Icons and goats: best not to poke the bears; history will stand on its own

Iconic Cape teams - Teams that have won state championships over 50 years of sports history are not by definition better than great teams that didn’t, but certain rare champions enjoy iconic status as “best ever” and their legendary status can never be challenged. Boys’ track in 1971, girls’ basketball in 1973, boys’ basketball in 1975, cross country in 1977, football in 1979, field hockey in 1979, boys’ lacrosse in 1998, girls’ lacrosse in 2009, baseball in 2018, wrestling in 2021-22 and boys’ volleyball in 2023. What these teams have in common is that they are the first in their sport to win a state championship at Cape. 

Get your goat - There is an old expression, “Don’t let them get your goat,” meaning, “Don’t let them irritate you or get under your skin.” The acronym GOAT showed up when I wasn’t paying attention, meaning “Greatest of All Time.” Sports icons like Muhammed Ali, Michael Jordan and Tom Brady are often cited as GOATs of their sport, but when you drop down to high school histories and start talking about GOATs in particular sports, it seems everyone has a dog in the GOAT fight. The actual GOAT rarely cares – he or she is too busy rocking prior to liftoff from the bonus room sofa.    

No contest - The Cape Gazette has been running four Athletes of the Week each Friday since May 1993. The ages of athletes have ranged from 1-day-old to mid-90s. There have been cool cat musicians but no actual cats – but there have been a few dogs and one horse. There have been pro ballers and T-ballers. But there has never been a contest, it's just not what we do. I have never seen myself as being in the hype business; it’s more about shining the light. But now from cellphones to showcases, so many relatives are relentlessly hyping the athletes in their kinship matrix, and that hype is subject to the laws of diminishing returns. In other words, people and coaches get tired of hearing about it. 

Mr. Wendal - I read a quote years ago: “Anyone who cares about the outcome of a pro sports game beyond 24 hours after it’s over suffers from arrested development.” Just call me Mr. Wendal.

Column guy - Most of my 35-year wire-to-wire teacher-in-the-classroom career, I had my own column, a drop zone of celebration, criticisms, satire and sarcasm. I saw Karen Harmon Maull in the Cape High main office last week. She is just the nicest person and is now working on mentoring new teachers. I told her and Lisa Morris, who was standing by her side – another incredible person – that I was the teacher that new teachers were warned about, “Just stay away from him.” And that is pretty much true, but in defense of the administration, they pretty much stayed away from me as well. 

Rugby ball - Years ago at the Atlantic Cup rugby tournament at Cape Henlopen State Park, the Wilmington Rugby Club presented me with a signed rugby ball replete with rude messages. They suggested I put it in the cab of my truck before someone tried to steal it. Moments later, a women's tournament director came over and asked, "Which one of you candy-cane-color-clad clowns stole the game ball?” Just have to love rugby humor, but I could never keep that ball inflated. I think someone poked a hole in the bladder.

Not a hall pass - I owned a miniature rubber rugby ball on which I had written “Fredman Hall Pass” with an indelible magic marker. I’d throw it to kids asking for a bathroom pass. Who knows how many nasty bacteria rode on that ball? One day, a kid came back without the ball and said, “Dr. Mock took your ball. He said, ‘A rugby ball is not a hall pass.’” I joked that the kid wasn’t a real rugger, or he would never have given up the ball without a scrum. Months later, I was emceeing the football banquet in the Little Theater. Mike Mock came up on stage and gave me back my rugby ball, telling the confused audience the rugby-ball-is-not-a-hall-pass story, adding “I know Fredman and knew he would never come and ask for it back.” It was a cool moment for everyone – a muppet moment – that’s the way we do it at Sesame Street by the Sea. 

Tread heads - Eagles fans don't throw quarterbacks under the bus; it’s more like a toss under the 10-wheeler heading for the stone quarry. Jalen Hurts is on the curb and will join Carson Wentz, Donovan McNabb, Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez, Ty Detmer, Koy Detmer, Kevin Kolb, Doug Pederson, Bobby Hoying, Matt Barkley, Rodney Peete and about 40 others. I’m thinking quarterbacks not thrown under the tires are Ron Jaworski, Randall Cunningham, Norm Van Brocklin, Michael Vick and, of course, Nick Foles.

Snippets - The University of Delaware has announced the football team will begin its venture into the Division I FBS, playing at the University of Colorado Sept. 6, 2025. Blue Hens versus Buffaloes, spring chickens flocking face first into stampeding bison. The feathers will be flying. You want the buffalo, you get the horns. Beep-beep. Go on now, git!