Sports challenge: Can anyone match the pictures to the names of the four most recent high school athletes of the week? You can even use your copies of The First Capitol News; yeah, like that might help you! As Sports Editor I take full and complete responsibility for the mishaps. Names and pictures have been so messed up I won’t confuse you more by trying to fix the mistakes. I cannot even promise you it won’t happen again (I never make promises I cannot keep), but I will promise to do my best to insure it doesn’t happen again.
Talk about stroking one’s ego; this past Sunday my family attended 10:00 a.m. Mass at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Dee had a noon soccer game, Joe a 1:30 – so the three men of the family drove in one car and the ladies in another. As we approached the entrance of the church, Dee, being ever aware of his surroundings, pointed out “that person is reading your paper!” Sure enough, sitting in the first parking spot next to the entrance of the church, sat a regular reader of The FCN – and they were turned to the sports section. There I was, in all my glory – my beautiful mug shot. No kiddin’! To think, someone was sitting in a church parking lot, waiting to enter the church, preparing, if you will, for a religious experience by reading my column. Wow!
A casual observation and comment on Rams’ interim head coach Joe Vitt. It seems Mr. Vitt was diagnosed, and successfully treated for testicle cancer when he was twenty-something. As unlucky, and possibly unlikely as it might seem, he was diagnosed with the same aliment some twenty years later. That certainly explains his calm demeanor on the sidelines during crucial situations; the man has iron…, well, the man knows what his priorities are. Fumble, interception, holding call – how can he get too upset over such petty stuff when he is a cancer survivor, twice!
A couple of personal notes, if I may: Two years ago when we took National Lampoon’s McMurran Family vacation to San Diego, the five of us (do I have to name them?) were walking along the beach one beautiful sunny day. As we passed these two little old, blue hair ladies, one of them said to Lynn and I: “Once they have you outnumbered, you’re in serious trouble.” I took the information and filed it in my memory banks under useless information. Recently it surfaced, big time! It seems that with the current soccer season(s), there are times Lynn and I are literally expected to be three places at the same time. Thank God for special help – one person in particular has been a blessing for Lynn and I, Annie Oberle. Twice last week she bailed Lynn and I out of rough situations.
On a related note, Annie and Dr. Dan Coogan had to be bursting with pride, when their second grade son, Sean Coogan, made a kick save in goal last Sunday against St. Charles Borromeo that would have made the highlight tape of any sports broadcast. The save secured Dr. Richard Heise’s fighting Falcons 3-2 victory, and may have just won them the Division title. Richard and Mary O’Connor, likewise must be overwhelmed with pride with their son Ethan O’Connor. Ethan is not as a prolific of a goal scorer as some of his teammates, but he sure has a knack for timing; his goal gave the Falcons an early 1-0 lead.
