Blue Hens, Terrapins and crab cakes bring Delaware, Maryland governors together in Dewey
The governor of Maryland has got to know his way around crab cakes.
So Woody's in Dewey Beach can be proud to receive the approval of Gov. Larry Hogan.
"I'll tell you what, it was a heck of a crab cake," Hogan said. "I was joking that they must have gotten the crab from Maryland, but they did a great job of making the crab cake here in Delaware."
Hogan was in town to collect on his crab cake lunch bet with Gov. John Carney. The two wagered on the outcome of the University of Delaware's March matchup against Maryland in the first round of the women's NCAA basketball tournament.
Maryland, favored as a four-seed, prevailed 102-71.
Before the meal, Carney presented Hogan with Delaware swag, including T-shirts touting the Blue Hens and the state's tourist spots.
"I'll wear it on the boardwalk – in Ocean City," Hogan joked.
It was a better day for a meal under cover on Woody's deck than the beach or boardwalk, with rain and then persistent stormy skies chasing away a lot of beachgoers early before clearer weather arrived.
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The weather might have added to the volume of traffic through Dewey.
"I didn't hit traffic until I hit Delaware," Hogan said, mentioning the Dewey Beach stoplights. "I'm not sure there is a magic solution to that."
Carney didn't argue.
"He did find some sympathetic ears around the table when he talked about that," Carney said. Attendees included Delaware House Speaker Peter Schwartzkopf, Dewey Beach Mayor Bill Stevens, Woody's owner Jimmy O'Conor and Starboard owner Steve Montgomery.
Former Maryland men's basketball coach Gary Williams – probably a bigger celebrity than both governors – also attended and was offered a seat between the two.
After the jovial gathering, the two governors emphasized their ability to work together.
"This is the way it should be. We're different parties but we're neighbors and we share common problems," Hogan said. "We really have worked together, I appreciate the friendship."
Hogan could be making a return visit in the fall. The two governors discussed another wager: on the Navy versus Delaware football game set for Annapolis in September.
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Delaware has had more success against Navy in football than the Blue Hen women's basketball have had against Maryland, but has lost three straight since the Hens beat the Midshipmen in 2007. The two schools haven't met on the football field since Navy won 51-7 in 2013. (The Hens are 7-10 all-time against Navy in football, but the Delaware women are winless in 15 tries against Maryland.)
Hogan would probably feel at home in a return.
"Truth be told, there were more people in the restaurant from Maryland today than I think from Delaware," Carney said. "He's way more popular than I, I got to tell you that."
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware, Maryland governors unite over NCAA basketball, crab cakes
