Good Morning and welcome to the longest game in the history of the World Series!

Anybody who was watching the annoying Fox broadcast of last night's World Series Game 5, or if you were actually at the game, know it should not have been played.
Heck, as the rain started pelting down on the hood of a 6-year old boy while walking the dogs at 6:30 p.m., it was obvious Game 5 should have been pushed back.
Instead, Major League Baseball loves money. The powers that be would rather pack a stadium two days instead of one, sell a lot more junk and extend the coverage.
Think about it, this World Series, as much as we are loving it here, is the lowest rated World Series in history. Outside of the tri-state area and possibly parts of Florida, it appears everybody would rather watch the Greatest Race.
So, how do you pump up interest? Hey, let's do something new! Let's play in ridiculous weather, then stop the game halfway through.
We can get a lot of coverage and come back for a second day. Great Idea.
By the way, the Phillies say if you have a ticket stub for last night's game you will be allowed in the stadium tonight (if it resumes tonight).
Now, the tickets are made of paper (OK, heavy paper). Which, when it gets wet, has a tendency to become a pulp. So, a ton of those ticket stubs were gone by the second inning. Can I just show up at the gate, say my ticket disintegrated in the rain and I want in?
HMMM...Sounds like an idea.
So, while waiting for the raindrops to stop, get ready for Halloween by whistling:


Here's a good movie to check out:

Good Morning and welcome to a World Series town!

Sure, we've known the Phillies will be playing in the World Series for a week now, but it still is taking some time to sink in.
Phillies? World Series? Is the end of the world near?
Well, we'll leave that last one for Darren Daulton.
Anyway, you know something special is happening not by the continued commercials or TV reports of "We are the best Phillies station around," but by the roadside T-shirt and hat stands that are cropping up.
Saw two yesterday in the relative short ride home and there are plenty more around the region. Schools are actually letting the dress codes lax a bit this week to allow Phillies gear.
You know, about a year ago, there would have been no argument as to the dominate professional sports team in the region. The Eagles were No. 1 and everybody else was a distant second.
Sure, the Phillies, Flyers and 76ers had made the playoffs, but they weren't bringing out the 'crazy' fans (by the way check out our slide show of some of Delco's biggest fans by CLICKING HERE).
Now, though, the Phillies are undoubtedly No. 1. The Eagles could make the Super Bowl, the 76ers the NBA finals and the Flyers the Stanley Cup Finals, but there wouldn't be as much juice as the World Series.
It probably comes down to length of time. We are invested in the Phillies season from February (spring training) until October. To see the team succeed makes all those summer nights in front of the TV or at the game worthwhile.
So, here we go. The excitement starts tonight.
In honor of the World Series, we will take a one day break from Halloween movies and songs to give you this:


And this:


If you have any cool links or photos, send them along to onlinedelco@gmail.com

Good Morning, Delaware County!

Let's get this right out in the open. I never really fancied myself an athlete. Sure, I played sports as a youth and into my mid-20s, but it was for fun. I got into baseball at a young age and found the game to be something great.
I went probably the first two years of playing without getting a hit. I was the child put into right field, because 'nobody hit it to right field.'
I tried, though. I practiced hitting (thanks Dad for making me swing the bat about 5 million times on the front lawn). I practiced throwing. I had catches. I think, by the end of my youth playing days, I was decent enough a player. I no longer was put into right field. I played all the outfield positions. Some first, some third then went to catcher.
Anyway, it's a long way of saying, to me, baseball was a great time. Most of the time frustrating, but it was a great time. I enjoyed putting on the uniform, walking down to the field, taking infield, having batting practice.
I always tried to get No. 1 when they handed out the uniforms, by the way. That way when I would put my name on the brim of the cap, I could always write 'Vince Carey, No. 1.' Of course, my Mom thought I had a high opinion of myself, but, so what.
Where does this get us? Well, last night, while waiting for the Westbrook Park Phillies to play the Orioles, it became obvious there weren't going to be enough players to field two teams.
So, the coach had a bright idea, how about having the Dads play the kids. Great, get the glove and pretend to be young again.
It certainly was a good time. Seeing two little boys waiting in the outfield for the ball while a little girl cheered from the dugout made a beautiful night perfect.
After a game, which, by the way, featured some pretty good laughs coming mostly from the play of the Dads' team, everybody went home.
That's when the aches started. The legs were heavy. The feet (maybe I shouldn't have played in sandals) didn't much like standing.
Forget youth, get the Ben Gay.


If you have any cool links or photos, send them along to onlinedelco@gmail.com

GOOD MORNING, DELAWARE COUNTY!

Thursday was a pretty nice day.
Sure, the clouds dominated the sky, but it actually worked out well.
The Small Business Administration held its annual awards ceremony at Citizens Bank Park.
Actually, it was a tent outside the ballpark. The first award went to Kathleen E. Carey, the Daily Times business writer. She received the Journalist of the Year award. After a rousing 'thank you' speech (which many questioned if she was a professional speaker), the day was rolling.
It's actually pretty impressive to see more than 500 business leaders in one place at one time. Probably a good place to pick up some ideas or advertising.
Then it was into the ballpark.
To tell the truth, with three children, it's a bit of a chore to head down to the game. The younger ones are focused on the playground. From the moment they reached the seats, it was 'Can we go to the playground? Can we go to the playground? I want to go to the playground! Playground! Playground!'
Of course, in my thinking, you can go to a playground any time you want that doesn't cost $18 to get into.
What was really fun about the afternoon was sitting in the stadium with a 9-year old boy who really never watched a game before. He was jumping up and down. Cheering for the Phillies. Basically having a grand old time.
I was lucky as a youngster. A neighbor had season tickets to the Phillies, three rows behind the visitor's dugout. A few times a month, he would give us the tickets. I learned to love watching the game.
Of course, it kind of grew into an obsession. Phillies. Phillies. Phillies. I kept score, followed every game. Still, it was fun.
Maybe that seed was planted in another generation on a cloudy afternoon.


If you have any cool links or photos, send them along to onlinedelco@gmail.com

Good Morning, Delaware County!

So, how do you get back to a sense of normalcy in an abnormal situation? It's impossible, but we continue to try.

Earlier this week, on a night that was anything but springlike, the Westbrook Park Phillies were playing the Indians in a youth baseball game.
This being baseball and all, the number of children playing the game are starting to decline and the Phillies found themselves a couple of players short. They still wanted to play the game, so the 6-year old brother of one of the team members was talked into helping out.
Although he had a few Tee-ball games under his belt, 'real baseball' was entirely new. Heck, his older brother was only playing in his third game, so it was really new to him as well.
So, with the brothers manning center field (older) and right field (younger) the game was played.
The rest of the Phillies welcomed their 'new teammate,' despite him wearing a Braves hat, and were having fun going out and playing. The cold, biting wind didn't even seem to matter.
Each brother were able to get hits throughout the game, although the younger boy was out at third base each time.
That is, until the final inning. With a Braves hat helping hold the batting helmet on his head, the younger brother was stading on third as the older brother stepped to the plate.
A ground ball that had eyes and went into the outfield ended the game by bringing the small boy home.
The players, on both teams, celebrated. Bringing big smiles to everybody who had gathered to witness the game.
Doesn't get any better:


If you have any cool links or photos, send them along to onlinedelco@gmail.com

GOOD MORNING, DELAWARE COUNTY!

OK, I have a confession to make, I told a third-grader not to worry about the PSSA tests. This, of course, will be a shock to the system.
The PSSAs are government-mandated tests that will be given over the next couple of weeks and schools are into an all-out push.
There have been daily letters home to parents. There was even a 'contract' sent home telling parents it was their duty to make sure there are no activities after school during the week the PSSA will be administered.
Some schools even hold pep rallies and all-day study sessions to get ready for the 'test.'
Hogwash!
In fact, I thing we'll stay up late every night and maybe even take in a movie or two.
Sure, it's probably a dumb protest, but there is enough pressure on young students these days without adding any more.
The PSSA tests are now the complete focus of the public school system. Instead of teaching to learn, teachers are teaching for the test. There is extra homework, extra time spent during class and extra pressure on the teachers, adminstrators and students.
I'm not blaming the schools. Our President has set this 'No Child Left Behind' bull. The states have no choice but to follow along, which leads to pressure on the school districts, individual schools, principals, teachers, finally, the students.
You know what they say runs downhill.
We should be giving students a reason to love learning, love going to school, instead of adding more and more onto their heads.
The biggest problem is the tests are standardized throughout the state.
Now, let's just look at the school districts in the county. There is no sane way to argue the students in the Radnor School District and the students in the Upper Darby School District get the same education.
This is not to say the teachers, at least some, don't try and that there aren't some talented teachers in both school districts. The plain truth is it's not the same education, yet they are held to the same standards.
When a third grader is walking home and believes the PSSA tests could potentially keep him out of fourth grade, that's just plain wrong.
If that's the message schools are sending, they should be held accountable.
Instead of getting all the students together to 'pump' them up for another test (really, aren't there enough regular tests throughout the year) gather them in the gym to sing or listen to some stories or ... whatever.
So, take the tests because you have no choice, but think about baseball the whole time.
Here's a quick history lesson: When I was in school there were standard tests given each year. We always thought they were very important to our advancement.
By the time we reached sixth grade, it was obvious the tests had no real meaning. So, we took the No. 2 pencils and created designs in the little circles, barely reading the test questions.
We all made it into seventh grade.

If you have any cool links or photos, send them to onlinedelco@gmail.com