Former UD coach KC Keeler heads to Temple

KC D3 - KC Keeler moved from Rowan to Delaware then Sam Houston State, and now he will be the head football coach at Temple University. He is springboarding like Greg Louganis. If coach Keeler can bring Temple toughness back to Broad Street in North Philadelphia, he can ride the Broad Street subway to the NFL like Todd Bowles, Matt Rhule and Bruce Arians. Temple pays well, to answer the question, “Who takes that job?” Plus, Philadelphia is the fourth-largest media market in the United States. Cape players Trip Delcampo and Mark Moore were on the 2003 Delaware national championship team coached by Keeler. I am your grandfather’s Temple. I go back to trolley cars and the PTC. Cape’s Tommy Sheehan, Class of 1999, was a preferred walk-on at Temple and earned a scholarship when the Owls lined up in the Big East. It will be interesting to see who makes it onto coach Keeler’s staff, but there have to be a few Delaware connections.   

Lost in transition - We are all on a spectrum of some sort, a scale between two extremes; or use the rainbow metaphor, but first you have to kick off all the transitioning dogs. No one likes a political sports columnist. A reader recently suggested I stick to sports, but societal issues are continually dragged into the sports arena, from transgender athletes to a college football team like Ohio State that boasts a $20 million NIL payroll, to internet gambling sites seeking sports addicts for profit, to the transfer portal. Whatever happened to steroids and amphetamines? Did they just go away? A reader sent me an email asking if I was in favor of biologically born males competing as females, and I realized I am personally transitioning positions on all issues pertaining to sports. I am not fixing on or locking in, rather paying attention and trying to learn what it all means. In nature, it’s called circling the rim of the breeding population. I am out like a waterspout. None of this is my fight. Time to hand off to the anchor leg and let them bring it home. 

Jail the Ibis! - Sebastian the Ibis, the mascot at the University of Miami, was a kooky character on the level of the San Diego Chicken. Back in the ‘80s before a game at Florida State, Chief Osceola rode in on a white horse and, as was tradition, planted a flaming spear on the 50-yard line, signaling it was on! The ibis ran to the spear and broke it in half, so then it was really on. The police in Tallahassee arrested Sebastian and took him to jail, where his flashing, spear-breaking self sat in the cooler until the game was over. Fast forward to Michigan players trying to plant their flag inside the Ohio State Horseshoe after an upset win. Spin that any way you like, but it was an ugly aftermath and a little sickening. When the wheels come off the wagon, it makes us all realize what a tenuous hold we have on law and order. 

Holiday jeer - On Saturday morning on a crowded Rehoboth street filled with happy holiday people, I witnessed the get-off-my-lawn guy, and directly across the street was the don’t-touch-my-dog guy. The only people with more negative amps are the Sunday morning cursing-from-the-car-because-I’m-late-for-church guys. I used the newly designed Malfunction Junction roundabout for the first time last week and got cursed both ways while just trying to be a good, courteous player. 

Right said thread - I listened to the incredible Middletown comeback 30-27 win over Salesianum Nov. 29, on my phone using the WDEL app with play-by-play from Sean Greene. Sean is my top choice and my friend. The brother is the best in the business and doesn’t miss a trick. I then transferred scoring updates to my Facebook page, giving a heads-up to scattered friends in low places around the world. Streaming links started showing up on my thread: “Why not watch the game here?” and I wondered, “How do they find me and why are they fishing for viewers?” And why are some friends content just to comment on Fredman updates? I think it's all about being interactive with people you actually know.     

Snippets - “You don’t have to be a star, baby, to be in my show.” The great thing about the sport of running is every person counts, and the athletes are super supportive of one another. I covered and photographed 1,100 5K finishers over the weekend, including Rylie’s Smile 5K (470), Pumpkin Pie 5K (414) and Turkey Trot 5K at Sea Colony (222). In  addition, there were the Eagle Foundation 5K at Rehoboth Country Club (197) and the Reindeer Stampede in Milford (160). The Rehoboth half marathon and full marathon set for Saturday, Dec. 7, have 3,200 runners registered. And Saturday night is the Lewes Christmas Parade. I’m ready to fade into my own parade. Go on now, git!