Thursday This 'n That

Random notes and thoughts to pass along today:

I have to admit to being infatuated with “Shark Week” on the Discovery Channel. It’s pretty much 24/7 stuff on sharks all week long and some of the shows and features are fascinating. What gets me the most are the biologists, scientists and others who are working to not only preserve sharks but also change the public’s image they intentionally attack humans.
Many of them have been bitten and even seriously injured but have returned to the ocean in their study of them.
If you can make sure and try and catch the show on the 1916 shark attacks at the Jersey Shore which started in Beach Haven and moved north to Matawan.

This is truly a good time to be a Rutgers football fan…that is unless you need tickets. The school announced Wednesday there will be no single-game tickets available for public sale to any of the Scarlet Knights eight home games this season. Coming off an 11-2 season and bowl game victory there is now a waiting list of close to 6,000 for season tickets and only those on that list will get to purchase single-game tickets. The Red and White open the season at home on August 30th against Buffalo and tomorrow they begin practice. Rutgers fans are invited to the annual Kickoff Celebration on Sunday from 5-7pm in front of Rutgers Stadium. The free event is open to the public and there will be games and amusements and players will be available to meet fans and sign autographs.

Monmouth University not only won the Northeast Conference Football championship last season but they led the league with a 2.92 grade point average among their football players. 44 Monmouth student-athletes had a 3.0 or better GPA and 16 were named to the Dean’s List. Those numbers are a credit to coach Kevin Callahan, his staff and the entire Hawks program.

Lakewood BlueClaws fans are invited to dress up as their favorite superhero for Saturday night’s game against Kannapolis. The BlueClaws front office staff will dress as their favorites and fans are invited and encouraged to wear capes, masks and costumes and there will even be a contest for the best dressed fan. I would expect General Manager Geoff Brown to come dressed as Superman although some have suggested Mighty Mouse.