DUCE DOG - I can’t remember if super Eagles fan and Rehoboth principal Mike Dmiterchik has a dog named Duce or a green Ford pick-up named Duce. I’m guessing the dog because everyone knows men’s trucks are either She or cleverly named after a color like Black, Brown or Green. Last Sunday in Philly, former Eagles running back Duce Staley officially retired from the NFL as an Eagle after a 10-year career - seven as an Eagle where he rushed for 4,807 yards, ranking him third overall in franchise history. I wanted to go back and retire from Industrial Trucking on Swamp Road in Pennsylvania where I drove a gigantic, no-power-steering and no-brakes Euclid dump truck around a stone quarry. We should all retire only once, at the end of all jobs, from the job that holds the best memories. And get a large oil portrait, not a lighthouse - who works in a lighthouse?
RETURN UNKNOWN - L.J. Smith was mildly injured during the first quarter of Sunday’s Eagles game versus the Giants and the press box announcer said, “Smith’s return is unknown, while the return of injured Shawn Andrews is probable.” I just want to personally be downgraded to doubtful, then quickly upgraded to questionable. And too many not-so-instant replays in football with boneheaded fans discussing, “Sure he fumbled the pass reception but did he make a football move before the ball came out?” Hey, what about Iraq? How come no one talks about that?
FOUR FLAGS - I saw them lying on the field turf - four yellow flags thrown on the same play - two fouls on the play - holding on Lito and delay of game on Plaxico. By rule those penalties are offsetting but at least it took four flags and many seconds to ignore a play that officially never happened. Is pro football getting slow or is it just me?
CHOWDER CHARTER - Danny and Dickie Mitchell have organized a packaged bus trip, game ticket and motel room to Chattanooga for the Friday night I-AA National Championship game as Delaware battles two-time defending champion Appalachian State of North Carolina. The bus will leave from Sports at the Beach at midnight on Thursday, Dec. 14. The bus returns on Saturday. Call 644-3961 to book passage. Chattanooga locals became Delaware fans back in 2003 because the Delaware football followers embraced the local culture, had a great time and supported the local liquor stores - I mean economy.
EBAY BLANKET BINGO - The one-of-a-kind Delaware T- shirt quilt signed by Flacco, Keeler and two University presidents will remain online at www. EBAY.com until just before game time. Go to Sports Memorabilia category, then type “University of Delaware” in the search window and you are there. The quilt was made by Janet Myers of Lewes and the proceeds are going to charity.
THUG LIFE - I go to high school boys basketball games all around Sussex County.
Most are on Tuesday and Friday nights. Last Friday night the game between Seaford and Woodbridge was cancelled because of rumblings that violence was in the wind. I have seen many unemployed street thugs profiling at high school boys games and it’s sad because these characters don’t “represent” any reputable athlete and to run “your game” at a high school athletic event is just lame beyond belief. Experiments where games have been moved up to 6 p.m cut down on riff-raff traffic, and daylight afternoon games virtually eliminate the attendance of creatures of the night.
I often wade through floating flotsam in remote parking lots after away basketball games and it doesn’t bother me because I’m alone and I know most unemployed people on probation. There are some classic confrontations coming down before Christmas and when McDonalds closes early you just know you missed the big game.
SNIPPETS - Go to www.bayballclassic.org to check the line-ups for this year’s Christmas tournament to be held at Cape’s Little Big House. . . . Cape placed eighth at the Penn Manor Invitational this past weekend. “We wrestled pretty well,” said Cape Coach Chris Mattioni. “There were 23 teams entered in the event.” Sussex Tech finished four points ahead of Cape in 7th place. Cape was led by Rondy Osorio, 160, who went 4-0 and had a pin in the finals. “This is a tough tournament,” Mattioni said. Cape has only had two champs in the past. Both of them, Brian Riggin and Travis Dorman, were conference champs with Riggin going on to a state championship. Cape had six grapplers place: Rondy first; Kevin Smith (130) and Derek Gay (160) finished fourth; Jason Flannery finished sixth at 215. Andrew Westgate (119) and DJ Reed finished in eighth place. “Even an eighth place finish is doing something at this tournament,” said Mattioni.
. . . . Check out the new location of the Firm Fitness Center on Rehoboth Avenue extended near Grand Rental and Hebron Road. This is a good time to purchase a three-month gift membership at a fitness center for your fluffy loved one. Don‘t go Target; they have a food court. Get fit, go on now, git!
