You can wear earrings to dinner but can't take teeth out during dessert

Payday ain’t no candy bar - DeSean Jackson of the Eagles emanates a persona that he is some skinny, front-running, pass-catching, won’t-go-over-the-middle temperamental star who broods when things go bad and shows off if a play breaks his way.  The Eagles were on the fence whether to cut or franchise Jackson but instead signed him to a $55 million, five-year deal with $15 million guaranteed upon signing the contract. The backdoor kicker on NFL contracts is after the guaranteed part: you can be cut later and not collect on the back end. Can you imagine re-signing on your job for a bonus of $15 million in spite of your bad attitude? You are now unmanageable and unlovable but at least you make more than all the coaches combined.

Earrings and tattoos - What is it with athletes wearing two diamond earrings and all the tasteless tattoos, especially those that go up the side of the neck?  When did that become some cool standard? Social psychologists (OK, Grandmom Rose) postulate that all body piercing and painting is an outward manifestation of underlying low self-esteem. “You can wear earrings to dinner but can’t take out your teeth during dessert without getting bounced from the restaurant,” she said. Cultural cool versus taboo is just hard to figure.

Step off or stay in - Personally, I think doo-wop had its day and needs to go away along with Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and many other performing artists.  There just comes a time to step aside and get a regular haircut. Find a boardwalk bench and gaze at the ocean before flipping direction and making fun of the people walking by.  I often ponder this issue for my own job, but then I see so many successful coaches who are grandfathers, so I stay in the game at least for now, but it gets harder to stay hip without replacement surgery.

Fast Times at Cape High - I watched some Cape girls' lacrosse practice last week while waiting to talk to coach P.J. Kesmodel, not because I’m some groupie granddaddy, but because I’m a sportswriter groupie grandfather.  There were lotsa fast people out there, but I was struck by new players Briana Marsico, Alyssa Mocci and Taylor Gooch and how quickly their legs carried them through the midfield.  “This may be our fastest team ever,” Kesmodel said. “Reminds me of Alec Perry and Lillie Lingo when they were here.” Cape will host a two-turf-field play day Saturday, March 17, featuring some of the best girls' lacrosse teams in the country.

Baseball is back - There was a time period when bad Cape baseball teams lost too many athletes to lacrosse, or so was the explanation. But now that is not the case; they are a different pool of athletes, in part due to adult enthusiasts who push travel ball and summer play, and down through middle school there is a pipeline of talent that has nothing to do with who plays lacrosse and who doesn’t.

I’m disappointed! The Cape boys' track team needs athletes, and many of them are a discusthrow away in the weight room or on the outdoor basketball court. The school does a lot for these athletes, and somehow I wish they had a sense of Viking pride and took to the track.  Track is the purest of all sports, not to mention there are more state championship banners for track than any other sport.

Snippets - The Blue-Gold All-Star Basketball Game is Saturday, March 17, at the Bob Carpenter Center. The girls play at 1:30 p.m followed by the boys at 4 p.m.  L.T. Hazzard of Cape was selected to the all-star roster, along with Aaliyah Davis from the girls' team.

The end-of-year banquet for boys' basketball will be at the high school at 6 p.m., Monday, March 26, and if you did not receive an invitation, remember, “Better slighted than invited,” and not as many speeches.

On March 4, Bob Hughes, Bill Clark, Suzie and Nick Boltz, Maggie Rooksby, Greg Mack and Bruce Egolf braved the balmy weather to jump into the ocean for the Lewes Polar Bear Plunge.

Great spring weather and Saint Paddy’s Day weekend should mean inspiration to get and stay fit, not another reason to get drunk.  Go on now, git!