Heroes who stay the same mean all muppets stay the same

Zackzilla - I went to a Monday luncheon at McGlynns Pub in Dover with a few Delaware Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association writers. Major leaguer Zack Gelof, a player for the Oakland A’s by way of Cape Henlopen and the University of Virginia, was the invited guest along with his parents Kelly and Adam Gelof. The family all interacted with the writers and broadcasters, contributing to the amazing athletic history and journey that landed Zack in the majors and younger brother Jake a draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers. My colleagues introduced themselves one scribe at a time. I was at the last stop, the homeboy depot. I said, “A warning sign of mental decline is when you introduce yourself to people you already know.” Cut to the departure. It was just the Gelof family and me saying goodbye. Zack showed me a capture on his phone of a column I wrote when he was 5 years old in 2004. It was a photo of a machine-pitch Lewes versus Rehoboth game at the Lewes Little League park. Zack was sliding into second base with Ben Bamforth applying the tag. In the column, I commented, “Baseball is alive and well in the community, and someday someone is going to lead a group of kids to a state championship.” What jazzed me most about talking to Zack is he is still the same kid, which means so am I, and so are all of us muppets. We all agreed Sesame Street by the Sea is the best small place for a home base.

Beer for my horses - “We’ll raise up our glasses against evil forces, singing whiskey for my men, beer for my horses.” - Toby Keith, 2003. At the Tunnel to Towers run Nov. 18 at Fort Miles in Cape Henlopen State Park, there were so many stories and so many heroes. And everyone old enough has a memory of Sept. 11, 2001, the day America was under attack. I remember I was teaching a class of Cape seniors as the story was breaking. Flight 93 was reportedly headed for the White House. Student Katie Couchman, a softball player, deer hunter and tough kid, said to me in an unsettled tone, “I want this to be over.” All I could say was, “Welcome to Team USA.” I took a photo of the Delaware State Police Mounted Patrol Unit before the race Saturday. I'm thinking of jokes like “the long-faced quartet” or “twisted Mister Eds,” but mostly I was impressed by Team USA. 

Periscope depth - Years ago, Ken Dunning joked to me, “Fredman, you know you’re getting old when your camera has a cane.” During the playing of the national anthem, I always scan the field looking for faces. Before the Cape football game at Dover Nov. 17, I caught ball boy James Frederick, a fifth-grader. His family is all over the sidelines, from his uncle Mike to father Jack and cousin Bodie and grandpop Fredman. There’s also sadness for the absent family: his pop pop Bill Martin, his dad’s twin brother Tom and coach Mike’s dad Tom. Elton John sang, “Turn on those sad songs.” Everyone can sing that tune. And on the long Thanksgiving weekend featuring a Cape at Sussex Central Black Friday playoff football game, we all pause to reflect and show respect for the country while remembering absent family and friends.  

P Giddy - Philly football fans are always close to the edge ready to jump, but they also always trampoline back and are ready for Super Bowl talk, which could be 10 games away for this 9-1 Eagles team. The 21-17 win over the Chiefs was flat-out fortunate. The cliché “Good teams just find a way to win” applies as long as the other team finds a way to lose. But I give coach Nick Sirianni credit; he is a wet dog in the rain up for the bite and in for the fight. This story is all about Dallas lurking three games down the road. 

Snippets - I asked Zack Gelof if he would venture into Dewey on Thanksgiving eve or stay away because of his local celebrity. “I’ll be out there, Fredman. What about you?” “I’ve aged out,” I said. But there will be more turkey bowls than a Salvation Army rescue mission and 5K races every day from Thursday through Sunday. Looks like I picked the wrong millennium to age out and quit drinking. Go on now, git!