If anyone ever fires me I’m firing back with momma jokes

Football coach Al Lavan was fired by Delaware State University last week, which at best seemed a rude way to treat a man of integrity and high character who brought the Hornets a MEAC championship in 2007 and a first-round NCAA tournament game against Delaware the first time those two schools ever played each other. But the last three seasons have been non-winning ones, so coach Lavan was fired, and trust me, if anyone ever fires me I’m firing back with momma jokes. Lavan had an 18-year career as a position coach in the NFL before coming to Delaware State and coached such people as Tony Dorsett, Herschel Walker, Roger Craig, Priest Holmes, Tom Rathman, Ernest Byner, Robert Newhouse and Bam Morris before being “fired guy” across from Dover Mall. I interviewed Lavan in his office in the spring of 2007, and I asked him a question about how to inspire any young man with more talent than motivation. Lavan rolled his office chair right up to mine so our kneecaps were touching. He grabbed my wrists, looked into my eyes and said, “Coach, let me tell you something.” I asked, ”Why did you call me Coach?” Lavan said, “Because only a coach would have the insight to ask that question.” That’s the deal; Lavan saw me for the person I am, a part of the fraternity of coaches, and I can tell you that almost never happens. He is an undisputed good dude who has earned respect and Delaware State can go in any direction it wants, but suddenly to strike with the word “fired” was just wrong. Now I’m done!

Friday night lights
The University of Delaware is now into the quarterfinal round of the NCAA football championship subdivision playoffs on a quest to appear in the title game at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas.

The Blue Hens will host New Hampshire at 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 10, and the game will be televised on ESPN2, which ain’t the Discovery Channel but not bad for national exposure. New Hampshire is a team that is actually capable of beating Delaware as opposed to most matchups in which Delaware must beat itself in order to lose. Chip Kelly, the head coach at Oregon, was the offensive coordinator at New Hampshire before directing the “quack attack” of the Oregon Ducks. The Wildcats (8-4) beat Bethune Cookman last weekend 45-20. They also own a November 31-24 win over Villanova. On the mysterious side of the Wildcats’ season are losses to Rhode Island, Maine, and William and Mary. Delaware will stay and play at home if the Hens beat New Hampshire, picking up the winner of the Georgia Southern at Wofford game. That game will also be telecast by one of the ESPN stations. Georgia Southern beat William and Mary 31-15 to reach the quarterfinals.

Little old Wesley
The Wolverines of Wesley College have been a football power at the Division 3 level for a lot of years and once again are undefeated and heading into the semifinals of the NCAA tournament for the fourth time since 2005. But this year Wesley gets to stay home and host Wisconsin – Whitewater at noon, Saturday, Dec. 11 at Scott D. Miller Stadium. The Warhawks are 13-0 on the season. Whitewater won national championships in 2007 and 2009, completing last season with a record of 15-0.

Snippets
The Sanford boys’ team that played at Cape last Saturday night was as good as any I have seen play in Delaware, and if an argument pops up about the top five all-time Delaware teams, Sanford 2010 gets on that list as does Cape’s 1975 team.

The Cape girls attracted an unexpected large crowd to their opening victory over Dover so more can be expected this Tuesday as top-rated Smyrna comes to town. Smart money would be bet on Smyrna winning this game; sentimental money gets wagered on Cape - all partisan fans like their own team. Really, it is only game two of the season and I see this as a “what’s up” game because the bigger battles are down the road. Cape wrestling opens on the road Wednesday night at Dover.

Dover has fallen off the mat of the Henlopen elite teams and it is a team Cape has to beat on the trail to a successful season. Finally, in the NFC only five of the following six good teams will make the postseason: Eagles, Giants, Bears, Packers, Falcons and Saints.

The Eagles, Giants and Packers are the most vulnerable with four games left to play.