A Day That Will Live In Infamy

For most of us the two dates that will forever remain etched in our minds are September 11th and December 7th although the younger generation may need a reminder on the later date. Today is the 68th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor which claimed the lives of 2,400 and the next day led President Franklin Roosevelt to declare war on Japan as he proclaimed “December 7th, 1941, a day which will live in infamy.” Today is a bitter reminder for those that survived the attack on the US naval base in Hawaii and the anniversary is traditionally marked by the return of some of them although sadly that number is dwindling. There will be a day in the not-to-all distant future in which there are no survivors still alive but December 7th will indeed always hold historical meaning and purpose and should not be forgotten.

While it may have looked pretty it was a shame that the final game of the high school football season was played in conditions that were more suited for snow angels than football. Brick Memorial, who had scored 37 points just four weeks earlier in a win over East Brunswick, could not get anything going on a field covered by snow and lost the rematch to the Bears 9-0 Saturday. Neither team completed a pass during the Central Jersey Group 4 championship game at The College of New Jersey as heavy snow and high winds made even the simplest task very challenging. However as the saying goes…both teams had to play in it and Mustangs coach Walt Currie did not use the weather as an excuse. Our coverage of high school football on the Shore Sports Network culminates this week on our final “Thursday Night Football” broadcast at Boston’s Restaurant & Sports Bar in Toms River when we announce our All Ocean and All Monmouth County teams.

Lacey Township High School will host a free College Showcase of High School Football this Saturday from 9am-3pm. The day-long event features a morning combine for high school players in grades 9-12 which is limited to the first 250 athletes and following that there will be a College Day presented by the Shore Coaches Football Foundation. Some 30 Division 2 and Division 3 colleges are expected to have representatives on hand to meet with athletes and parents between 1-3pm and talk about their programs, admissions, financial aid and more.