There are too many All-Americans running loose around here

I get it but don’t like the commercial highjacking of outstanding high school athletes by McDonald’s and Gatorade. I hear “McDonald’s All-American” and I’m thinking of my Aunt Rose at 100 pounds overweight with high blood pressure and more blocked arteries than the Schuylkill Expressway at rush hour.

How about the Ding Dong State Player of the Year? Makes sense to me. There are too many “All-Americans” running loose anyway; it’s like being an MVP at Food Lion - everybody has that card.

And what is with the push to have a child declared gifted and talented? Give him a knife and full-sized fresh tuna. If he carves it into steaks and saves the head for chumming before tossing the carcass toward the canal onto the deck of a passing pontoon boat of Pot-Nets tourists, he passes the first test.

Big Al, who used to clean fish on the docks at Fisherman’s Wharf, is, in fact, gifted and talented, so smart in so many ways; just ask anyone who knows him. My favorite quote from him: “They don’t call me Big Al because I’m tall.”

BANNER PERFORMANCE - A sportsmanship award banner hangs in Cape’s New Little Big House.

And that’s nice, no question, but real sportsmanship is played out every day by everyone from coaches and players to clock- and scorekeepers, ticket takers, sportswriters and fans.

This email was sent to Cape Athletic Director Bob Cilento the morning after the Cape girls crushed a Polytech squad 60-18 while missing their two best players:

“We would like to compliment your girls basketball coach for the classic sportsmanship he showed during our game this evening at your gymnasium. It was obvious early on that he had the superior squad. He stopped pressing very early and substituted freely. Sadly, this display of sportsmanship is not always the case, and should never be taken for granted nor allowed to go unappreciated. Coach Hazzard should be proud of his exemplary perspective on high school sports. It’s about good clean competition, and not embarrassment.” - Kristy Vodvarka, head girls basketball coach; John O’Connor, assistant girls basketball coach.

WHAT’S UP, BUDDY - The Special Olympics Polar Plunge is coming up Sunday, March 14, and I am on the team not because I am “special needs” president in residence of the Lewes Polar Bears, but because grandson Davey, born six years ago, is a special needs child with Down syndrome.

I periodically update the village people helping to raise Davey because I have a column; I am a “Grateful Fred” and want to highlight the power we all possess to assist kids and families who notice and appreciate compassionate assistance. This photo (page 80) of Davey and Gilbert Maull at Rehoboth Elementary is priceless, and the same coat connection just randomly happened. I first coached Gilbert in football and track going back to 1975 and we’ve been friends ever since. When I see Davey and ask “How is Mr. Maull?” he always responds “What’s up, Buddy?” as Davey comes from a long line of impressionists. Gilbert has been a tremendous influence on Davey because he likes and enjoys him and brings out his personality, which is the unspoken essence of cool.

Can you feel me?

OLD SCHOOL - Young athletes talk about rocking it old school, but if old school people talk about it, young people rock iPods and cell phones and roll their eyes. I can tell you that old school track at Cape was better back in the day because times and distances tell the true tale of the tape.

What about basketball? Indian River and Cape, two powerhouses from the ‘70s and ‘80s, now play to sparse crowds. I just fished out this coaching record of Bud Hitchens after some kid asked me, “Hey, Fredman, did Mr. Hitchens used to coach basketball?”

Bud Hitchens was Cape head boys basketball coach from 1982 through 1988. His seven-year record was 106-51 with outright Henlopen Conference titles won in 1982 and 1983. Not too shabby!

SNIPPETS - The state championships of high school wrestling are this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 26 and 27, at Sussex Central High School. There are rumors of DIAA coach and parent suspensions from wrestling venues after last Sunday’s “shout and shove” loss of control by adults during the finals of the Henlopen Conference Wrestling Championships. In Sussex County it’s called “going stupid” and, just like dogs, adults should be entitled to one free bite.