Gil Thorp by Henry Barajas and Rachel Merrill for January 31, 2022

… or heck, it could just be “I’m one of hundreds of thousands of teenagers playing high school sports, with teenage issues and things, not one of an elite cadre of professionals being paid big bucks to be perfect. Sometimes I get beat on the baseline. The other guys are out there to win too.”

No pain, no gain.

“Have you told Coach Thorp?”

“Of course not! Bad enough I’m suffering from ‘Thorp Upper Lip’, just like everyone else. I tell Coach and I risk ending up in an extended storyline.”

P4 “So you’d rather be a shell of yourself, playing at half speed, drag the team down and kill any chance at second in the Valley in the process? A true team player you are, Cressa.”

P2 “Who is this person you refer to as “coach Thorp? Of course not!”

In all reality , Have you seen Coach Thorp ? Why no Cressa I haven’t , was she even at our game ?

HEY Bus Driver, in all reality , you’re close to Milford , wathe out for Mr Reality !

P 2.5: “…I’ve tried, but she’s never here…”

P 1: “… mphh wung wifff oooo…”

P 2.5:”…he’s the boys coach…”

So, in an effort to play while hurt, will Cressa become an opioid addict? Or is this a bone cancer story arc? Nah, those would be too interesting. Maybe it will be that Hollis decides she wants to be a counselor instead of an officer, and she trades in her appointment to the Air Force Academy for an opportunity to hand out Toaster Tarts and listen to people’s problems. She’s looking for a chance to win a starring role in another strip if the comics page ever reboots Mary Worth.

P2- That bus is smoking like Rodney Dangerfield before an appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. STP Oil Treatment STAT!

Cressa, you can always come back next year as a super senior, or enter the transfer portal and play for Goshen next season.

Wait, we missed it! She fears the “Trainer’s table”. Reader Abuse Alert!

P-1: she asked after noticing Cressa is eating her treat upside down.

P-2: Does your face hurt? __’_ _______ __ ( fill in the blanks)

P-3.5: um, keep playing like that and you will be on the bench, Einstein!

P 1: “What’s wrong with me? Nothing, Next year I’m going to Whatsamatta U., a college recommended by a moose and flying squirrel.”

P 2: No wonder the bus is smoking, it has a personality disorder and is having a conversation with itself.

P 3: “It’s my last season and I don’t want to spend it in the training room. Besides, I’m way to busy cultivating my lower lip soul patch to go with my mustache.”

P 4: “…or listening to any more of your BS…..if you squeal about this to anyone, you’ll be sorry, you happy b****…capiche?….”

Those do look tasty!

Boy, she’s really stuffing that Toaster Tart into her tarthole…

S’mores and/or Frosted Blueberry flavor ARE NOT PINK! Either that’s what happens when you buy a cheap generic knockoff, or these pastries are moldy. I wouldn’t bite those Cressa!

Cressa’s logic for not telling anyone about her knee is so dumb that I’m not even going to bother ranting about it. You know. And speaking of knowing, you know that today’s Mopped Up Thorp is online: https://moppedupthorp.wordpress.com/

MOP, don’t you recognize them? They’re Frankenberry flavored