Fluffy the wrestler blazes his first 5K in 28 minutes

Fluffy Flores - A wise word of advice when addressing a 6-foot-6, 270-pound former heavyweight wrestler moments before he runs his first 5K in 28 minutes: Make sure Sussex County’s largest Salvadoran is laughing right with you when you call him Fluffy because cradle rhymes with spladle and you don’t want to get locked up in either while standing in front of the Rehoboth police station. Zack Flores lost in the 2017 state wrestling finals to Bryan Wynes of Milford. Check out the names of some heavyweights who lost in the finals, Brandon Dooley, William Penn; Kevin Hudson, Caesar Rodney; Jamie Schirmer, Sussex Tech; Lucas Ruppert, Cape; T.J. Burke, Indian River; Anthony Diaz, Milford; Nick Carroll, Cape. Always carry a Snickers bar when kibitzing with these large athletes because you wouldn’t like them when they’re angry. 

Julie Del Giorno - I met Julie at the Rehoboth Fire Fightin’ 5K Sunday. She is a recent member of Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company, and the old guard like Danny Mitchell and Chuck Snyder spoke highly of her, saying, “You’ve got to meet her.” I responded, “Does that mean you guys think highly of me as well?” They told me, “Don’t get crazy.” Julie is a West Point Class of 1986 graduate and was inducted into its sports hall of fame for basketball in 2013. From the West Point website: “Julie is a veteran of the Gulf War, Del Giorno earned the Bronze Star medal.” She served as an assistant athletic director at West Point from 1993-95 before moving to East Stroudsburg University. There she worked as academic coordinator for athletics, assistant to the president and as interim vice president of student affairs. After overseeing the athletics program at Moravian College as part of her chief of staff duties for seven years, Del Giorno was recently appointed as the first athletics integrity officer at Penn State University. 

Referees got game - I am the low man on the totem pole on the sidelines of sporting events because I ain’t trying to climb to the top. The officials control the game and the venue. And whatever they make per game, it is not enough, because there is no game without them. If I don’t show up, the band plays on, but if the band doesn’t show up, the game is a lot less electric. We all like a tuba sounding like a tugboat in the fog vibrating our spine like an MRI on the lumbar region. Seriously, you can’t pay me less than a hundred dollars to do anything. I’d rather be magnanimous and do it for free. I’d say start with a hundred dollars and give cash bonuses when they walk out the gate. Sure, it may have the look of impropriety, but if not for the “cash and don’t look back” hidden economy, no one would have any beer money. 

Angst but no thanks - The Phillies are 66-55 and the Orioles are 63-58. The O’s are underdogs, fun to watch. The Phillies are downward dogs that lead fans to situational depression. A batter takes a called third strike and walks back to the dugout before the ball pops the catcher's mitt. The Dodgers are 84-36, playing .700 baseball. The Mets are 79-44 and the Braves 75-48. No doubt the extra wild card has helped retain and maintain fan interest. There are only two jokers in a deck of cards, not three, and I know what you're thinking, “Why any?”

Practice squad - Devon Allen got behind the Browns defense and went “meep meep” like Olympian Bob Hayes of the Cowboys half a century earlier and hauled in a touchdown reception. What I noticed right away was the receiving corps on the sidelines were jubilant and ebullient. Allen is a popular guy who is most likely heading toward the 16-person practice squad. Allen signed a three-year contract in April, and I don’t know what that means, but if he accepts the assignment, you know homey getting paid.     

Snippets - Cape's Mackinzie Brown, a field hockey and lacrosse player, has verbally committed to the College of William and Mary for field hockey. Weeks of social media postings of freshmen being dropped off at college. The mission on the college side for orientation is to quickly cut the tether line between parents and their adult children. Texting and FaceTiming make the gimme-a-break transition next to impossible. In some cases, you’d think the kid was moving into a dorm at Kabul Junior College. Go on now, git!