Comments on: WAYNE CREED: Thoughts on Two Years Without a Net

By: Deborah Elliott

Deborah Elliott — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 04:05:13 +0000

Every playground you destroy, every building you knock down in Cape Charles means one less poor working person. Any time a town would give away the children’s place of recreation for $10, it’s shameful. Oh, but maybe that is a good look as opposed to having a town full of working-class people. Accomack County is building up towns and schools. This once very hospitable little town of Cape Charles is steadily entertaining nonsense. Why else would you let a company come in paying citizens 5 times less than what it costs to live? News flash: your plan is not working. . . . God bless the citizens of Cape Charles. I ask God to bring this situation to justice. Protect those who can’t protect themselves.

By: Wayne Creed

Wayne Creed — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 15:47:15 +0000

Mr. Wrucke’s reference to the 2009 ESN article does not answer Mr. Glennon’s question. He’s a coach, so he knows what he’s asking. Although the Cape Charles league technically folded, the players and many of the coaches were merely absorbed by Shore Little League. At the time, the consolidation of leagues from the north and south made sense; however, it doesn’t mean coaches and players on the lower shore didn’t still need the field to practice. Coach Glennon and I coach the Shore Soccer Black Ice club (this year’s undefeated Shore Soccer Champions by the way. That’s right.), and we realize the hardship of having to drive to Nassawaddox to practice, so we always choose players based in the south so that we can practice in Cape Charles school park. Not having a baseball club based in the south means that a percentage of ball players can’t participate because they can’t afford the gas. Also, the loss of the ball field was based on a petty feud between the town and the railroad; there is no reason why the town can’t do the right thing and renegotiate to get the ballfields back.

By: Ron Wrucke

Ron Wrucke — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 14:08:51 +0000

Chris Glennon asked, “Can someone give me an answer for why the Little League field was turned into another cotton field?”

http://archive.delmarvanow.com/article/20090411/ESN01/904110318/After-49-years-town-s-Little-League-strikes-out

There is a preview of the [2009] article, but I can’t dig up the actual article itself. Maybe the Library has an archive?

By: Wayne Creed

Wayne Creed — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 16:00:16 +0000

Susan, I tend to agree, but we should probably do away with using idioms altogether, however:

-the centuries old English idiom about having a dog in the fight, has nothing to do with the American Staffordshire Terrier or Pit Bull Terriers or dog fighting, but has always been used to indicate those that have a stake in the outcome of the problem or issue, or conversely opt out of being expected to be involved at all. In our case, this is pretty accurate.

-having skin in the game means that you are making a personal investment, referring to money invested (the skin is money), meaning ‘I put money in, so I have a say. If you don’t put money in, you need to shut up and go away’. It also implies that the person that puts in the most money has most of the say (welcome to Cape Charles).

If we have to fall back on idiom, how about ‘Let’s roll up our sleeves’.

This will be a minority effort—but what we lack in numbers is more than made up for with focus. And you know, Ms. Bauer, old foes can work together to accomplish things for the public good.

By: Chris Glennon

Chris Glennon — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 15:47:50 +0000

Can someone give me an answer for why the little league field was turned into another cotton field?
Did we really need to take a couple of acres away from the kids for that!!

By: Susan Bauer

Susan Bauer — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 20:23:51 +0000

I abhor the characterization of whether one has “a dog in this fight.” It trivializes a repugnant and tragic abuse of animals. How about we settle on whether we have “skin in this game?” It seems more appropriate for this discussion, anyway. In that regard, I think we all have skin in this game. The town needs basketball courts. Hopefully, we can all resolve in 2015 to make that a priority.

By: Wayne Creed

Wayne Creed — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 16:06:23 +0000

Danielle (you can call me Wayne. Mr. Creed was my dad.), you are absolutely correct, and actually this is the main point here: “Over the last couple of years, the loss of our basketball courts has splintered this small town. There may be a tiny, marginal opportunity to piece it back together by making the construction of new courts a priority for 2015.”

Mr. Fox may feel misrepresented and bullied, but that was never my intention, or concern. My concern (agenda) is, as you say, “the younger population of the town.” The optimal location for the basketball court project (my opinion, and agenda) is right across the street from the Old School, next to the skateboard park. Or, just take down the skateboard park and put the new courts there. Of course, we must first remove the “no skate” ordinance (which is stupid anyway) and let them skate where they want.

Time to move forward and do something positive: build the new courts. The town needs to allocate the property (buy it, do whatever you have to), and the rest of us, mainly the business community, needs to fund the construction (John Dempster, does your offer still stand?). No such thing as the concept of “instant karma,” (the causality of one’s actions is immediate rather than borne out over a lifetime), but for all those who helped take away the courts, life may be offering you a second chance at redemption. This may be an opportunity for the wealthy to step up, do the right thing, and finally have a dog in the fight. Hey, we’ll take a check.

By: Danielle Campbell

Danielle Campbell — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 14:19:35 +0000

Nicely written Mr. Creed — I for one, after much contemplation on the topic, feel that it was a mistake to close the courts. However, we all have our own opinion on the topic, just as the town had theirs. Perhaps finding another place to open new courts would be a better answer. What a wonderful project for the younger population of the town … just sayin’.

By: Stephen K. Fox

Stephen K. Fox — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 13:57:49 +0000

It appears that Mr. Creed’s form of journalism is designed to bully a commentator until he decides what side of the imaginary fence they are on. His comments misrepresented my writing, and when called to his attention, his tact is to demand an answer to determine which side of the fence I should be placed. How about acknowledging the misrepresented fact…as though it matters, before attempting to pick sides. Your agenda is obviously an “agenda”; I have none.

I’m finished with this topic. I attempted to offer a realistic perspective, and for those who need “teams” on issues, let them have the games they play.

By: Wayne Creed

Wayne Creed — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 13:30:42 +0000

Mr. Fox, a fact for you: Mr. Panek and the Town shut down the basketball courts December 26, 2012. Were you for or against, or did you just not have a dog in the fight? A simple Yes or No answer will suffice.