Lackluster and dedication never appear in one sentence

Sports have always been my life but I’m not a sporty type of guy, just a sportswriter and social observer looking for twists and turns and the jokes there for the taking but going unnoticed by most people who really don’t feel compelled to make others think and laugh.

Spring sports are upon us; there are 10 at Cape and I want to say one thing to parents: If your kid is not willing to commit to being an athlete then don’t let him or her play a sport.

Drinking and smoking dope for an athlete is not cool. Don’t look the other way - call them on it. You will never be in a better position to make a point. Mostly we have all given up on that fight, figuring we can’t win anyway. And that is just sad because “lackluster” and “dedication” can never appear in the same sentence.

Top choice - Three eastern Sussex County wrestlers who reside in the Cape school district - Tony Scarfo, Trey Mitchell and Kaleb Lemaire, along with their families - exercised their right of school choice, deciding to attend Caesar Rodney High School. The Riders were seeded third in the six-team Division One State Dual Meet Championships contested Tuesday, Feb. 15, at Smyrna High School. The Riders beat William Penn in the first round 41-22 then upset Sussex Central in the semifinals 35-30 and shocked St. Mark’s in the championship match 36-24.

The championship match started at 112 with a win by Scarfo 4-2 that was followed by a pin at 119 from Kaleb LeMaire, then at 125 Trey Mitchell won a match that went four overtimes.

Those three grapplers are local athletes and Cape Region kids, and I support them in everything they do as long as they don’t subscribe to the Delaware State News.

Fat Albert - I like Albert Pujols, the Cardinals’ first baseman; he is a great player and seems like a nice guy. Pujols was once asked about steroids and he laughed, saying, “If I were on steroids do you think I would look like this?”

Albert has elected not to sign a long-term deal with the Cardinals, deciding instead to let the clock run out this season then test the free-agent market.

I tested the free-agent market of education when I retired from teaching at Cape but no one called me back. I remain mystified; I couldn’t even get a call back from the Del Tech Roadrunners.

But I’m tired of hearing that the 32-year old Pujols wants a 10-year deal at $30 million a year. I know that making more money only costs you more in taxes and other penalties, so the difference between making $20 million and $30 million a year is mostly bad. No joke, I just had my life insurance premium double because now it is twice as likely I will die during the next five years than it was during the last five and if I stay healthy it may cost me everything I own just to insure that when I die someone will be able to pay for the party at a rented fire hall.

Snippets - Smyrna High School will host the Henlopen Conference Wrestling Championships Friday and Saturday, Feb. 18 and 19. The weather Friday is predicted to be 65 and if you’re inside a gym watching six hours of wrestling and not related to a wrestler or working in some capacity, then you are one serious fan.

Did you know that Phillis Wheatley Middle School in the Woodbridge School District tied Smyrna in the Henlopen Conference Middle School Wrestling Championships? I wonder if all those good athletes will stay at The Bridge. Let’s hope they do. The University of Delaware women’s lacrosse team played its first game in Delaware Stadium Wednesday, Feb. 16, and lost to Maryland, the nation’s top team, 17-8. The Save our Sport Run will be held Sunday, Feb. 20, starting at 9 a.m. from the Fusion Center in downtown Newark. This is a fun run - there is no charge. Donations will be accepted to bring men’s cross country and track back to the University of Delaware. Check out n5cta.com for further information. The Cape Crusaders will start spring workout programs from 12 to 1:30 p.m., Saturday, March 12, at the high school. The cost is $40 for five consecutive Saturday sessions, and the program is open to all athletes age 6-17 from beginner to advanced. Travel team tryouts for third-, fifth- and ninth-grade teams will take place March 12 at 2 p.m. Kids can play up a grade, so kids from first to ninth grade are eligible to try out.

The competitive tournament schedule is posted on the Cape Crusader website. The cost of tryouts is $10, but if you make the team the fee is $50 and you have to work Cape Crusader fundraisers.

Thirty-five years ago Hunter Ellis, a Cape teacher, told me, “We don’t have spring around here just goes right to summer.”

The wind comes cold and damp off the ocean or bay and we freeze. The toughest venue is baseball. Why not just one luxury box that will seat two dozen; okay, then a luxury trailer.

Go on now, git!