Recently-retired Brick Township High School football coach Warren Wolf will be honored during a special dinner in Atlantic City on Friday, February 6th as part of the Nike Coach of the Year Clinic at the Tropicana Hotel. Wolf stepped down following his 51st season on the sidelines for the Green Dragons and leaves as the winningest coach in New Jersey high school history.
The dinner is a way for the Shore Coaches Foundation to pay a proper tribute to the 81-year old Wolf for the impact he has had on the lives of so many over his long career. While it will take place during the annual clinic which is directed by Lacey’s Lou Vircillo, the dinner is open to the general public and the hope is many from the Brick community will be on hand for what should be a terrific event. College coaches are also expected to attend
and be part of the program to honor Wolf, who announced his retirement a couple of days after the Green Dragons season-ending victory over Brick Memorial.
The dinner will be held from 5-7pm on Friday, February 6th and reservations must be made quickly. For information you can call Brick Township High School Principal Dennis Filippone at (732) 262-2500, ext. 2289 or you can
Contact Coach Vircillo at (609) 709-5303.
On the subject of tributes a reminder that the Toms River-Ocean County Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Pinnacle Business Leadership Awards Luncheon next Wednesday, January 21st at Woodlake Country Club in Lakewood. The honorees are Matthew Smith of O’Donnell, Stanton & Associations and Gateway Toyota-Scion of Toms River, who will be represented by Vice President and General Manager Ed Sunday. Both were honored in the past as Distinguished Citizens and Organizations of the Year and continue to be active in the community which is the criteria for the award. For information and reservations to the luncheon you can call the Chamber office at (732) 349-0220.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Moving School Board Election
A New Jersey State Senate committee is expected to vote today on bill S-1861which would move school board elections from April to the November general election and also eliminate the need for the public to approve local school budgets that are below the state cap. While this bill is far from perfect I think it’s a major step in the right direction and I’m in favor of a change that’s been talked about for years.
School Board members are for the most part dedicated individuals who try and make a difference. However since the April turnout is so small it doesn’t take many votes for someone to get elected to a position of power even if they are running for the wrong reasons. With more people voting in November you would think that the quality candidates have a better chance of getting their message across. Those opposed to the move, including the New Jersey Education Association and the New Jersey School Boards Association cite among their reasons the fear that partisan politics will come into play. It might be a fair concern if you are naïve enough to believe that politics doesn’t play into the current system because it does. The NJEA has never been one of my favorite groups…they want to win all the time and compromise is not one of their favorite words.
The other major provision of this bill has to do with the elimination of voting on the school budget and to me this is the biggest reason for it to go into effect. To often the public took out their frustrations over high taxes by voting against budgets even if they were frugal and deserving of support. You don’t vote on where any of your other tax dollars go so why should education have to take the brunt of dissatisfaction? If the proposed budget stays within the state cap then there is no vote….however if it exceeds it then the public will decide its fate each November.
Like I said this bill is not perfect and the November date does cause some hardship because the school year is already underway. However that’s not reason enough and in time everyone will learn to work around that. Plus the state is expected to save about $5 million by merging the two election dates and that money can be better put to other use. Even if S-1861 gets through committee today it’s still got a couple of hurdles before it could be signed by Governor Corzine and it would not go into effect until 2010. It’s a change whose time has come.
School Board members are for the most part dedicated individuals who try and make a difference. However since the April turnout is so small it doesn’t take many votes for someone to get elected to a position of power even if they are running for the wrong reasons. With more people voting in November you would think that the quality candidates have a better chance of getting their message across. Those opposed to the move, including the New Jersey Education Association and the New Jersey School Boards Association cite among their reasons the fear that partisan politics will come into play. It might be a fair concern if you are naïve enough to believe that politics doesn’t play into the current system because it does. The NJEA has never been one of my favorite groups…they want to win all the time and compromise is not one of their favorite words.
The other major provision of this bill has to do with the elimination of voting on the school budget and to me this is the biggest reason for it to go into effect. To often the public took out their frustrations over high taxes by voting against budgets even if they were frugal and deserving of support. You don’t vote on where any of your other tax dollars go so why should education have to take the brunt of dissatisfaction? If the proposed budget stays within the state cap then there is no vote….however if it exceeds it then the public will decide its fate each November.
Like I said this bill is not perfect and the November date does cause some hardship because the school year is already underway. However that’s not reason enough and in time everyone will learn to work around that. Plus the state is expected to save about $5 million by merging the two election dates and that money can be better put to other use. Even if S-1861 gets through committee today it’s still got a couple of hurdles before it could be signed by Governor Corzine and it would not go into effect until 2010. It’s a change whose time has come.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Monday Musings
A little of this and a little of that on a Monday morning:
First the Phillies took down the Mets on their way to the World Series and now Eagle fans are hoping to follow the same script after knocking the Giants out of the NFL Playoffs. Philly clearly earned the win yesterday with Donovan McNabb outplaying a very ineffective Eli Manning and Andy Reid outcoaching Tom Coughlin. Now if the Eagles can win in Arizona and the Steelers can beat Baltimore you will have an all-Pennsylvania Super Bowl.
Speaking of Super Bowls. Today is the 40th anniversary of what was the worst loss I ever suffered as a sports fan. Just a couple of weeks shy of my 13th birthday it was on January 12th, 1969 that the New York Jets stunned the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. I was an 8th grader at Central Regional and had bet just about everyone, including teachers a buck or two that the Colts would crush the Jets. I still have nightmares over that game.
If you watched the Golden Globe awards last night you saw that “Slumdog Millionaire” won for best motion picture and might now be the favorite for the Academy Awards. My wife and I saw the movie over the weekend and loved it. It’s about a young boy growing up in the slums of India and going on to win their version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” Great performances by an unknown cast and a terrific film.
I did not watch the Golden Globes because I could not miss the season premiere of “24” starring Kiefer Sutherland which actually continues tonight. The two hours flew by and like this show always does it leaves me waiting for the next episode. Sure a lot of the characters from the past are gone as Jack Bauer finds himself in another jam but it’s still a very compelling TV show.
We are broadcasting a high school basketball game each week on our Shore Sports Network, including 1160 WOBM AM. While Thursday is our main basketball night tonight we’ll broadcast the Toms River East at Toms River South game which tips off at 6:30. The complete schedule is available at shoresportsnetwork.com
First the Phillies took down the Mets on their way to the World Series and now Eagle fans are hoping to follow the same script after knocking the Giants out of the NFL Playoffs. Philly clearly earned the win yesterday with Donovan McNabb outplaying a very ineffective Eli Manning and Andy Reid outcoaching Tom Coughlin. Now if the Eagles can win in Arizona and the Steelers can beat Baltimore you will have an all-Pennsylvania Super Bowl.
Speaking of Super Bowls. Today is the 40th anniversary of what was the worst loss I ever suffered as a sports fan. Just a couple of weeks shy of my 13th birthday it was on January 12th, 1969 that the New York Jets stunned the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. I was an 8th grader at Central Regional and had bet just about everyone, including teachers a buck or two that the Colts would crush the Jets. I still have nightmares over that game.
If you watched the Golden Globe awards last night you saw that “Slumdog Millionaire” won for best motion picture and might now be the favorite for the Academy Awards. My wife and I saw the movie over the weekend and loved it. It’s about a young boy growing up in the slums of India and going on to win their version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” Great performances by an unknown cast and a terrific film.
I did not watch the Golden Globes because I could not miss the season premiere of “24” starring Kiefer Sutherland which actually continues tonight. The two hours flew by and like this show always does it leaves me waiting for the next episode. Sure a lot of the characters from the past are gone as Jack Bauer finds himself in another jam but it’s still a very compelling TV show.
We are broadcasting a high school basketball game each week on our Shore Sports Network, including 1160 WOBM AM. While Thursday is our main basketball night tonight we’ll broadcast the Toms River East at Toms River South game which tips off at 6:30. The complete schedule is available at shoresportsnetwork.com
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Whose Territory Is It Anyway?
(This Hometown View originally aired on Friday, January 9, 2009)
As much as any other county in the state Ocean County is probably divided when it comes to rooting interests for Sunday’s NFL Playoff game between the Eagles and Giants. Generally speaking it always seemed like most of those who lived in the northern part of the county were New York fans while those in the south were more likely to follow teams from Philly. Whether or not there is a dividing line is debatable, some will tell you Lacey Road but there really is no definitive geographical point which separates the allegiances of residents.
Steve Chernoski is the Director of a soon to be released movie titled New Jersey: the Movie in which the theme is the dividing line between north and south. How you might determine that can be as simple as who calls a certain sandwich a “sub” or a “hoagie” to whether your loyalties rest with the Giants or Eagles. For most of the state you can probably tell this by walking into a sports store and seeing what team is featured when it comes to clothing but it’s not that simple in Ocean County.
Sometimes it just comes down to winning. Take the Modell’s in Toms River. I would assume most Toms River residents are fans of the Giants, Jets, Yankees and Mets but the store was loaded with Phillies merchandise before and after the World Series and it sold very quickly. However in years the Phillies were not very good it might have been difficult to find a jersey of your favorite player.
Chernoski guesses that towns like Toms River, Brick, Lakewood, Manchester, Berkeley and Lacey are all or mostly Giant territories. Jackson, Barnegat and Stafford might be pretty even but leaning towards “Big Blue.” I think once you get into the Barnegat area a lot depends on how long you have lived there. Long time residents are likely to be Philadelphia fans but of course over the last 20-30 years many from North Jersey have relocated to southern Ocean County and still cheer for teams like the Giants. Head further south to Little Egg & Tuckerton you are clearly in Eagles and Philly country.
So what fans will be happy when they wake up Monday morning? Let’s hope it’s those who call a sandwich a sub….not a hoagie.
As much as any other county in the state Ocean County is probably divided when it comes to rooting interests for Sunday’s NFL Playoff game between the Eagles and Giants. Generally speaking it always seemed like most of those who lived in the northern part of the county were New York fans while those in the south were more likely to follow teams from Philly. Whether or not there is a dividing line is debatable, some will tell you Lacey Road but there really is no definitive geographical point which separates the allegiances of residents.
Steve Chernoski is the Director of a soon to be released movie titled New Jersey: the Movie in which the theme is the dividing line between north and south. How you might determine that can be as simple as who calls a certain sandwich a “sub” or a “hoagie” to whether your loyalties rest with the Giants or Eagles. For most of the state you can probably tell this by walking into a sports store and seeing what team is featured when it comes to clothing but it’s not that simple in Ocean County.
Sometimes it just comes down to winning. Take the Modell’s in Toms River. I would assume most Toms River residents are fans of the Giants, Jets, Yankees and Mets but the store was loaded with Phillies merchandise before and after the World Series and it sold very quickly. However in years the Phillies were not very good it might have been difficult to find a jersey of your favorite player.
Chernoski guesses that towns like Toms River, Brick, Lakewood, Manchester, Berkeley and Lacey are all or mostly Giant territories. Jackson, Barnegat and Stafford might be pretty even but leaning towards “Big Blue.” I think once you get into the Barnegat area a lot depends on how long you have lived there. Long time residents are likely to be Philadelphia fans but of course over the last 20-30 years many from North Jersey have relocated to southern Ocean County and still cheer for teams like the Giants. Head further south to Little Egg & Tuckerton you are clearly in Eagles and Philly country.
So what fans will be happy when they wake up Monday morning? Let’s hope it’s those who call a sandwich a sub….not a hoagie.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
14 Pains Worth Enduring
One of my favorite magazines is Men’s Health even tough I’m often frustrated that it seems to be aimed at men who are in great shape,
very successful with plenty of money, are savvy when it comes to technology and travel quite a bit. However despite this I look forward to perusing each issue and this month’s “Guys List” caught my attention. The list is 14 pains worth enduring as it tells us that while we all get hurt we are made stronger by the process and the new year should include some new scars. I’ve edited these a bit
1. Going all in, and losing. This of course is a gambling term when
playing Texas Hold’Em and I would imagine if you have ever
experienced the feeling it’s not a good one.
2. Splurging on a $1000 suit. A pain not in my immediate plans.
3. Watching The Notebook. It stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams and I have seen it and don’t recall a lot of pain. The
article says you will impress women by remembering the plotline.
4. Buying a SaladShooter. I must not watch enough late-nite TV.
5. Fumbling through a bad date. Since I have not been on a date in
more than 27 years the sting and pain of the bad ones has actually
gone away.
6. Eating ramen noodles. I hope this pain is never realized.
7. Dating a high-maintenance bombshell. What’s the difference
between that and marriage?
8. Running for president or campaigning for any long-shot score
whether it is personal or professional. Been there…done that.
9. Drinking green beer. Never have, never will. Well, never say never.
10. Taking all-you-can-eat wing night literally. Isn’t that why they make Pepto-Bismol?
11. Undergoing a colonoscopy. No excuse not too…may save your life.
12. Visiting Disney World. Once was enough.
13. Lying to your mother. If you have not done so before you have
had a boring life. When you come home at 9AM and tell her you were asleep at Bob’s house it’s a lie and she knows it.
14. Training poorly, then competing anyway. They talk about the pain of being passed in the race by a 52-year old man. That’s my age and while I have not passed anyone in a while I think I should pass when my subscription expires.
very successful with plenty of money, are savvy when it comes to technology and travel quite a bit. However despite this I look forward to perusing each issue and this month’s “Guys List” caught my attention. The list is 14 pains worth enduring as it tells us that while we all get hurt we are made stronger by the process and the new year should include some new scars. I’ve edited these a bit
1. Going all in, and losing. This of course is a gambling term when
playing Texas Hold’Em and I would imagine if you have ever
experienced the feeling it’s not a good one.
2. Splurging on a $1000 suit. A pain not in my immediate plans.
3. Watching The Notebook. It stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams and I have seen it and don’t recall a lot of pain. The
article says you will impress women by remembering the plotline.
4. Buying a SaladShooter. I must not watch enough late-nite TV.
5. Fumbling through a bad date. Since I have not been on a date in
more than 27 years the sting and pain of the bad ones has actually
gone away.
6. Eating ramen noodles. I hope this pain is never realized.
7. Dating a high-maintenance bombshell. What’s the difference
between that and marriage?
8. Running for president or campaigning for any long-shot score
whether it is personal or professional. Been there…done that.
9. Drinking green beer. Never have, never will. Well, never say never.
10. Taking all-you-can-eat wing night literally. Isn’t that why they make Pepto-Bismol?
11. Undergoing a colonoscopy. No excuse not too…may save your life.
12. Visiting Disney World. Once was enough.
13. Lying to your mother. If you have not done so before you have
had a boring life. When you come home at 9AM and tell her you were asleep at Bob’s house it’s a lie and she knows it.
14. Training poorly, then competing anyway. They talk about the pain of being passed in the race by a 52-year old man. That’s my age and while I have not passed anyone in a while I think I should pass when my subscription expires.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Keeping Your New Years Resolution
We are a week into 2009 and I’m wondering how many of you have already broken one or more of your New Year’s Resolutions. Most of us could pretty much guess what was on the list of the most popular resolutions because it’s probably been pretty much the same for the last few years.
In no certain order here they are:
· Lose weight
· Quit smoking
· Start exercising
· Get out of debt
· Quit drinking
· Get out of a bad relationship and find true love
· Advance your career and make more money
· Go back to school or take a class to improve yourself
· Spend more time with family and friends
· Get into philanthropy and community involvement
Of all of these the two that would have to top the list would be losing weight and start exercising. Fitness equipment sales skyrocket during the holiday season but usually by the end of the month treadmills, exercise bicycles and rowing machines have pretty much become high-priced clothes hangers. The other component of this is the incredible number of people who sign up at a local gym, often for a year or more. They make exercise a regular part of their routine for a few weeks or maybe even months but over time they find reasons to skip and before too long all they have to show for their gym membership is a key tag never used.
As for losing weight….well that’s a billion dollar industry that depends on
us who vow to drop pounds right around the start of a new year. Many do but a friend of mine in the restaurant business told me that after the first two weeks of January business picks up as people give up.
So what was on your list for 2009 and how long will you stick with it? Only time will tell.
In no certain order here they are:
· Lose weight
· Quit smoking
· Start exercising
· Get out of debt
· Quit drinking
· Get out of a bad relationship and find true love
· Advance your career and make more money
· Go back to school or take a class to improve yourself
· Spend more time with family and friends
· Get into philanthropy and community involvement
Of all of these the two that would have to top the list would be losing weight and start exercising. Fitness equipment sales skyrocket during the holiday season but usually by the end of the month treadmills, exercise bicycles and rowing machines have pretty much become high-priced clothes hangers. The other component of this is the incredible number of people who sign up at a local gym, often for a year or more. They make exercise a regular part of their routine for a few weeks or maybe even months but over time they find reasons to skip and before too long all they have to show for their gym membership is a key tag never used.
As for losing weight….well that’s a billion dollar industry that depends on
us who vow to drop pounds right around the start of a new year. Many do but a friend of mine in the restaurant business told me that after the first two weeks of January business picks up as people give up.
So what was on your list for 2009 and how long will you stick with it? Only time will tell.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
First Tuesday Of The Year
I was among the couple of hundred people who attended a private party (complete with red carpet) Monday night to celebrate the grand opening of the newest Boston’s The Gourmet Pizza. The restaurant and sports bar sits on the site previously occupied by Mugsy’s Restaurant at the corner of Hooper Avenue and Fischer Boulevard in Toms River. Boston’s has both a restaurant area and sports bar, complete with flat screen TV’s…there’s even a TV in the bathroom. The ownership group opened their first Boston’s on Route 66 in Neptune more than a year ago and officially they open to the public today in Toms River. Boston’s provided food for the hospitality room at the WOBM Christmas Classic which was enjoyed by all.
With the holidays over we now enter what seems like the longest stretch of winter, one that could be made to feel a bit shorter if the Giants can repeat their post-season success of last year. The Super Bowl is on February 1st and if the Giants can reach the big game in Tampa it will be the kind of positive diversion we need from all the negative things going on around us.
For those Eagle fans looking for equal time….find it somewhere else. However if Philly does knock off “Big Blue” on Sunday it will then give me a team to root against for the remainder of the playoffs. Yeah I know…this sounds just like the Phillies and Mets in September which if I remember did not work out very well for my team.
Another milestone for Brick Township High School hockey coach Bob Auriemma. Last night’s 9-0 victory over Toms River East came in his
1000th game behind the Green Dragon’s bench. In his 43rd season, Auriemma’s record is an amazing 611-310-79 and he shows no signs of letting up and after seeing him last month it does not appear he’s aged. Auriemma has had plenty of thrills coaching hockey at Brick and this year’s team includes three of his grandsons…Matt Dornacker, Mike Auriemma and Patrick Kearns.
With the holidays over we now enter what seems like the longest stretch of winter, one that could be made to feel a bit shorter if the Giants can repeat their post-season success of last year. The Super Bowl is on February 1st and if the Giants can reach the big game in Tampa it will be the kind of positive diversion we need from all the negative things going on around us.
For those Eagle fans looking for equal time….find it somewhere else. However if Philly does knock off “Big Blue” on Sunday it will then give me a team to root against for the remainder of the playoffs. Yeah I know…this sounds just like the Phillies and Mets in September which if I remember did not work out very well for my team.
Another milestone for Brick Township High School hockey coach Bob Auriemma. Last night’s 9-0 victory over Toms River East came in his
1000th game behind the Green Dragon’s bench. In his 43rd season, Auriemma’s record is an amazing 611-310-79 and he shows no signs of letting up and after seeing him last month it does not appear he’s aged. Auriemma has had plenty of thrills coaching hockey at Brick and this year’s team includes three of his grandsons…Matt Dornacker, Mike Auriemma and Patrick Kearns.
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