrosse tournament, opposite top-seed Salesianum, and will host a game Saturday, May 22, picking up the winner of Concord versus Mount Pleasant.
The U. S. Field Hockey Team is playing Argentina, the No. 2 team in the world, in a five-game series at American University in Washington D.C. The USA fell to Argentina, 4-2, in the third game of a five-game test series Sunday, May 16, at Jacobs Field. The next game is at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 18.
Local athletes Carrie Lingo (North Carolina) and Maren Ford (Princeton), both former Cape players are on the U.S. team. The Cape soccer team closes the regular season hosting Wilmington Friends at 4 p.m. Thursday, May 20. The Vikings need a signature win against the 10-3 Quakers for a punched ticket into the state tournament. Go Flyers!
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Sports Editor Emeritus
Email Fredman at fredman@capegazette.com
