FLASH PHOTOG - A black man named Half, driving a purple pickup with a tripod digital clock on the back, whipped around the parking lot of the Henlopen Hotel at 8 a.m. last Sunday morning, chased by Kenyans, while race director Tim Bamforth yelled, “Faster! Faster!”
My white butt, standing tall, Nikon zoom lens auto focusing-self, was nearly pitched to the pavement, which everyone on board, including David Mushrush, thought was pretty much hilarious. It’s always weird when the guy who almost flies out of the bed of a truck manages to hang on and everyone asks, “Are you OK?” as if the very thought of a crash landing is enough to break your face.
Actually early in the race inside the Henlopen Acres loop, second place runner Ruben Chebil, was nearly tripped by a snippy Airedale on a retractable leash. I asked Ruben about it after the race using sign language to impersonate a nipping Airedale, but he astutely responded using his hands indicating the dog was much smaller.
LOOKING FOR TROUBLE - I could find forfeits for high schools if they paid me, or even save forfeits while declaring athletes ineligible for the rest of their careers, including college. I sat and read the DIAA rule book line for line and my brain did what it does which is to remember oddities of sports history or current arrangements which make little sense. It all boils down, I think, to too many rules and over-the-top intrusion into the lives of athletes who are just trying to play sports. There is no corresponding academic rule book because of the double standard.
Honor student and math team stickers may annoy hundreds who drive behind your bumper, but no one outside the immediate family cares in the least. All the rules to protect kids from overzealous adults in the off season are for all intents and purposes noneffective. So why not just throw the book overboard like Jonah? Insert whale joke here!
REMEMBERING DANNY - Every early August friends and family gather in the front yard of the Harmon home in Belltown to share memories and honor Danny Hook
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Harmon, one of Cape Henlopen’s all-time distance runners who was struck and killed by a car in 2002 at the age of 38. Anyone wishing to read of Danny’s career - a story I wrote as his coach - should go to the webite n5cta.com then click on The Closer. I spoke with Danny’s son, Brian Jones, last Saturday and shared memories of his father and it dawned on me that my responsibility is to get Danny inducted into the Delaware Track and Field Hall of Fame where he belongs. Harmon still holds Cape school records in the 1600 and 800 meters, 25 years after setting them, and was a member of the 4x800 and 4x1600 school record teams.
TALL TEACHERS - When multiple 6-foot-3 women cross the finish line in a road race, I follow them to their family because I know the tribe of “Tall Talls” is nearby and always has a story to tell or an explanation to offer.
“What makes you think I play basketball? I’m a soccer player.”
My theory is the further your head is from the ground the less likely you are to be a proficient soccer player. I lined up these vacationing Buffalo Shufflers after the J.J. race because they were tall. The fact they were interesting and congenial and friendly educators was just a bonus. Laura Kopp played for Penn State, graduating in 1987, and is an elementary school teacher. Tom Kopp is a high school principal and said his athletic skills are generally high in all areas which caused his family to burst out laughing. Debbie Connelly played for St. Bonaventure, graduated in 1989 and is a guidance counselor. Bill Connelly is a high school math teacher and head basketball coach for the last 20 years. And Samantha Kopp is a 6-foot-3 15-year-old going into her junior year and being recruited by most Division I schools in the country.
A THANK YOU JOKE - Mariner Middle School principal Brian Donahue wanted his picture taken with the elite runners from Kenya. Florence, Ruben and Nelson obliged and so did Margaret Colvin a Cape school counselor. Afterwards an appreciative Brian said, “Gracias” and I instantly started to get mileage out of the joke “they’re African not Hispanic,” and Brian said, “Everyone knows what gracias means” - which is true - I think just as everyone knows Chow means the dog does bite.
SNIPPETS - Lillie Lingo has made a verbal commitment to attend the University of North Carolina to play field hockey. The verbal commitment usually serves to back off recruiters until a letter of intent is signed sometime in the fall. College programs virtually never back out of a verbal commitment, but sometimes athletes do change their minds.
Chelsea Allen, daughter of Denise and Ronnie Allen, gave a verbal commitment to play Division I lacrosse at Towson University.
Fall sports practices for high school sports teams begins on Aug. 15. The football watch is always alive to see which premier and talented players don’t show up. August football takes focus and commitment and it’s all about the hard work.
Paul Kmetz of Indian River told me last Saturday: “We’ve had great success coaching the kids who want to be there. How else can you win?”
Go on now, git!
