Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Scott Goodale's Big Decision

There’s a pretty good chance SCOTT GOODALE did not get a good nights sleep Monday and tossed and turned a bit as he contemplates the biggest decision of his professional career. Goodale is a teacher at Jackson Memorial High School, his alma mater and the only place he’s worked since graduating from college. He’s also a highly-regarded assistant football coach for the Jaguars and has been part of some very good teams under head coaches Reggie Lawrence & Mike Smith.

The decision the 35-year old Goodale is mulling over is whether to leave the safety and security of Jackson for the unknown as he’s been offered the position of head wrestling coach at Rutgers University and will make his choice known before the day is over.

The shore has been buzzing over this for weeks since his name surfaced as one of the leading candidates to replace the retired John Sacchi. While jumping from high school to the Division 1 college level is a huge move he seems prepared for such a leap after guiding Jackson to the top of New Jersey high school wrestling in each of the last two seasons. The Jaguars are 156-15 in Goodale’s 7 seasons as head coach and he’s become a respected figure throughout the state.

Less than two weeks ago I spoke with Scott before he left for a national tournament in North Dakota and he was anxiously waiting for the call from Rutgers. It finally came on Friday when he was first told he was the choice to take over the Scarlet Knights program. Over the weekend I ran into his wife and mother on the beach and they were both excited although there were details that needed to be discussed and negotiated. That apparently took place Monday and now the decision rests with Goodale, who is a husband and father in addition to being a coach.

While most assume this is a no-brainer, it’s more complicated than that. Wrestling programs are being cut one after another on the college level and Rutgers just eliminated several sports from its athletic program. Yes it’s Division 1, the big time but there’s a lot to consider. Giving up your teaching tenure and all the success for the unknown. I have no doubt that if given the chance and resources Scott Goodale will succeed and whatever the decision I hope he makes the right one. He’s one of the good guys and is deserving of the opportunity.

Monday, July 30, 2007

Forecasting The Weather

Question- What do hitting a baseball and forecasting the weather have in
common?

Answer- You can fail 7 out of 10 times and still have a nice career.

That may be a bit of an exaggeration but you get the picture. We don’t expect a baseball player to get a hit every at-bat and we certainly don’t expect the meteorologist to always nail the forecast but we tend to rely on both. When they fail we’re not happy and when they are correct we often say “that’s what their paid to do” so both careers do share some similarities.

Weather forecasting has certainly changed dramatically over the years. When I was younger I always remember the forecast being pretty much today, tonight and tomorrow and for the most part storms were talked about a couple of days in advance. It’s a different picture now with the ever advancing technology in which we get 5-day, 7-day and even 10-day forecasts and storm talk comes well in advance of when we can even see it on a map.

However because of all these advances we want results and accuracy and I’m sure our own Alan Kasper will tell you that it’s often an in-exact science. Take for example Saturday when just about everyone and every place told you that it was not going to be a beach day. Even at 8AM the Weather Channel made it look like most of the day would come with clouds and thunderstorms and obviously people paid attention…and stayed away. As I began my morning walk on the boardwalk in Seaside it looked more like a Tuesday than a Saturday. I decided to head to the beach afterwards, expecting to be chased at some point by the impending rain. Well it never happened and I stayed on the beach until 3:30 on what turned out to be nearly a perfect day.

In the “what have you done for me lately” department it would be easy to second guess all the forecasters but in fairness it was raining pretty good in portions of northern Ocean County while the sun was shining at the beach.
Sometimes you just have to look out the window and go with what your eyes see….not what your ears hear.

Friday, July 27, 2007

Baseball's Best

Jackson is one of four teams playing in the New Jersey State Little League Tournament, which opens tonight in Clayton with the winner heading to the Mid Atlantic Regional in Bristol, Connecticut. Managed by Bill Young, the Jackson 12-year olds play South Vineland tonight at 8pm after Randolph East takes on Rutherford National in the double elimination tournament.
Jackson has gone 12-1 while winning the District 18 and Section 3 tournaments for the first team in league history.

In Babe Ruth Baseball’s Cal Ripken Division, the Point Pleasant All-Stars split their games Thursday on the opening day of the Middle Atlantic Region Tournament in Bridgewater. The 12-year olds lost to host Bridgewater in the morning but came back to edge Queensbury, New York 3-2 and stay alive in the double elimination tournament. Point Pleasant plays Amherst, New York today with a win sending them to the semifinals.

Being far from home I’m sure Toms River’s Todd Frazier and Jimmy Principe are looking forward to this weekend when the high school rivals face each other for the first time as pro baseball players. The 21-year olds are playing in the Pioneer League and Frazier’s Billings Mustangs host Principe and the Missoula Osprey for three games beginning tonight in Montana. Todd was an All-State player at Toms River South and All-American at Rutgers before being a 2nd round draft pick of the Cincinnati Reds last month. In his first 12 games with Billings the shortstop is batting .286 with 2 home runs and 9 RBI’s. Principe was a standout at Toms River East and had two outstanding seasons at Brookdale Community College before signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks in June. An outfielder, he’s batting .276 with a homer, 4 RBI’s and 14 runs after 19 games. I’m sure the two, who are good friends, will have a lot to talk about.

After winning three of the first four games Ocean County takes a 5-game losing streak into Sunday’s 10th Annual Shore High School All-Star Hockey Game at the Red Bank Armory. Hosted by Jim Dowd’s Shoot for the Stars Foundation, proceeds from the game will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ocean County. Dowd, who hopes to be playing with the Devils again this season, is a Brick native and Point Pleasant resident who has raised thousands of dollars for organizations and individuals with the game which starts at 6pm. Travis Foster of Toms River East, last year’s Ocean MVP, will be among the players lacing up his skates Sunday.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Disrespect

A relatively wise man is quoted as saying “the root cause of all our problems today is overpopulation.” Some might say that’s a bit of an exaggeration but it’s also hard to argue as clearly our founding fathers never imagined there would be as many of us roaming the earth as there are today.

However I truly believe most of our problems are due simply to man’s inhumanity to man and our lack of respect for one another. Think of all the things that go wrong and there’s a pretty good chance the bottom line is that somebody’s concern for only themselves played a role.

To an extent we have always been divided by our differences….race, religion, nationality, economic background. That’s something that will probably always exist which is why there will never be complete peace in the Middle East and other places around the world. However we don’t have to even look or sound different to mistreat one another….we do that to our own neighbors.

Of course when I say “we” I don’t mean all of us. It’s just that people have such disregard for others when it comes to everyday stuff that it’s no wonder we can’t solve the real big problems. Drivers routinely think of themselves as the only ones in a hurry so they’ll weave in and out of traffic, blow by yield and stop signs and ignore common rules of the road…all without a trace of quilt. Nobody likes waiting in lines but watch what some will do to avoid them, again because of the feeling that their time is more valuable than others. Why is there so much litter? The answer is laziness…I mean why walk 20 feet for a garbage can when you can just throw it out the window.

You want more? How about those who blast music from their homes at 3AM…they don’t have to get up for work so they don’t care if you can’t sleep. How about those who in routine conversation in a public place will spew obscenity after obscenity even with children around. Or what about those who park in handicapped spaces and deny someone who really needs that spot.

I could go on and on and so could you. The fact of the matter is we have trouble co-existing with those who we think of as just like us so how could we imagine getting along with those who are very different. Man’s inhumanity to man…it’s really our biggest obstacle.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Happy Anniversary To Me

Anniversaries are often overrated although they can be very nostalgic and sometimes take you back in time and have you shake your head and say
“I can’t believe it was that long ago.” That’s how I felt while watching the Yankees Tuesday on what was the 24th anniversary of the famous George Brett pine tar game. Of course that one is only famous to those who know what I’m talking about.

Anyway there are a couple of anniversaries which are near and dear to me and like it or not I’m sharing with you. Today is my 26th wedding anniversary which in today’s times is truly an achievement and something to celebrate. It was a hot and humid July 25th, 1981 when Jane and I were married at St. Veronica’s Church in Howell with the reception at Doolan’s in Spring Lake. I still like to kid her about our wedding vows which we had written but she feared I would screw-up for lack of practice during the week. Of course I was flawless during the ceremony while she slipped up a bit. I would like to play you the tape as proof but my good friend Thomas “Lenny” LePre forget to start the tape recorder so there is no audio of this historic event.

Seriously while marriage is filled with more ups and downs than a baseball season, Jane has been the best part of my life in addition to a pair of wonderful children.

I’m not sure of the date but sometime this weekend is the 28th anniversary of my tenure here at WOBM. I’ve spent well over half my life in this building on Route 9 in Bayville and in radio that makes me older than a dinosaur. I’m not really sure if being here for all these years is something to celebrate or proof that my career has been mostly a failure. I’ve worked with hundreds of people during that time, many who are very forgettable while others like Bob Levy have become lifelong friends. The bottom line is that I still enjoy what I do and as long as my key fits in the front door I guess
I’ll be here sharing stories with you.

Happy Anniversary to me!

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

The Good Ol' Days

As you get older you tend to believe that the “good old days” were better than they actually were. It’s a combination of nostalgia and forgetting that at the time you probably were complaining about the same things you now say were so terrific. However in the last week or so I’ve had conversations with a couple of people in which we concluded that when it comes to playing sports and being a kid….the “good old days” were better.

Summer used to be a time for baseball games which often started in the morning and ended when it got too dark to see the ball. There were no uniforms, no scoreboard and most importantly no adults. Disputed calls were decided by the odd-even flick of the fingers, “one-two-three shoot” which was the same way you settled an argument on the basketball court. That court was outside, with metal backboards and chain nets although usually the nets were hanging down or long gone. Another summer favorite was stickball in which the game often ended when the last ball disappeared on the school roof or in a storm drain.

Football was never a summer game, saved for the fall and early winter. Two-hand touch was usually the game of choice and the church lot in Seaside Heights made for a perfect playing field. We played tackle too with some of those games taking place on somebody’s front yard and of course there was no equipment and again….no adults.

The best thing about all of this was that we did the organizing, made the rules
and always found a way to settle our differences. You didn’t have to call anyone to get a game as depending on the time of year you kind of knew when and where it would take place. Facilities were patches of grass, dirt and asphalt and uniforms were often shirts versus skins.

Flash forward to today and it’s a whole different story. Kids play when the adults tell them too, an often strict schedule of practices and games in and out of season. As a matter of fact many sports are now 12 months a year…at least the training for them is. When the so-called season is over we parents send kids to camp….not summer day-camp but sports, strength and speed camps. There’s summer leagues for everything and some juggle as many as three sports at the same time. Is this really better?

I don’t know the answer but I will bet you fifty years from now they will look back at this era and say….”the good old days really were.”

Monday, July 23, 2007

Monday This 'n That

A little of this and a little of that following a picture-perfect summer weekend at the shore:

It was certainly good to see Ocean County win the Shore 44 Football Classic for the first time in five years Friday night. In what was a very entertaining game the Ocean County All-Stars edged Monmouth 11-10 before a nice crowd at Brick Township High School. The only disappointment was Monmouth players, coaches and fans felt they were the victims of some questionable calls by the officials and most observers agreed. Despite that it was a good way to end the 2006 season and at the same time get ready for the upcoming one. Among the players I was very impressed with were
Toms River North graduate Arin West and former Lacey standout Sean
McAndrew.

Here’s a little story you might get a kick out of. My wife asked me to pick up a book she had on hold at Barnes & Noble in Brick and I figured I would swing by there after the game. So when I pulled into the parking lot around 9:45 I was perplexed why I could not locate a parking spot. I finally found one and as I approached the store I realized what was going on…in just a couple of hours the latest Harry Potter book would be going on sale. People had been issued wrist bands but were waiting until midnight and it resembled Mardi gras with people of all ages dressed in wild garb associated with the book. Fortunately I think I was the only one there not interested in Harry Potter and I got in and out very quickly.

Give credit where credit is due. The opening of a Dunkin Donuts smack in the middle of the Seaside Heights boardwalk was a brilliant move. I’ve been trying to walk a few miles on weekend mornings before going to the beach and it seems like half the people on the boardwalk during that time are waiting in line for coffee.

The Lavallette Beach Patrol will be holding their 3rd annual Ocean Mile Swim on Saturday, August 18th at 8am. Registration will take place the morning of the swim between 7-7:45AM at the beach pavilion on Philadelphia Avenue. For more information you can call Lifeguard Headquarters at (732) 793-2566.

Friday, July 20, 2007

Shore 44

The name may be different and the game might have lost a bit of its luster but for the 80 plus players in uniform tonight’s Shore 44 holds the same meaning it has for three decades in that it gives them a chance to play in front of family and friends and represent their high schools one more time.

The 30th annual All-Star football game at Brick Township’s Keller Memorial Field kicks off at 6:30 and features many of best recently-graduated seniors from Ocean and Monmouth County. The teams played to a 7-7 tie last summer with Monmouth winning the previous three games and leading the overall series 16-12-1.

The game was founded by former Asbury Park Press Sports Editor Dick Brinster in 1978 and was known as the All-Shore Football Classic until the Press stopped running it three years ago. Point Pleasant Boro coach Calvin Thompson did much of the work in keeping the game going the last couple of years and is the games General Manager, working in conjunction with the Shore Football Coaches Association.

Lacey’s Lou Vircillo is the head coach of the Ocean County team and has a trio of outstanding running backs including his own Chris DiMicco, who helped the Lions to a 12-0 season and state sectional title last December. DiMicco will have plenty of help carrying the ball with Brady Doyle of Toms River East and Brick Memorial’s Vinnie Falkiewicz, who was the offensive MVP of the North-South game last month. Toms River North’s Arin West is expected to make the start at quarterback and has some very talented receivers to throw to including Matt Puorro of Point Boro.

Monmouth County head coach Cory Davis of Howell will have his quarterback running the show at the start with Sean O’Reilly expected to put the ball in the air quite a bit. When they do run expect Donald Porzio of RBC and Monmouth’s Louis Haynes to get their share of carries.
Monmouth has a huge size advantage on both lines as the Ocean County team lost several players to injury who they had expected to help.

While winning and losing is always important tonight’s game is the culmination of a players high school careers…many of course will play in college but for some tonight is the last time they’ll put on a uniform.

On an unrelated note….congratulations to the Point Pleasant 12-year old All-Stars for winning the South New Jersey 46/60 Cal Ripken State baseball title. Point Pleasant beat Mt. Laurel 14-4 and now advances to the Mid-Atlantic Regional with teams from New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and North Jersey. The winner of that tournament heads to the Cal Ripken World Series in Arkansas.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Thursday Thoughts

After what I experienced Wednesday I wonder just how regular commuters deal with the pitfalls of traveling out of the area on a daily basis. It took me an hour and a half to go from exit 105 in Monmouth County to Beachwood, a trip that should have taken about 30 minutes. Of course the weather was to blame for much of the slow-crawling on the Parkway which got even worse when I got off in Toms River and tried to negotiate the downtown traffic mess. As frustrating as this was many of you experience the horrors of commuting every day which frankly I can’t even imagine.

By the way Wednesday saw another traffic fatality in Ocean County when a Barnegat man was killed in a one-car accident on Route 70 in Manchester.
38 people have died on Ocean County roadways this year and that number is sure to grow over the next 5 ½ months. Ocean County’s 62 road fatalities in 2006 was tops in New Jersey…not a record you want to brag about. To be honest I’m surprised there are not more deaths on local roadways for a combination of reasons. Road improvements just cannot keep up with the demand and at times seem like a band aid where a tourniquet is really needed. There are too many cars for our infrastructure and trips that used to take 5 or 10 minutes can now take a half an hour. Of course the Parkway is often a raceway with cars weaving in and out of traffic at speeds well over the limit. Throw in the fact that far too many drivers are distracted by talking on their cell phones and you have utter chaos which will get worse before it gets better.

While ESPN is airing a mini-series titled “The Bronx is Burning” the Yankees are starting to sizzle and resemble the kind of team many expected when they season began. In late May they trailed Boston by 14 ½ games in the American League East and as recently as two weeks ago the deficit was
12 games. However by winning 11 of their last 14 while the Red Sox have struggled the Yankees have reduced the margin to just 7 games with a lot of baseball yet to be played.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Michael Vick Goes To The Dogs

It is getting tougher and tougher to be a professional sports fan as athletes continue to grab headlines for their bad deeds off the field instead of the good things they do between the lines. The latest and one of the more disturbing involves Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, one of the NFL’s biggest names and biggest sellers when it comes to his #7 jersey. If thinks don’t go Vick’s way his football uniform could be replaced by prison garb in the near future.

Tuesday a federal grand jury indicted the 27-year old on and three others on charges related to an illegal dogfighting operation that goes back to 2001 when Vick was a rookie. The four are charged with competitive dogfighting, procuring and training pit bulls for fighting and conducting the enterprise across state lines. The indictment says the dogs were housed, trained and fought at a Virginia property owned by Vick, who has previously said he was rarely at the house, had no idea that dogfighting was taking place and blamed family members and friends for taking advantage of his generosity. In an April raid of the property 66 dogs, including 55 pit bulls were seized as well as equipment commonly used in dogfighting.

Shortly after that “Sports Illustrated” published a piece which said quite a few pro athletes are involved in dogfighting and that it’s growing in popularity with thousands of dollars waged on fights, which sometimes end in death for one of the animals. In the indictment against Vick and the others are charges that losing dogs were sometimes killed by electrocution, drowning and hanging.

Vick will likely turn himself in to authorities in the next day or so and officially be charged and booked. He will probably be released on bail and unless charges are dropped face a court case down the road. The real question now is what action or inaction is taken by the Falcons and the NFL,
who initially have expressed disappointment in Vick but at the same time said that the legal system has to play out. While you are innocent until proven guilty Vick is a player who it would be tough to root for and here’s hoping that no parent buys their child his #7 jersey because he does not deserve any adulation…at least not now.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Big Brothers Big Sisters Of Ocean County Celebrates 10 Years

For those of us who attended the 1st anniversary celebration of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ocean County last night’s 10th anniversary event showed just how far the mentoring organization has come. The Metedeconk River Yacht Club in Brick was packed inside and out with people eager to show their support while at the same time meet and greet an All-Star lineup of celebrity guests. In 1998 when we celebrated our first year of existence we just wanted to make sure we had enough people show up so as not to embarrass our guest speaker, TV News Anchor Jack Ford. I say “we” because I’ve been a member of the Board of Directors almost from the beginning.

Ford, who was a standout football player at Point Pleasant Beach High School and later Yale University, was good enough to come back and speak about the growth of the organization and the need for continued support. The recipient of two Emmy Awards during his broadcasting career, the former trial attorney is currently co-hosting “Banfield and Ford: Courtside” on Court TV weekday afternoons. Ford talked about growing up in a single-parent home and the need for mentors and role models, which defines Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Another good friend of the organization is Brick native and hockey standout Jim Dowd. The 38-year old helped the Devils win their first Stanley Cup in 1995 and after spending time with 8 other NHL teams he returned to New Jersey last season. A father of two young boys, Dowd hopes to skate again with the Devils this coming season. Later this month his annual Shoot for the Stars High School All-Star game will be a benefit for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ocean County.

From the football world came Super Bowl champions Tony Siragusa and
Pepper Johnson, who both sported their huge rings which were admired by the crowd. Siragusa, who owns a summer home in Ortley Beach, is a sideline commentator on Fox football broadcasts and a real character. The soft-speaking Johnson helped the Giants win a pair of Super Bowls and is currently a coach with the New England Patriots.

Baseball was represented by former major league pitcher Mark Leiter, who grew up in Berkeley Township but now lives in Toms River. Leiter won 65 games over an 11-year career after leaving Central Regional High School and now instructs young pitchers while also watching his son play for Toms River North.

Billy Nash and Bob Koeppl were the co-chairmen of last night’s cocktail reception which helped raise money and awareness for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ocean County.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Back From Vacation

After 12 straight days without hearing the sound of an alarm clock I can’t tell you I was very happy when I was woken-up at 2:30 this morning by that all-too-familiar sound. Vacation is over and it’s back to work.

Most of my vacation was spent aboard the Carnival Miracle for an 8-day cruise out of New York with stops in San Juan, St. Thomas and Tortola. The promotional trip was put together by Galaxy Cruises and Travel of Hazlet and we had a wonderful time and met some very nice people. The weather for the most part was great and one of the highlights had to be spending a day at Sapphire Beach in St. Thomas where the ocean water temperature was in the mid 80’s. It was on that beach that I bumped into Bob and Kathy Novy of Toms River, who were actually on another cruise ship which was also docked in St. Thomas at the same time. Bob is a well-known attorney, who hosts a talk show on 1160 WOBM AM.

As someone who swore they would never go on a cruise I have to admit that I’ve quickly become a fan. Sure there are a few negatives but it seems to me that there’s no vacation that provides as much diversity as being on a cruise.
There is literally something for everyone and at all times of the day and night. My daughter brought two of her friends along and the trio of 15-year olds had a great time and provided us with a lot of laughs. And of course no cruise would be complete without my fellow sports broadcaster Ed Sarluca, who really missed his calling. The retired teacher and coach does his homework and provides plenty of inside information. However even he had to admit that nobody is better at securing lounge chairs at the pool then my wife Jane, who was usually the first person on deck each morning to reserve our spot.

As great as the trip was I have to admit that it was a bit frustrating trying to follow sports during the week as the international ESPN they showed on TV was heavy on soccer and the Tour de France but not much help when it came to baseball.

Speaking of which the Lakewood BlueClaws are playing pretty good ball in the second half and despite losing on Sunday have a 15-8 record and a 2 ½ game lead in the Northern Division. What’s more tonight their 3-millionth fan will come through the gates at FirstEnergy Park…they are just 344 shy of the 3 million mark.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

67th Annual Beachwood Fireworks

(Kevin will return from vacation on Monday, July 16)

It’s harder and harder these days to maintain traditions but one that continues
are fireworks on the 4th of July in Beachwood and tomorrow night the borough
will host its 67th Fireworks on the Toms River. Tens of thousands will begin
looking up in the sky around 9pm from all along the river in Beachwood,
Pine Beach, Toms River, Island Heights, Ocean Gate, Berkeley Township and
South Toms River. That includes many who will be in boats on the river
which in itself paints a beautiful picture as the sun sets for the day.

While most of you will “ooh” and “ah” over the near half-hour extravaganza
you will not think about how the relatively small town of Beachwood is able
to host this event each year. The answer is commitment, cooperation and
donations and the annual fireworks display will only continue if those who
enjoy the show support it as well. 92.7 WOBM is delighted to once again
to be a corporate sponsor of the event and also provide a patriotic musical
simulcast. Other sponsors who are largely responsible for allowing the
tradition to continue are COMCAST, SPIRITS UNLIMITED, COMMERCE
BANK and AMERGEN-OYSTER CREEK GENERATING STATION.
Most of these companies have supported the show for years, however just
as important are the donations from area residents, professionals and
other businesses.

As Beachwood officials like to point out…if everyone who views the show
donated just a dollar there would never be an issue in how to pay for the fireworks.
With that in mind you can help out by sending whatever you can to
“Fireworks on the Toms River-Beachwood” in care of Beachwood Borough Hall,
1600 Pinewald Road in Beachwood.

Not to be lost in all of this is the time and effort of the Beachwood Police
Department, Public Works Department, and volunteers from the Fire Company
and First Aid Squad to insure our nation’s birthday ends with a bang…and a
safe one at that.

While many towns long ago stopped shooting off fireworks on Independence
Day the tradition continues in Beachwood. I know the late Mayor William
Hornidge will be looking down with a smile on his face and enjoying the
show…it was always his favorite event of the year.

Monday, July 2, 2007

Monday Musings

Random thoughts on the first Monday of July:

I am certainly not a Philadelphia sports fan but I am a fan of Citizens Bank Park, the home of baseball’s Phillies. I like the stadium so much that over the last few years I have probably seen the Mets play there a dozen times as opposed to one stressful trip to Shea Stadium in New York. Sunday thanks to my brother’s connections, we got to root for the Mets from the Dugout Diamond section….we were five rows off the field from the Phills on-deck circle. With comfortable seats, waitress service and free food and drink it even made up for the fact that the Mets lost…well almost.

As many Met fans make the trip to Philly you don’t feel as much like a visitor as you would in most cases although certainly we were in the minority. What’s just as nice as the stadium is the fact they even with a sell-out crowd and staying until the end of the game, we were out of the parking area in just a few minutes….a far cry from leaving Shea or Yankee Stadium.

Of course this Wednesday is July 4th, and it seems the middle-of-the-week
Holiday is puzzling to many. Usually when we think of a holiday we think of a long weekend but that is not the case this year. For many it will simply be a matter of one day off in the middle of the week but there are quite a few who will look to extend it into the weekend by taking Thursday and Friday off. I’ll be among them and I’m also on vacation next week so after tomorrow I will go 12 straight days without setting an alarm clock…that’s something I’m really looking forward to.

The Shore Conference Football Coaches Association will be sponsoring this summer’s “Shore 44 Gridiron Classic.” The game which matches recently graduated seniors from Ocean and Monmouth Counties will be played on Friday, July 20th at Brick Township High School. Lou Vircillo, who guided Lacey to an undefeated season and state sectional title, will be the head coach of the Ocean County team. Howell’s Cory Davies will skipper the Monmouth All-Stars, who’ve had the better of things in recent years.
The game was created and run by the Asbury Park Press for many years and previously known as the All-Shore Football Classic.