Pick of the manger a player who leads a team to championship

Pick of the manger - There is a scene in the movie Deliverance where the off-road adventurers stop at a filling station just before meeting Billy the banjo player. One of the hillbillies asked the group, “who’s pick of the manger here?” The answer was Burt Reynolds. I was thinking back to that line when it comes to captains of sports teams, who’s pick of the manger, who is the leader that others follow into the game? It’s hard to win championships without those people. From pro ball to T-ball, all teams have captains, but it’s the pick of the manger that leads teams to the victory circle.

Play it forward - Lance Armstrong now has a free podcast on iTunes called “The Forward,” where he interviews people, from coaches and athletes to those in entertainment and films. Armstrong, who beat cancer and won seven Tour De France titles, was busted for using the drug EPO then lying about it and pretty much everything else in his life. The Washington Post did a great story on him in the Nov. 6 edition. People argue that Barry Bonds and the Balco Brigade should be included in the Baseball Hall of Fame as well as Pete Rose, who cheated and lied but outhustled everyone on the field. Personally, I’m okay with Armstrong, who is still facing a federal lawsuit that would take all his remaining money, but sports America seems reluctant to take the spiked bike show off Lance Armstrong’s neck. And how come we all don’t drop EPO in our orange juice and rub down with Balco cream before we leave the house each morning? Grand Mom Rose: “Sell the side effects or live with the after effects.” 

Front row flatbed - I emceed the Punkin Chunkin championships for the first 10 years and was asked to return this year but I declined saying, “I’m 70 years old and not as funny as I used to be.” I was there for the evolution of mechanical devices, centrifugals (Ultimate Warrior and Determinator) and air cannons (Trey Melson’s grand entrance Under Pressure that shot pumpkins off Broadway on the Letterman show and the Mellow Yellow air cannon of Captain Speed). I was standing on a flatbed adjacent to the pit area at Hudson Fields the year the pumpkins flew south. The centrifugals cranked up, even the Wright Brothers would have run for cover watching the torque of those props. I looked forward at my feet, the trailer was crawling with people, some of whom actually crawled – a toddler was untying my shoes. I told them all over a miked-up voice, “You adults like me who elect to stand here, that is your own bad decision, but get those kids out of here and put them up for adoption to live with someone who will look after their safety and welfare.” I think in the Big Apple a Halloween pumpkin nearly hit a hobo (NYPD terminology) who was ready to get into a yellow cab that was actually a downrange donated target. So sad to read a woman from The Science Channel was critically injured Sunday, but the event was always a leap of faith, a Flyway to the Danger Zone. Praying for best possible outcome.

Foot on the gas - Smyrna football is a foot-on-the-gas, full-speed operation. It’s a keep pace or get wasted Friday night challenge. The Eagles would throw a home run over your grandmother’s head with a 50-point lead if you pulled her from the depth chart. Coach Mike Judy is a good guy - everyone I know who knows him says so - they play 48 minutes and aren’t wasting a second. Maybe they should give him the Delaware job then recruit a few Delaware athletes and possibly put some people back in the stands. 

Snippets - Sussex Academy is in the DIAA soccer tournament. The Seahawks (10-5) of Coach Adilson DeLima play the Buccaneers of Caravel (9-5-1) at Dover at 8 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 8. Cape hockey hosts Indian River at  2:30 p.m., Nov. 8. Milford hockey hosts Concord at 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 9. Sussex Tech hockey is at Tower Hill at 2:30, Nov. 9. Quitting a team lasts a lifetime - you stay quit - your teammates just never let you back up. The Philadelphia Eagles (4-4) are a few made plays away from being really good. The Cowboys’ rookie quarterback’s given name is Rayne Dakota Prescott, nickname Dak. The kid is a special player who was just sitting there in the fourth round. So much for scouting services. Go on now, git!