Digital bits and fragments are all over sportscape

Good Vibrations - With digital bits and fragments of information all over the sportscape, there is no way to focus it all together at one time, so readers looking for an egalitarian column best stay with your school newspaper or check with your social media manager. Mason Fluharty has been invited to spring training by the Toronto Blue Jays as a non-rostered player. That means he has a shot to make the parent club even though he’s not a parent. Sawyer Walker is a graduate student at Howard University (the Harvard of HBCUs) on the lacrosse roster. Sawyer went to Howard after graduating from Xavier. The Howard Bison lacrosse women were 0-16 last season, which included a loss to Delaware State. Sisters Ella and Lulu Rishko will be playing for Delaware lacrosse this spring. Hank D’Ambrogi is a junior on the Delaware men’s team. Hannah Abel is a freshman defender on the Catawba College women’s lacrosse team. Anna Sullivan is a freshman midfielder for the Stetson University women's lacrosse team. The mascot is The Hatter. It’s a John B. Stetson Hat thing you wouldn’t understand. Carrie Clausius is a freshman attacker for the University of Tampa women's lacrosse team. Tampa was 19-3 last season. A majority of Tampa’s players are from states way north of Florida. Tampa is the Division II defending national champion. There are nine Division II men's lacrosse teams in the state of Florida. Cape Henlopen players on some of those teams include Hunter Jones, Rollins College; Mike Gunther and Anderson Smith, St. Leo’s; and Luke Burton, Flagler College. Montana Jones and Olivia Burkentine are freshmen on the West Chester University lacrosse roster. 

Portal and preferred - “The NCAA transfer portal has rules that govern when athletes can enter the portal, what happens to their scholarships, and how they can transfer schools.” Being a preferred walk-on is the highest status a recruit can get outside of receiving an athletic scholarship. No athletic aid is offered, but preferred walk-ons will go into college with a roster spot secured, receive a uniform and have a strong chance of competing for playing time their first year. And then there is the non-preferred walk-on, as in “We actually prefer you don’t show up.” Imagine a non-honors student crashing a class where he didn’t project success? But seriously, this has all contaminated high school sports where some athletes and their whirlybird parents are tripping out of their ever-loving minds. 

Mascot sensitivity - There are still sports teams down through high school named Redskins, Braves and Indians. Commanders and Guardians are strange replacement names, as is Red Storm. I was wondering why the Cape Vikings haven’t come under fire with the history of marauding and pillaging while wearing horned hats with a bison drumstick hanging from the mouth. I suggested a name change to a 1970 Cape grad, and in true Viking fashion, she threatened to bite my head off. I never liked the term “Lady” inserted in front of a mascot name. “And now, introducing the Lady Bulldogs!” That is just asking for trouble. I like the name Dogfish for Cape. My preference is the smooth dogfish. Think of fans doing the chomp while barking, plus you have your own branded beer.

Dumpster diver - Like a lot of people, I have taken a deep dive from any television or radio broadcast related to politics and mostly stay inside the sports bubble. But politics is seeping into my bubbalicious world and threatening to contaminate a culture that is a safe haven and respite from self-created societal problems. I am a sports guy/coach guy, and I expect all coaches to protect the interest and well-being of their athletes. It's just instinct; it is what coaches do. 

Snippets - The platform websites4sports is user-friendly – I use it all the time – but it is broken because its vitality and viability are based on schools and sports teams buying in and posting results and box scores while keeping rosters up to date. This goes all the way down through middle schools. Coach talk is the cheapest, but taking care of the nuts and bolts takes leadership and vigilance, not nonchalance and noncompliance. I had a great photo of a player from a school outside Cape, but not only was there no numbered roster, the roster was also blank. I don’t find it frustrating; it's just lame. Ricky, don’t lose that number. Cape wrestling beat Dover Wednesday night 77-0, riding eight forfeits to the final score. I took an easy pass from that experience, electing a late-afternoon basketball doubleheader of the Fred Thomas boys and girls at Beacon. The girls of Fred Thomas are 9-0 on the season with home games remaining against Delmar and Providence Creek Academy. Go on now, git!