Bus Rumors

The Rocky Mount Gryphons' first appearance in the GlaxoSmithKline Holiday Invitational Basketball Tournament in 31 years has ended with a 64-55 defeat at the hands of Middle Creek. Their efforts in this tournament will give them a sixth-place finish.

I have sources riding back on one of the Wolfpack buses coming back from the Papa John's Bowl game that tells me the buzz this morning was a report that Russell Wilson tore a tendon in his knee which will require surgery and he will not play baseball this spring.

The Carolina Panthers are the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs and yet their first game, which will not be played until January 10, is the prime time Saturday night telecast. Funny that the networks would not feature the Giants, the No. 1 seed or Tennessee, the AFC's No. 1 seed.

The prime time Saturday night game this week is the Chargers-Colts match up. I totally agree with this on on Saturday night. Right now, the hottest teams in the NFL will be featured.

If you have any thoughts of getting a Panther playoff ticket 7,000 go on sale Thursday morning with the other 65,000 going to season ticket holders.

The four NFL playoff games this week are tough to call.

Atlanta, which is the NFC's Cinderella, travels to Arizona. Arizona has taken the last couple of weeks off resting starters and I never like teams that do that. I don't know why, but I think Atlanta will win one playoff game.

The other Cinderella, Miami, is hosting Baltimore. I just don't know if Miami can score enough on the Ravens' defense to win.

The Philadelphia/Minnesota game is a roll of the dice. Since the game is inside, I'll take Philly. After the hurting that the Eagles laid on Dallas, I just don't see them bowing out easily.

Just maybe the best rivalry in football right now is the Colts-Chargers when it comes to playoff time. Just maybe the top two in the MVP voting may be going against each other in Peyton Manning ,who will win the award and Philip Rivers, who has been the best quarterback all year.

This game is a tough one to call because you never know which Charger team will show up. It's probably against my better judgement, but I'm taking the Chargers.

Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons has been named Offensive Rookie of the Year in the NFL. ECU's Chris Johnson finishes a distant second in the voting.

I am in a bowl guessing game on WRAL.com. I am 7-7 so far and I am in the upper 30 percentile in accuracy. I still have a shot to win despite how poorly as I have started out.

In most years I hit about 60 percent on NFL games just picking winners, about 80 percent picking college games and about 90 percent picking high school games.

There are still 20 bowls games to be played and I still have a shot at 80 percent, but I need to get about everyone left right.

Tuesday Quarterback

There are times when you think a team is destined for victory and then there are times when you don't think victory is possible.

Things don't seem as bad tonight as on Friday as Word of God has laid a licking on St. Raymond's by 20 in the Glaxo semis. The 26-point loss Rocky Mount took on Friday is easier to take after the Gryphons brought down one of the favorites for the NCHSAA 4-A baskletball title this season.

I am really pleased that the Gryphons, after being embarrassed Friday night by Word of God in their Glaxo opener, came back today and pulled one out in overtime over North Mecklenburg, 66-62, this afternoon.

Junior forward Tashawn Mabry scored 29 for the Gryphons, but the difference was a Tevin Jones 3-pointer late in the overtime which secured the victory.

They will now play for fifth place at 12:40 Tuesday afternoon against Middle Creek.

If there was ever a game that reflected your entire season the the Papa Johns Bowl was it today for N.C. State. When healthy, Russell Wilson made the Wolfpack one of the better teams in the country, without him, one of the worst.

Behind Wilson, State cruised out to a 17-6 lead at the half. But Wolfpack fans were stunned to hear that Wilson had strained his knee late in the first half and did not return for the second half.

Like the past season had been without Wilson, the Wolfpack quarterbacks had trouble telling which team was theirs as they threw three interceptions after Wilson had gone the whole season, when healthy, throwing only one all year.

Rutgers took down the Pack, 29-23.

Whenever a two-sport star gets hurt in one, it jeopardizes the other. Wilson, who will be the second baseman on the State baseball team this year, has pro potential in baseball. The question will now arise - will he play football next season?

An entire football season may hinge on his answer for the Wolfpack.

Both the N.C. State men and women won yesterday in basketball, but for the second game in a row, Kay Yow of the N.C. State women was unable to sit on the bench for the Wolfpack ladies.

Yow's fight against breast cancer continues, but the marathon fight is taking its toll on one of the great ladies in college basketball.

I have had the priviledge to attend every one of the 'Hoops for Hope" basketball games since they started several years ago. The State women play a game each season with the proceeds going to Susan G. Komen for the Cure cancer research in honor of Kay Yow. This year's game is Feb. 15 and Virginia will be the Pack's opponent.

The coaches are falling like flies in the NFL. Eric Mangini of the Jets, who couldn't get in the playoffs with Brett Farve, is in the unemployment line today. It was expected that Detroit and Cleveland would get new coaches and they are looking.

Bill Cowher, who has fullfilled his contract obligation with the Pittsburgh Steelers by not coaching the last two years, is rumored to be heading to the Jets.

Monday Quarterback

The Gryphon boys basketball team hits the hardwood this afternoon in Raleigh and will try to work themselves into a higher finish in the Glaxo Basketball tournament.

They will meet 4-A North Mecklenberg which gave New York City's St. Raymond's a run for its money. Tip time is scheduled for 2:20 p.m.

The Gryphons have not won (0-2) since the football players joined the team. Their biggest issue is turnovers having produced 30 against Word of God on Friday night. This team does not have the ball handlers to play the helter skelter offense that Mike Gainey wants to run.

Carolina finishes the 2008 part of the basketball schedule undefeated after waxing Rutgers by 22. January 11 seems to loom big right now as that is the date the Heels travel to Wake Forest to take on the undefeated Deacs.

If you take the Rocky Mount Telegram then of course you know that over the last couple of days they have featured Nick Hahula and Chris Pittman. The reason: the Telegram named Hahula the Twin County Offensive Player of the Year and Pittman the Defensive Player of the Year.

At 3 p.m. today on ESPN2, the Wolfpack plays Rutgers in the Papa John's Bowl . As of tonight, there have been 12 bowl games and I have worked myself up to even at 6-6.

Yesterday I went over the NFL's final day and went 13-3. My only three misses were New Orleans, Jets and Tampa Bay. All three were at home and needed wins to make the playoffs.

I expect before the week is out Brett Farve will pull out of the Pro Bowl. He was complaining of an injured shoulder. That will open up the door for the NFL's No. 1 passer to make the Pro Bowl - Phillip Rivers. Rivers is the only quarterback in the NFL that has a quarterback rating over 100 for the season.

He set a Charger record with 33 touchdown passes in a season with two tosses against the Broncos and set an NFL record with winning his 14th game in a row in December.

Don't look now but the NFL has gone back to running the ball and having quarterbacks who don't make mistakes. Exiting from playoffs contention were the two biggest gunslingers in Brett Farve and Tony Romo. Both gave it away a lot in the clutch Sunday.

The NFL has already moved the Charger-Colts game to PRIME TIME Sunday night at 8 on NBC.

Rumors are flying around the NFL that Tom Brady still needs more knee surgery and may miss the 2009 season if surgery happens. Too bad for one of the NFL's poster boys.

NFL's final Sunday

Today is the final day of the regular season of the NFL. What can any of us expect?

The 1 pm Games:

St Louis @ Atlanta. Atlanta is in the catbird seat. They have clinched at least the 5th seed but if Carolina loses and the Falcons win they get the bye and the #2 seed. Regardless Atlanta is best story in the NFL this year just beating out Miami.

New England @ Buffalo. New England is in an unusual position. Even if they win they may not get in. Expect Belicheck to pour it on if they get a chance.

Kansas City @Cincinnati. Cincy finishes the year on three game win streak.

Chicago @ Houston. Chicago has to win and hope Minnesota loses to get in. If only the hurricane had not hit Houston the week before the season they may have been making playoff reservations but not having a home game the first month they never recovered. Houston wins.

Giants @Minnesota. Last year the Giants gave an all out effort in the last game against New England they still lost ,but they found the formula to win the super bowl. Not this year however. Minnesota wins after the Giants pull 1st team in second half.

Carolina @ New Orleans. Carolina needs to win to get bye or lose and Atlanta win and they get 5th. Carolina plays next week on the road.

Cleveland @ Pittsburgh. Who starts today at quarterback for the Browns? Steelers coast home .

Oakland @ Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay needs a win and a lot of help. Tampa wins but I don't they won't play again this season.

Tennessee @ Indianapolis. This is the Giants/New England game of last year the last week of season. Indy wins but still they only win a trip back to San Diego.

Detroit @ Green Bay. I have this funny feeling that the lions will win.

The 4 pm games:

Jaksonville @ Baltimore. The Ravens need to win and hope. The ravens win.

Seattle @ Arizona.. Arizona clinched the NFC West and quit for the rest of season. I'll take Seattle.

Washington @ San Francisco. Mike Singletary has made a difference in Frisco.

Miami @ the Jets. The way Farve has finished the season only proves he should have retire last year but somehow Jets win.

Dallas @ Philadelphia. All the Dallas talk has been revived this week after they were finished this week. Philly sticks a fork in the Cowboys.

The Sunday Night game:

Denver @ San Diego. After trailing by three with three to play San Diego has come too far to lose now. Chargers by 20.

After yesterdays bowl games I am up to 5-6.

Mixed Emotions

I picked West Virginia to win its bowl game with North Carolina.

I wanted Carolina to win for the ACC. What we got in the middle was a terrific football game marred by a Shaun Draughn (Tarboro native) fumble, or was it.

There was a review and according to replay there was a fumble and I agree there was a fumble but one question I must ask is what has happened to forward progress?

Draughn was clearing at the point he could not go any further, in fact, when they started pushing him back it almost looked as if the way he was tangled up that he might be hurt. Where was the whistle to stop the play? Draughn's fumble is clearly a yard or more behind where he last made any movement on his part forward.

I could not hear a whistle even after West Virginia recovered the ball.

This game started out as if both teams left their defenses home. The score should have been 21-21 all at the end of the first quarter, but Carolina called a timeout and their score came off the board on the last play of the quarter.

That timeout is the difference in the game, not the fumble which happened in the fourth quarter.

WRAL-TV ran a story on Hakeem Hicks returning home to Charlotte (Independence grad) to play in this game, which probably was his last for Carolina. He should be a high draft pick in the NFL Draft.
West Virginia,in the first half, didn't have anybody to stay with Hicks.

You have to say one thing for Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Regardless of who you are, you are within driving distance to this game. They have had very good success selling tickets to this venue.

West Virginia beats the Heels, 31-30.

If you are wondering who the Gryphons will play Monday in the Glaxo Tournament, it's North Mecklenberg. It lost to St. Raymond's of New York City 58-51 and it took a big fourth quarter for St Raymond's to win.

Rocky Mount-North Mecklenberg (first-ever meeting) is set for Monday at 2.20 p.m. in Holliday Gym at Broughton High School.

We will look at the wacky last week of the NFL regular season before the kickoffs Sunday.

Glaxo Day No. 1 for Gryphons

Let's start off tonight by asking a trivia question.

What team won the first Glaxo tournament ever in 1972?

What team finished second the second year of the tournament in 1973?

Who was the first MVP of the first Glaxo tournament when he scored 97 points?

The first-ever winner of the Glaxo tournament was the Rocky Mount Gryphons. The runner-up in 1973 was the Rocky Mount Gryphons - losing a chance at back-to-back victories when they lost to Kinston. The leading scorer in that first tournament was Rocky Mount's Phil Ford, who scored 97 points on his way to the MVP. In 1973, Ford followed up by scoring 96 points and the Gryphons finished second.

Over the years, Phil Ford's scoring binge is still good for a place in the top 10 of all-time tournament scoring.

Ford averaged 32.2 points per game in six games way back when and tonight, the 2008 Gryphons could have used some of that 32-point average as they could just muster 31 points through three quarters.

Scoring only 31, the Gryphons found themselves down by 14 points at 45-31. Things never improved for the Gryphons as they loss the opening game at the GlaxoSmithKline Holiday Invitational Basketball Tournament in Holliday gym at Broughton High School in Raleigh, 67-41.

The Gryphons could manage only to score 14 points in the first quarter which was the high water mark for any quarter tonight.

The Gryphons will play at 2.20 p.m. on Monday as their next action in the GSK. They will face North Mecklenberg.

Xavier Nixon, one of the three linemen who got 18 votes in leading the way during the voting for the Associated Press All-State Football Team, was named today as North Carolina's Player of the year. He becomes only the third linemen in the history of the voting to win the honor.

RMHS' Whit Barnes, who also received 18 votes on the All-State team failed to receive a vote for the Player of the Year voting. Barnes plans on signing with Wake Forest on signing day in February.

No Ball On Christmas

It is really nice to have a football game in the background with the sound down while you eat Grandma's dinner or lunch on Christmas day.

34 bowls games to get through you would think at least one could be on Christmas day. If I have to endure the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving at least give me Eastern Michigan and Florida Atlantic on Christmas day.

Like I said the NBA is no ball on Christmas. I just can't take the four corners of the NBA. Four guys go stand in the corner and one guy goes one on one. That's just too much while I'm eating turkey.

If it was June I might try to watch but please not the NBA on a full stomach.

There is only one bowl game on Friday but Saturday is college football all day starting with Carolina.

So far I am 3-4 in my bowl picks.

Sunday the NFL will play their final regular season game.

All of the possibilities in the NFL that needs to be for Saturday.

I picked up the News and Observer this morning and saw that Whit Barnes and Nick Hahula make th Associated Press All State Football team.

Oddly enough Whit was tied with the most votes received with two other linemen. In the voting they beat out the glamour positions quarterback and backs. Whit received votes from 18 of the 20 AP writers who cast ballots.

Nick makes the team as the place kicker receiving 7 votes as the voting for the kicking positions was really spread out.

Tonight is probably the mosted talked about Rocky Mount Gryphon basketball game ever as they open play Glaxo Smith Kline basketball tournament in Raleigh. They draw the defending champions of the the tournament or should I say one of the tournaments as there is actually three going on. A girls four team bracket and two eight team tournaments.

Don't ask me why they do it that way. It not my tournament. The Gryphons play at 9.00pm Friday night against Word of God.

The Gryphons don't play Saturday but would finish the tournament regardless with a game on Monday and Tuesday.

There is no live broadcast of the game but 99.9 the Fan will have live reports from Broughton all during the tournament and as soon as I know a final score I will blog Friday night.

A Final Look At Gryphon Football

If you listened to any of our football broadcast this season, especially after Thanksgiving, you know that I really feel that any team that plays the Friday after Thanksgiving is a special team. Rocky Mount's football teams have made it to December three of the past four seasons and have made it to Thanksgiving Friday five years in a row.

Under the guidance of B.W. Holt, Gryphon football has become a premier program in eastern North Carolina.

Here is a look back at this year's Gryphons:

It was a battle all year between giving up points or first downs. In 15 games. the Gryphons gave up 135 points - nine points per game while giving up just 127 total first downs.

It took the last game of the season for any team to devise a plan to score against the Gryphons in the first quarter. That score was the first time all year that the Gryphons trailed all year. It took all of one play to retie the game after that score.

The only other time this team trailed all season was with 34 seconds to play and those 34 seconds will last a lifetime.

This Rocky Mount team averaged 38.2 points per game during the regular season and in the playoffs, 37.7. I think that is consistent, regardless of the competition.

The offense covered 5,737 yards both on the ground and in the air. That's more than three and a quarter miles of offense with 11 people on the other side of the ball trying to stop you.

Fifty times this year Nick Hahula's kickoffs went in the end zone and the other team started at their own 20.

Nick only punted 26 times all year and his punts were returned only 21 yards.

The 35 points scored against Southern Wayne was the most ever score in a quarter.

The 197 points scored were the most points scored in one quarter by any Gryphon team ever. Giving up only seven all year in the first quarter meant that at the end of the first quarter the score was Gryphons 13, our opponents .5.

We had four different players throw passes during the season out of 150 attempts. Only six were intercepted. That is the all-time best record for 10 games, and of course, the Gryphons played 15.

Collins Cuthrell, who threw 134 times, set the individual record only tossing five INTs for the season breaking that record by five.

Marquavis Alston has set the career touchdown mark of 42. He also become the first runner in school history to have back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

Keith Strickland has the all-time Rocky Mount record for yards receiving in a season, 1,141.

Jordan Ford's 99-yard opening kickoff return against Hunt was tied for the longest in school history.

Nick Hahula tied a record set by Darrius Dubose having worn a Gryphon uniform in a varsity football game 53 times.

Nick has a page full of records to numerous to mention, but I will anyway.

• Most field goals made in a career - 24
• Most points-after touchdowns made in a career - 205
• Most PATs attempted - 246
• Most field goals made in a season - 8
• Most FGs attempted in a season - 13
• Most kicking points made in a season - 96
• Most PATs made in a game - 9
• Most points in a career - 393

The most astounding stat of an endless list is he made 72 out of 76 extra points. That is 94 percent. Now remember this. In order to make an extra point, there has to be a good snap, a good catch made by the holder and good blocking by the line. Ninety-four percent made.

There is no doubt that this Gryphon team will go down in history as one of the better senior classes in Rocky Mount history.

I will be visiting grandkids in Raleigh for Christmas, so I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Northern Takes Christmas Present

Three quarters of the way in the Nash County Christmas Tournament and Northern Nash trailed practically the entire way. After trading baskets back and forth early on Nash Central lead by seven early in the forth quarter until a 14-0 spurt sent Northern Nash to a 68- 66 Victory over Nash Central.

The home standing Lady Bulldogs didn't take kindly to Rocky Mount wanting to win the Christmas tournament in their gym and dominated the second half in whipping the Lady Gryphons 52-40.

Christmas eve is here and what do you think the Gryphon boys will be doing a t 6.00am preparing for the Glaxo Smith Kline tournament at Broughton gym Friday night. Basketball Practice. Practice early and that way the afternoon of Christmas eve can be spent with family members.

The Gryphons play Word of God at 9.00pm Friday night at Broughton High school gym. Word of God features the #1 point guard in the nations in John Wall. C J Leslie who has already committed to N C State also can be seen during the 9.00pm headline game of the day at Broughton.

the Gryphon basketball program has been good over the years but the GSK likes to feature top North Carolina talent in the tournament and Tashawn Mabry is Rocky Mount's invitation into this tournament.

I told my brother in-law Greg Hodges over the weekend I didn't understand his New York Yankees. The best player available in the free agent market sitting out there and the Yankees not going after him Mark Teixeira. Well the Yankees got off the pot and signed Teixeira for 180 million over eight years. That's $138,000 per game over the next 1296 games whether he plays in everyone or not.

Teixeira is still not the highest paid Yankee. It is the 4th largest contact in Baseball history behind Alex Rodriquez having the highest two and then Derek Jeter. Despite having the highest payroll the Yankees have two starters than don't make a million a year. Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano. Former N C State Andrew Brackman who has yet to pitch at any level for the Yankees makes more than those two.

Sunday The Denver Bronco's play San Diego Chargers in San Diego. This would be one of the biggest come backs in NFL history if San Diego pulls this game out. They were three games down with three to play. San Diego is an eight and 1/2 point favorite mainly due to the fact that in December since Philip Rivers has been the quarter back of the San Diego Chargers San Diego is 13-0.

The NFL Monday night football schedule has been down graded they last couple of years since NBC has been given Sunday night football. Starting at week 11 they have waited to the last minute do decide who would be the Sunday night game they have called it the flex schedule.

Both Fox and CBS will have double headers Sunday and the NFL has been working on a flex schedule where all teams that are still in the playoff picture play at the same time so no team knows when the late game starts that they have already been knocked out from one of the early games.

I heard on ESPN Tuesday that there were 64 possible scenarios still possible of who could make the NFC playoffs. The AFC is pretty cut and dry except the the western division.

I am off to a very impressive 3-3 start in the Bowl picks. Not yet time to worry about winning percentage since there are still 100 bowl games to play. At least it seems like it.

Lady Gryphons Seek Christmas Present

Monday the Lady Gryphon's demolished Northern Nash by a 44-21 score to move on the the championship game of the Nash County Christmas Tournament.

They will meet the host of the tournament Nash Central who had an all out war with Southern Nash in overtime 47-45.

The boys action saw Northern Nash not being too festive for visiting bunn as the Knights won 76-60 to set up the championship game with Nash Central who beat southern Nash 65-56.

The lady's championship game starts at 6.00pm with Nash Central hosting the Lady Gryphon's and in the boys action once again the host nash Central play Northern Nash ten minutes after the Girls finals.

Yours truly and George on camera will be there tonight for the Stretchlon Sports Show.

All the hub bub surrounding North Carolina and whether they will stay undefeated this year is Wake Forest is off to and 11-0 start after they crushed ECU by forty.

Winston Salem could be the scene of a Carolina loss this year.

Marquette hits a contested three pointer at the buzzer to beat N C State by three. State played well and just got beat by a team who made the shot that State wanted them to take.

The Monday Night football game was pretty chilly in Chicago. Chicago keeps their hopes for the playoffs alive.

Will he come back or retire again? Brett Farve is playing like the old quarterback he is as of late for the J-E-T-S. Farve leads the NFL in interceptions. If he plays for the J-E-T-S next year he would cost them 13 million dollars on the salary cap.

Look for the Jets to demand he give them an answer by mid January whether he's coming back or they just might release him any way.

Just yesterday I looked at the film of the fumble in the West Craven playoff game. I have waited to view it because there was nothing anybody could do about it either way. Quite frankly it easy to see that it is not a fumble but I have seen plenty more that were worse than that one that were called. The first one that comes to mind is the Southwest Edgecombe mystery fumble as we were running the clock out this year.

it is easy to see Nick's knees are down and the ball is knocked away as his body falls to the ground. Remember the refs don't have a hood on the sidelines to go look at the replays.

Carolina let One get Away

How good a game is a lot of times has to do to which end of the perspective you are. Whether you won or lost.

The Giants-Panther game was an excelleant game maybe between the best two teams in the NFC.

I have a hard time trying to run the clock and then trying a fifty yard field goal to win. The Giants when they got their chance punched it into the end zone instead of trying a field goal.

Casey's field goal look like my tee shots some times in golf. It started out straight as an arrow but the wind pushed the ball about ten yards left. My golf shots develope a banana after about a hundred yards which tend to swing forty yards right of center.

There seems to me to be something wrong with Jake Delhomme. He seems to have lost his strength in his arm as the season has gone on. He had four passes which were short that should have been intercepted.

I think the Panthers are left with having to win next Sunday to insure that they are in the playoffs. If they lose and Atlanta wins. Atlanta is in Panthers are out.

After last night I am now 3-2 in bowl games.

The San Diego Chargers are the hottest team in football and will host Denver next Sunday with the winner winning the Western Division on the AFC.

Should the Chargers pull it out their reward a home game either against Indianpolis, Baltimore or Pittsburgh.

If I had to pick a super bowl winner right now I would take Indy. Tennessee which beat Pittsburgh yesterday has the best defense but during the playoffs you have got to score in the twenty's or you may go home.

Pittsburgh has gotten by with defense up to this point but like Tennessee can't out score anyone in the playoffs. Have you noticed that the throw happy NFL has made a full circle and even Baltimore is defense and run.

Now lets see the Giants,Panthers,Tennessee, Baltimore and Pittsburgh all are defensive minded run the football and throw only when you have to.

Dallas,Indianpolis,San Diego ,Denver and Arizona are the non running teams still in the hunt for the playoffs.

The same old formula. Hold on to the ball and stop the other side is how you win at any level.

Carolina's Game To Win

Now that they have so many bowl games 34 in all in order to get them all in one is being played Sunday night. It will be going up against the Panther and Giants. I wonder who will get the ratings?

Listening to all of the experts on all the networks today I think most think the Panthers will win. If you go by who is playing better right now then the Panthers will win but in the NFL how you did last week or over the last month last until kickoff time tonight.

So far I am 2-2 on the first day of the bowl blitz.

The Nash County Christmas tournament is on the front side of Christmas this year. It begins tomorrow at Nash Central high school. The Lady Gryphons will kick off the action at 2.00om agsainst Northern Nash.

Since the boys are playing Friday and next week in the Glaxo Tournament in Raleigh Bunn has come from outside of the county to fill in for the Gryphons this week.

I will be there Tuesday night to do both of the championship games for the Stretchlon Sports show.

Tashawn Mabrey after scoring 37 against Goldsboro Thursday night has moved past Buck Williams in second place as the Gryphons second leading scorer all time. He still needs about 600 to catch Phil Ford which at his average as he has now at 26 per game that would be near January next year barring any type of injury.

I know a lot of people are talking of going to the Glaxo Tournament to watch the Gryphons play Friday. I understand there is no pre sale of tickets only at the door for $10 for all games that day.

If the San Diego Chargers fail to make the playoffs this year it sure won't be because of Philip Rivers. Today he has his first four touchdown game and zero interceptions as he now has 32 touchdowns and only 11 ints. That's not good enough to be on the pro bowl team. He needs less than 200 yards next week for his first 4,000 yard passing season in the NFL.

Heading to church for our Christmas musical from our choir at Sunset Avenus Baptist church and home for a front row seat to watch the Panthers.

The Endless Bowl Games Begin

This afternoon the first of the college bowl games got underway featuring Wake Forest. It was almost half time before the Deacs started playing Jim Grobe football.

The Deacons quarterback Riley Skinner has been so good from the moment he took over at quarterback as a freshman until mid season this season that you wonder what's wrong with him. Starting in the midway point until the end Skinner was 11-11 passing and the Deacs get the ACC off to a good start on the bowl season 29-19 over Navy.

Carolina,Duke and State all three play this afternoon in basketball and all three are big winners.

There has been a lot of talk about whether Carolina can go undefeated. I doubt it. I say they will lose twice this season. Carolina fans have to hope the second one doesn't happen after mid March in the NCAA tournament.

I was surprised at how easy Duke took care of Xavier. I really thought Xavier might make noise today but it was only a wimper.

N C State is off to their best start under Sidney Lowe at 7-1. Guard play is the key to the Wolfpack having any major success this season and today they started Julius Mays a freshman who is mainly a two guard but the way all other point guards have play the last season and so far this year he may have won a starting job scoring eight points, eight assists and zero turnovers. Where have you been Julius Mays.

It has become a habit over the last twenty years that South Carolina has won the Shrine Bowl game and they did again today. South Carolina 24- North Carolina 16 after the tarheelers lead 16-3 at the half.

Seems as if North Carolina dominated the game when running but West Ctaven's Brett Mooring tossed two interceptions with one run back for a touchdown .

I know five years down the road Brett Mooring might be the best thing since melted cheese but I was not impressed with his throwing against Rocky Mount. He was picked four times in the state championship game and twice today in an all star game.

I guess the good news for Whit Barnes as a lineman no one knows you are there unless you committ a foul or have a bad snap.

I heard Gary Fowler of Clayton the head coach of the North Carolina Shrine team explain why North Carolina lost more than they won in this all star game and it makes sense. He said 'North Carolina has 389 schools to choose from for 44 spots. South Carolina only half that many. The process is not as easy to pick the best when you have more to choose from'

I think I understand what he is trying to say. It's time consuming for a coach who already has his team to worry about and then look for 44 more in a all star game in your spare time.

I know that the Carolina Panthers have won the NFC title once in their 14 year existance but tomorrow night's game against the Giants in Giants stadium has to be the biggest road game during the regular season in their history. #1 seed in the NFC is up for grabs and it looks like it will be played with snow on the ground. That may be good for the Carolina running game.

Go Panthers!

Tonight is the last regular season game ever and quite possibly the last game ever at Texas stadium. Texas stadium is most famous for the stadium that they never finished. Big hole in roof.

You know when I went last weekend to New York City on the shopping trip on a bus with my wife you go right by FedEx Stadium in Washington, Raven's Stadium whatever they call it and in order to get into the Lincoln tunnel you circle Giants Stadium like three times. There was no snow on the ground last weekend.

Right now as i write this three bowl games are in the books and I am 2-1. My lone lost is Fresno State giving up a big lead and losing 40-35

Looking at the NEW 6 All-Conference Football Teams

Last Thursday evening the NEW Conference football coaches got together and voted on the all conference team. The offense was voted on by five linemen, four backs and two wide receivers. The defense four linemen, four linebackers and three defensive backs.

The Offense:

Offensive Player of the Year: Rashard Parker ,Fike.... Good choice lead the lead in rushing with over 1,700 yards, 26 touchdowns. He had that 80-yard run just before the half against the Gryphons.
Linemen: "Pork Chop" Torey Lee, Whit Barnes,Greg Williams, Brandon Dennis. Four of our five linemen make first team all conference. They are joined by SouthWest Edgecombe's Marquis Hines.

Wide Receivers: There is only room for two receivers so tight ends are in the mix with the speedy guys. Record setting Keith Strickland is joined by Nash Central's Danny Allen as the ball catchers.

Backs: Quarterbacks, fullbacks and halfbacks are all thrown in and four are voted All-Conference. The four are Marquavis Alston and Nick Hahula of the Gryphons, Greg Horne of SouthWest Edgecombe, Rashard Parker of Fike and Marc McCadden of Northern Nash. There was a tie in the voting, so a fifth player is on the first team and one less player on the second team.

The Defense:

Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Pittman, Rocky Mount. When you are the leader of the best defense in recent Gryphon history as Chris was, there is no doubt who the Player of the Year should be.

Linemen: Nick Harrison and Jermaine Fields of the Gryphons. T.J. Batcehlor of Southern Nash and Keith Thomas of Northern Nash.

Linebackers: Chris Pittman and Josh Boulware of Rocky Mount, Titus Best of Fike along with Stacey Howard of Southern Nash and Justin Dupree of SouthWest. Once again, there was a tie and there is an extra spot.

Backs: Brian Goodwin of Rocky Mount, Rafeal Norwood of SouthWest, Ismel Moses of Southern Nash and Devin Jackson of Fike. There was also a tie in the backs voting.

Special Teams:

Place Kicker/Punter: Nick Hahula, Rocky Mount

Kick Returner: Brian Goodwin, Rocky Mount

The Gryphons grabbed seven offensive spots, five defensive and both of the specialty spots. Fourteen of the 24 players on the first team are Gryphons.

Those that could have been first team:

Jordan Ford..... Led the team in rushing with an 12 yards per carry average and doesn't make first team?
Collins Cuthrell......Led league in passing
Jarron Battle.... four linemen teammates made it, but he doesn't
Josh Thigpen.....The Gryphons had the best offensive line in the league. They also had the best defensive line why only the ends made the defense.
Hiawatha Bunn... He was a shutdown corner.
Dedrick Silver.... He was a speed linebacker which made it hard to run outside on us.
Spencer Bell... Could have made it for blocking or his catches at tight end
Carter Varnell.... Could hold his own against the run or go one=on-one against your wide receiver not bad for a linebacker.

The good news is this group made second-team All-Conference. Which means the Gryphons had 22 of the 46 spots on first- and second-team All-Conference.

L'Var Silver is the lone Gryphon to make to make honorable mentions.

B.W. Holt is Coach of the Year for the third time in four years in the NEW 6. It is his fourth COTY award in his six years at Rocky Mount

I realize that when you get 14 of the 24 positions you have dominated the voting. Sure does seem like we could gotten one or two more.

WRAL-TV's Tom Suiter Says Goodbye.

With the entire WRAL-TV family standing behind him, Rocky Mount native Tom Suiter gave his last 6 p.m. sportscast tonight on Channel 5.

Rocky Mount native and North Carolina Governor Mike Easley presented Tom with North Carolina's highest Honor "The Long Leaf Pine".

The Governor reminisced about having played on the same Little League team in Rocky Mount as Tom was 12 and the Governor was only 10.

Normally on Thursday's it the time when Tom goes to an area high schools and presents the "Extra Effort Award," but tonight Bob Holiday was doing the presenting and Tom Suiter was this week's winner.

Thanks Tom!

Tonight the NEW 6 football coaches voted for the all conference team. Each coach has his turn at telling the other coaches who he would like to see win from his team and why. I don't know if it has ever happened before at any level, but B. W .Holt nominated all 22 of his starters on offense and defense.

I will let Charles Alston give you the names on the Rocky Mount high website. but I will tell you this. Including the kicker and kicker returner, that makes 24 players on the All-Conference team. I am proud to say 14 Gryphons made the team. Despite having 14, there are some major disappointments, too.

Tonight in high school basketball, Goldsboro shot down the Gryphon boys 89-87. The Gryphons hardly led at all in the game. When they got close, the Cougars would get a working margin, but the Gryphons almost pulled it out in the last 12 seconds - missing two wide open shots to tie and the final shot to win it. With 53 seconds, to play Rocky Mount trailed 88-80.

I didn't hear his final totals, but Tashawn Mabry may have passed Buck Williams for second place on the all-time Rocky Mount high scoring list. He needed 31 and he was close if he didn't break it

They will go into the GlaxoSmithKline Invitational Tournament next week in Raleigh on a two-game losing streak.

Since the football players have joined the basketball team, they have already lost more games than during the entire football season 0-2.

It is a different story for the Lady Gryphons as they smashed the Lady Cougars 68-43. Tonight was my first look at the basketball team this year and to me this is the best group Pam Gainey has had in a couple of years.

Tonight in Chapel Hill Tyler Hansbrough broke Rocky Mount's Phil Ford's all-time scoring record. at Carolina.

I know both Duke and Carolina will hate this comparison but Hansbrough is a lot like Christian Laettner was for Duke. They were made for college basketball. I suspect Hansbrough will play several years Laettner play 14 years and averaged about 15 per game in the pros.

Laettner may be the best ACC basketball player of all-time when you consider the NCAA Championships he was a part of, but as a pro, he was just average and I suspect Hansbrough is headed for the same type pro career.

Well we already know that N.C. State might be better than last year in basketball as they beat ECU last night in Raleigh. ESPN had picked that game as one of the three possible upsets in college basketball last night, but the Pack wins. I think it is great the experts feel State is good enough to be considered an upset if they lose.

I know he played long before TV became part of Pro football but Sammy Baugh maybe the greatest pro football player ever in the NFL died last night at th age of 94.

Despite having retired from football in 1951, Baugh still holds the all time best punting average.

One season he lead the league in punting, passing and interceptions. They just don't make them like him any more.

College Bowls II

The Pacific Holiday Bowl in San Diego: Oregon matches up with Oklahoma State. This could be a good one. If the Big Twelve is as good as they think they are they need this one. I'll take OK State 39-28.

The Bell Helicopter Arms Forces Bowl Forth worth Texas: I guess this is the Bowl game made for Air Force as Houston takes on the Flyers. I'm going to take the Cougars of Houston but this is not a sure bet. I'm hedging on this one even as I sit here now.

The Brut Sun Bowl In El Paso: Seems to me Coppertone would be a better sponsor for the Sun Bowl. Oregon State against Pittsburgh. I like Pitt 27-24

The Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl in Nashville: Vanderbilt against Boston College. If Duke can beat Vandy then I think BC can too. 31-17.

The Insight Bowl Tempe Arizona: What in the world is the Insight Bowl. Kansas pitted against Minnesota. How ironic that this is named the Insight since once again this is a NFL Network no sight game. KU in a romp 38-17

The Chic-Fil-A Atlanta Georgia. LSU against Georgia Tech. Southeastern Conference takes this one on the chin . The Rambling Wreck 34 LSU 24.

The Outback Bowl in Orlando. Iowa against South Carolina. Something tells me to Pick Spurrier in this one so I will. Carolina 26- Iowa 20

The Konica Minolta Bowl Jacksonville: Clemson takes on Nebraska. this is a game between two schools that are just a like. they think they are a whole lot better than they are. I hate to keep picking the Big Twelve but it's the big Red 31-28 over the Tigers.

The Capitol One Bowl Orlando: Michigan State takes on Georgia. This is a great match up. Georgia the preseason #1 going up against an always almost good Spartans. Michigan State 27-The Dawgs 24.

The AT&T Cotton Bowl in Dallas: How in the world did Texas Tech 11-1 almost in the National Championship game get stuck with Mississippi at 8-4. This could be a good one but I don't think Old Miss can put fifty on the board which it will probably take to win this one. Tech 49- The Rebels 35

The Auto Zone Liberty Bowl Memphis Tennessee: ECU Pirates going up against Kentucky. I think the Wildcats will win but I'm pulling for the Pirates. ECU 31 Kentucky 28 ARRRG.

The International Bowl Toronto Canada: There are so many bowls games they were afraid to put a third one in Orlando so since they were out of United States cities to host one let's try Toronto. Buffalo meets big East Connecticut. May be a foot of snow on the ground. This will be Turner Gill's opportunity to show America he was worthy of the Auburn. U Conn 35- Buffalo 24

The GMAC Bowl Mobile Ala. Why don't they take this one and merge it with the Motor City Bowl in Detroit. They could call it the GMAC Motor City Bowl! Tulsa goes against Ball State. It's hard to go against a school that doesn't hide the fact that all they are interested in is sports. Ball State. Tulsa losing at home to ECU in the Conference USA title game is enough for me. Ball State 42- Tulsa 35

And Now Finally the real Bowl Games:

Rose Bowl By Citi in Pasadena : This is a home game for Southern Cal against Penn State. I just don't think the State University of Pennslyvania can hang. Southern Cal 42 PSU 28

Fedex Orange Bowl in Miami: Virginia Tech who can't score unless the defense does wrestles with Cincinnati. I think Tech defense will score one and a blocked punt Tech 27 Cincy 16.

The AllState Sugar Bowl in New Orleans: Utah against Alabama. This had potential to be a good one for a while BAMA 30-Utah 20.

The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Glenndale Arizona. Ohio State against Texas. All I got to say is poor THE OHIO STATE Texas is out to prove they are in the wrong bowl game Texas 48 Ohio St 21.

The FedEX BCS National Championship Game Miami: Florida Gators vs Oklahoma Sooners. My heart says Gators but I think Oklahoma has to win to prove they were the right pick in the Big Twelve Championship game. The covered wagons 42 the stylist pocketbooks 38.

Over the last two days I have given you my picks. I will keep a running count as they play.

College Bowl Games and Turkey

This Saturday starts the College bowl season. There are several games much like the High school playoffs that the first round need not happen. Lets take a look. We will start and go by the date of the bowl game.

Saturday December 20: The Eagle Bank Bowl. I didn't know there was such a bank. The game is being played at old RFK stadium In Washington DC. Wake Forest of the ACC plays Navy. They have already met in Winston Salem but it was during a period for the deacs when they pretended to be the old Demon Deacons of the pre Jim Grobe era. Deacs win 30-22

The New Mexico Bowl: Takes place the city loved by Wolfpack basketball fans Albuquerque. Colorado State takes on Fresno State. I didn't realize Fresno was a state. Regardless Fresno wins 40-28

The majicJack St. I have no idea if this is a bowl game or a breakfast buffet played in St Petersburg Florida. Memphis takes on South Florida. Too close to home for South Florida so this will be a home game. South Florida 33 Memphis 21

Pioneer Bowl Las Vegas. Seems like a better name would be the Gambler's bowl. The Mormons against Arizona. I'll take Brigham Young 44 Zona 24

R+L Carriers Bowl in New Orleans. Both teams are being transported to the game in the back of a truck. Southern Mississippi against Troy. I'll take the men of Troy. I thought that was Southern California. Troy 35 Southern Mississippi 17.

The San Diego County Credit Union bowl. It's nice to know that San Diego County has a Credit Union. Game must be in San Diego. Boise State versus Texas Christian University. This may be the best Bowl game of the year. I'll Take the blue carpet team 48-44 over TCU.

The Sheraton Hawaii bowl in Honolulu. Hawaii against Notre Dame. I'll take Hawaii just because its Notre Dame and they don't win bowl games. The Rainbows 38 Notre Dame 24

The Motor City Bowl in Detroit. This game is part of the bailout of the auto industry. Central Michigan takes on Florida Atlantic. I doubt if Florida Atlantic can do much in the cold weather even though the game is inside in 72 degree weather. Like I said that's cold for Florida Atlantic.
Central Mich 42- FA 21

Meineke Car Care Bowl. Charlotte. Carolina versus Virginia. I mean West. Carolina wishes it was Virginia. West Virginia wins in another good bowl game. WVA 31 Carolina 27

Champs Sports Bowl Orlando... Florida State versus Wisconsin. Have you heard how the police in Tallahassee investigate crime. There first question is, What Jersey number was he wearing? If the Seminoles can keep enough players out of jail by game time they win 27-20 over the Badgers who will be just glad to be in the sunshine.

The Emerald Bowl San Francisco. California against the U. Home game for the Golden Bears but Miami will make it close. 38-35.

The Independence Bowl in Shreveport Louisiana: Northern Illinois against Louisiana Tech. Does anybody know what the mascots are for these teams? Ill take the Techsters because they are good in womens basketball or use to be. Tech 51 Northern Ill 38

The PapaJohns.com bowl in Birmingham. N C State takes on the Scarlets Knights of Rutgers. Do you realize that Papa Johns will not be the pizza sold in Birmingham. You'll have to buy Domino's at the game. None of the experts are giving the Wolfpack a chance. State 30 Rutgers 28.

The Velero Alamo Bowl. San Antonio TX. Northwestern against Missouri. 88% of the world picks the show me state so I will too. Missouri 45 Northwestern 28.

The Roady's Humanitarian Bowl Boise Idaho. Maryland versus Nevada. I hear that Maryland has out sold Nevada 2 to 1 in ticket sales. That's right Maryland has sold two tickets to Nevada's one. The Humanitarian thing to do would be to cancel from lack of interest. If Maryland shows up 31-21 over the Wolfpack.

The Texas Bowl in Houston : Western Michigan facing Rice. This will be the only bowl game not on TV. It's being carried on the NFL Network. Makes good sense doesn't it. Rice wins because they are home. Rice 49 Western Michigan 35

We just are half way. I'll do the rest tomorrow. I'm tired of typing. It takes awhile one finger at a time.

All-American Again

Former Rocky Mount High School and the 2005 North Carolina Athlete of the year Terrell Hudgins has made th College Championship Series All American team for the second year in a row.

Terrell owns every pass receiving record at Elon that they can think of and holds almost every Southern Conference record. The three year starter will have a chance to break every FCS record if he comes back and plays football for the Phoenix next season.

Sitting out a year after transferring from East Carolina Terrell is eligible for the NFL draft this coming season. It will be interesting to see the interest from NFL teams.

Terrell at 6'3" is a tall receiver and if you could compare his style is similar to Keyshawn Johnson who can now be seen on the Sunday NFL pregame shows.

Barring injury Terrell decision will be come back to Elon to become the greatest receiver in FCS(Formerly Division II) or play NFL football. Either will be a winning decision.

Having been away over the weekend I failed to notice the Lady Gryphons basketball come back win over Beddingfield. The ladys allowed The Bruins to score two touchdowns and a field goal (17-0) before they started playing.

This is suppose to be a down year for the Lady's having graduations and other issues before the season started and yet they are off to a 4-2 start. Pam Gainey is working her magic again.

Whit Barnes is the only Gryphon football player who still needs his equipment as he prepares for the Shrine bowl game Saturday at Wofford college.

I can't remember when there has been this much interest from fans. As you know the Gryphon Basketball team will be playing Glaxo Christmas basketball tournament starting December 26th at Broughton High Gym.

I need to get some information for you but I think you need to buy tickets in advance if you plan on getting in. This tournament is always a sellout.

Boy this Gryphon action needs to be on the radio?

If the Gryphon football team thinks their lost was devastating running out the clock and losing but Jack Brett's loss was heart breaking also. Ahead by eleven points and had the ball only to fumble and Richmond County scored twice in the last minutes to steal the 4-AA crown away from the Pirates.

There is aways someone worse off than you.

It will be interesting to see how the wrestlers do as this year unfolds. Now that the football players have joined and a full week of practice the Gryphon grapplers are off to a great start after their sweep in conference meet this past Saturday.

The collge football bowl season cranks up this weekend and later this week I will give you my predictions.

An Assortment Of Things

This Saturday's upcoming Shrine Bowl game will be taped for television. Over the past several years, the Alll-stars from North and South Carolina have had a hard time finding someone locally to carry the game.

Best solution? Go national! ESPNU will be taping the game for playback starting on Jan. 9. The local cable network of Suddenlink can be seen in Rocky Mount on channel 241 whenever it is played on the network..

Whit Barnes is already at Dorman H.S. with his North Carolina teammates preparing for the game at Wofford College.

The boys basketball team felt defeat for the first time at home Friday night losing to Beddingfield 78-73.

One of the winningest coaches in North Carolina high school history Bob Paroli finally got a state title Saturday. I have no idea what it says in the record book but at age 77 he has to be the oldest coach to win a title. If nothing else the oldest coach to win his first title.

71st beat Paroli's old team Douglas Byrd for the title. Ironically Paroli's only title comes at the expense of the team (Byrd) that named their stadium after him.

This only shows that B W Holt still has plenty of time to win a title at Rocky Mount.

In the 2002 season Charles Alston and myself did a Gryphon game from Byrd in which the Gryphon's lead by Terrell Hudgins upset Byrd 20-19. It was Terrell's first varsity start on the way to his record breaking career at Gryphon quarterback.

West Rowan's trouncing of West Craven doesn't make the Gryphon loss to the Eagles any easier.

The Carolina Panthers clinched a playoff birth with their victory over Denver. They play the Giant's Sunday in the Meadowlands and if they win they will get home field advantage during the playoffs.

Denver's loss kept Philip River's and the San Diego Chargers alive in the AFC west division. 6-8 on the season all they need to do is win next week and for Denver to lose at home to Buffalo.

If that happens San Diego and Denver play in San Diego the last game of the season. If it didn't then it sure does now loom large but the Holculi no fumble call in Denver in their first meeting could wind up being the difference between the two teams.

The 18 point San Diego comeback was the third comeback by the Rivers lead Chargers in his three years as starter for the Chargers of 17 points or more.. Soon to be Hall of fame quarterback Brett Farve has never lead the Packers or Jets to to a comeback of more than 14 points and Rivers has three of 17 or more.

Those boys in Dallas ain't quite dead yet. The Giants who at one point looked like they had the Super Bowl wrapped up have had some major injuries recently and of course the Plaxico incident.

Tonight in local basketball Faith Christian school plays host to Rocky Mount Academy. I think this will be the first sellout at the new gym at Faith.

I am not sure which game I will be doing but i'll be there for the Stretchlon Sports show.

Life Is Not So Bad As #2

It will take several days for the Tarboro Vikings to get over the feeling, but making it to the big game at some point in their lives will be greater than losing the championship game.

A 14-2 record. A trophy that will live in the trophy case at Tarboro high school as long as there is one that says Eastern Regional Champs 2008.

The North Carolina high school playoffs are like a marathon. You run like what seems all day and when you cross the finish line someone else is there who has already finished. Just finishing a marathon is winning, being in Chapel Hill when 90 some odd other 2-A schools were wishing they were where you were.

Tonight at 8.00pm you can catch coach Jeff Craddock and some of the team on the Stretchlon Sports show. They will be on for as long as they want to be.

Rocky Mount high school 's great season took another hit yesterday as West Rowan smothered West Craven 35-7 to win the 3-A title.

I had no idea how to pick any games played when there is no common thread to compare teams before the games are played. Deep down in my gut I did not think West Craven would win since I thought they were the second best team last weekend.

Sam Bradford has won the Heisman Trophy. The Oklahoma quarterback I feel had the overall best numbers of any of the candidates who were in the final three.

Maybe this year the Heisman vote was right for a change.

I will be shocked if Dallas pulls off the upset today in the NFL. Terrell Owens is going through his method of ripping a team apart again.

It is very hard for any team to win when the owner feels he has to be the spokesman, coach, and main person in front of the cameras as Jerry Jones does. Just wait in 20 more years he will be just like Al Davis in Oakland so out of touch but still thinking he's the smartest guy there.

There are simply not enough microphones to go around in Dallas. Everybody wants to be the headline story.

I got on a bus Friday night at 10.00pm and rode to New York City to be my wife Pat's package toter all day. The temperature never got out of the 20's but it was a pleasant day in the city.

There is one thing that New York doesn't have enough of is bathrooms. Yes there are 4,200 eating places in the city but there are signs everywhere stating for customer use only.

When you got to go, you simply got to go. While walking in Times Square we came across a sign that said Public Bathrooms presented by Charmin. Well I didn't care who was presenting then I had to go.

We walked into a room which has an escalator to go up to a second floor. There was a doorman allowing only a few ever so often. When we reached the second floor you could hear someone talking on a microphone and as we got off the escalator there was a line of about 100 people.

Charmin the bathroom tissue people had set up 20 rooms in a semi circle. Through out this 2nd floor they had set up scenes which made beautiful pictures with your love ones for Christmas.

While you waited your turn there was a person on the mic who interviewed each person as it became their turn to use the bathroom. He also tried to get the wave started. As someone would come out of a room a Charmin employee would clean the bathroom so when it was your turn to go you were getting a bathroom like you think you get at Home.

I think that was the most pleasant bathroom visit I have ever made any where at any time.

It was a fun event in the middle of the pushing and shoving of just trying to walk down the street in New York City.

I can tell you this and I am not being compensated for saying it. Use Charmin

Lost Weekend

I promised my Wife way back in the middle of the summer that if I was not doing a football game on the radio this weekend I would go with her on a 24 hour shopping trip to New York City.

We do have a local team playing in the Tarboro Vikings but the team I've covered all year in the Gryphons has finished their season. I know a lot of us feel it was a week early.

I will be listening to Paul Andre and Bob Maloney on WZAX99.3 starting at 7.30 and listen to the Vikings.

Round about 9.45 I'll be getting on a bus at that time and the game may not be over.

I do have my Tarboro sources in place to give me a call with the final score when it is over.

Dana Parisher who works in HR at my company is Gung Ho Vikings and has promised to let me know the final.

I know by looking at their website that Catawba County students were released at noon in order to go to the game. I don't think Edgecombe County let out early but I know a lot of people and students took Friday afternoon off to get pumped for the game as if to say they needed more pumping up.

Win or Lose Jeff Craddock has promised to be my guess Sunday Night on the Stretchlon Sports show. If you ever watch that show any time a team wins a championship we try to have them on live to celebrate and let the community call in and talk on the air to members of the team.

Tarboro is already the Eastern Regional Champion and have a trophy to prove it so there will be something to celebrate regardless of what happens tonight.

We hope to have film of the team as they arrive at the stadium, go in the locker room and hopefully as they warm up on the field. We will also have shots of the crowd so if you go to the game you may make it on TV Sunday night.

Since I will be out of the loop tomorrow I will not blog again until Sunday afternoon and will catch up on the Tarboro game.

If Tarboro Wins tonight the State Champions will be live at 8.00pm Sunday night in the studio of Whig-TV.

I understand you can actually go to the WHIG-TV website and see live streaming of the show so if you have relatives away from the area you can call them and tell them to watch.

Nice Touch: Since the State Championship game is being played in Chapel Hill and former Viking star running back Shaun Draughn is now the starting tailback at Carolina. Tarboro Resident Kelvin Bryant( a great Viking from out of the past and also a Carolina tailback) and Shaun will greet the team when they arrive at the stadium tonight.

If the Vikings weren't pumped up before then they will be after they see them.

GOOD Luck Vikings

NCHSAA 2-A State Championship Matchup

Location: Kenan Memorial Stadium, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Capacity: 60,000. ESPN's Mel Kiper describes Kenan Stadium as the third most scenic stadium in college football.

Time: 7.30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 12. It is the only state championship game being played on Friday.

Teams: Newton-Conover Red Devils (14-1) vs. Tarboro Vikings (14-1). Newton-Conover is a member of the Catawba Valley 3-A/2-A Conference. Tarboro is a member of the Eastern Plains 2-A Conference

Coaches: Newton-Conover: Nick Brazzle; Tarboro: Jeff Craddock

Schools: Newton-Conover High School is located in Catawba County. Newton's population 12,586 is three miles from Conover, population 5,578. Newton is the county seat of Catawba County. Newton-Conover High School is between Newton and Conover. The largest city in Catawba County is Hickory. Tarboro High school is located in Edgecombe County. Tarboro population is 11,642. Tarboro is the county seat of Edgecombe County. The largest city in Edgecombe County is Rocky Mount.

Winning streaks: Newton-Conover has won seven in a row. Tarboro has a nine-game winning streak.

Scoring: The Red Devils are scoring 22 points a game overall and 48.3 points per game in the playoffs. Tarboro has averaged 40.5 points per game and during the playoffs 34.5.

Defense: The Red Devils 14.7 points per game and during the playoffs have given up 16.3 points per game. the Vikings averaged 8.6 points during the season and 13 during the playoffs.

Media Coverage: WNNC 1230 AM, Newton. WZAX 99.3 FM, Rocky Mount. The Hickory Daily Record will also have live stats available at http://www.hickoryrecord.com/

Tickets: Newton-Conover was given 1,000 sold out. Tarboro was given 1,000 sold out. Tickets can be bought at the Kenan Stadium Gates for $10.

Home Team: Tarboro Vikings

GOOD LUCK VIKINGS!

Mr. Excitement!

I have a hard time sitting down and watching a complete game of any kind if I don't have an interest in it.

Tuesday night, I did watch almost the entire game featuring Davidson and West Virginia in the Jimmy V Classic.

Davidson was the Cinderella of the college basketball world as it nearly made it to the Final Four last season.

Davidson has a special player that makes everyone else around him better in Stephan Curry.

He is a player that you have to watch to see what he will pull out of the hat next.

Last year as a shooting guard ,he was able to do his thing shoot.

This year, he is having to be the point guard. Against West Virginia, he had a tough shooting night going 9-27. Down the stretch when it counted, he put the ball in the hole. By the way, he had 10 assists as the point guard.

He's only 6-3, but I think his ability to shoot and handle the ball he will do ok in the NBA.

David Thompson, Michael Jordan and Stephen Curry. He might be in their category before he's through.

You will probably get to see some Southern Conferences games this year on ESPN just because of Stephen Curry. Watch him he's worth the time.

The basketball boys at Rocky Mount high are off to a 5-0 start so far this season. They won a big one at Hertford County Tuesday night.

Pam Gainey's girls are off to a surprising 3-2 beginning. The Lady Gryphons lost a lot from last year's team, but they are off to a good start.

Former Gryphon Stephan Virgil has one more football game to play this year with Virginia Tech. The Hokies, two-time ACC football champions, will play in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1.

Listen to his stats this year ..... five interceptions, a blocked punt, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery returned 30 yards for a touchdown, a blocked extra point recovery returned 90 yards for two points.

He started all 13 games for the Gobblers. After all this, he didn't even make honorable mention All-ACC. What could have those voters been thinking?

Now let me ask ask you this. If you could get an employee to come work for you for $10 an hour, why would you pay him $18?

The New York Yankees have just given C.C. Sabathia $161 million over a seven-year contract. No one else offered more than $100 million.

There are certain people in this world that think they are the smartest people in the world. I think you can put the Steinbrenner family in that category.

Everyone else in baseball is laughing knowing that all that has to happen is a rumor that someone is offering more money, when the Yankees jump up and give more when they already are the highest bidder.

The Yankees have proven over the last eight years high-priced ball players don't win World Series.

Just ask the Florida Marlins who have won two World Series since the Yankees last won one.

The Way It Use To Be

Tarboro is still a one-school town. It is still small enough when the local high school team makes a splash in any playoff, the entire town goes loco.

This week Tarboro has gone crazy over their Tarboro Vikings. The eastern regional 2-A champs had the pleasure of playing four home playoff games.

The Vikes took care of business and their reward is a trip to Chapel Hill Friday night and a chance to play for the NCHSAA state 2-A title.

Rocky Mount is a city with seven area high schools that play sports. Whenever one of them goes as far, as Rocky Mount did this year, there is simply not much support for the other schools.

Rocky Mount is much like State-Carolina- and Duke are. Whenever one advances further than the others, the others hope they lose.

That's not the case in Tarboro.

The entire population of Tarboro has gone coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs.

The first hint that this team might be special was in their county rival game against SouthWest Edgecombe.

It was a loss but the Vikings were in it all the way.

They steamedrolled through conference play. The four playoff games were never in doubt in the second half of any game.

Jeff Craddock and some of the Tarboro administration went to Chapel Hill on Monday to the state championship media day.

The week before the big game, Craddock has found out he has cousins he didn't know existed.
His phone has rung off the hook.

He even got a call from yours truly inviting him and and few players to be on the Stretchlon Sports show Sunday night on WHIG-TV at 8 p.m.

The team will be leaving at 10.30 Friday morning to head to Chapel Hill for a trip of a lifetime. They are not planning a pep rally as of yet, but I can't believe that when the team leaves, the entire school won't be there to send them off and I bet half of the town will be there too.

Back in 1988 while I was still in Ahoskie doing the games for Hertford County, they played for the 2-A title and left at 10 a.m. to go to Thomasville. What I remember most about that day was it was snowing like crazy when the team left with all the students lining the parking lot and the band playing the fight song as the team drove off. I had chill bumps on top of chill bumps watching the snow fall and the excitement of the upcoming game later that day.

Tarboro is the last team still standing in the Twin Counties.

Right now our area is No. 1 in the state for the unemployment rate. There is no better remedy for the economic misery our area is having than for the Tarboro Vikings to bring home a crown.

Good luck Vikings

Git'er done!!!!!!

Run The football

The Carolina Panthers looked like world beaters last night as they take over sole possession of first place in the NFC South.

The two headed monster of Hall and Stewart running the football and Steve Smith keeping the secondary of teams from putting eight in the box are a terrific combination.

It is hard to believe after the start that the Giants have had but if the Panthers win out they are NFC's #1 seed instead of the Giants.

The Panthers will see the Giants in a couple of weeks.

Look at the best teams in the NFL and they all run the football. What has happened to the West Coast Offense?

Last night I was at Rocky Mount Prep doing a boys basketball game for TV. Hey you had better look out the Prep can play with any body ing the area.

They have good size and speed. they are now 9-2 on the season.

I need to take a minute this morning and do some preaching.

I wish that newspapers and anyone who allows comments to be added to anything published would do a better job of filtering comments.

It has been embarrassing to read some of the comments relating to the coaching ability of coach Holt since Friday night.

Even in the news section people slander other people that are not even involved in the story that was written.

It is as if this is where you take free shots at someone.

There is an old saying that people can find out a lot about you when you open your mouth and in this case open you mouth through a comment in the newspaper.

Quite frankly the attendance was very poor in the opening two rounds. People have taken for granted that the quality that the football team has produced over the last six years is a right to have.

Fans never give the other team any credit as to why their team didn't play well.

Before B W Holt arrived at Rocky Mount the football program was average on a good year. He has not produced anything close to average in winning 85% of his games.

Those of you that are blaming him for the defeat should go shake his hand and thank him for what he has given to you.

A football tradition.

Answering The Question

Since Friday night's game I have been bombarded with the question was it a legit fumble or should there have been a penalty on roughing the kicker.

Yes there was a fumble on the our last drive. A couple of tacklers were there and a third came up and punched the ball free.

Remember that last season a punched ball saved the Southwest Edgecombe game for us when Brian Goodwin ran their receiver down at the five yard line and from behind punched the ball free.

Even when Brian did his last season I think in the spirit of high school football any action using the fist should be a personal foul.

The rules doesn't cover any such action so in the context of the rules the fumble was legit.

The field goal according to Nick Hahula in the paper Saturday stated that he cramped up and was not able to follow through properly. Because the kick was low there was the appearance that it was blocked .

Even if the kick was blocked and the referee feels it was unnecessary roughness a call can still be made.

Does any body remember just a few years ago when Tarboro beat us over here I think it was in 2002? Their kicker dropped a punt snap and was running for his life and we tackled him and he fumbled or we blocked his kick while he was running then we picked the ball up and scored a touchdown only to be called for roughing the kicker even though he had been running with the ball.

If you think the Gryphons maybe didn't get a call when they could have-have you heard about what happened to Hillside.

Byrd was lining up to kick the winning field goal but Hillside blocked it on the last play of the game. The Hillside players were running in jubilation when a flag was on the field for roughing the snapper.

The rule book states that a snapper cannot be touched while his head is still down.

Earlier in the game Hillside had blocked a field goal by jumping over the snapper. The coaching staff at Byrd had protested and were told that as long as no contact is made with the center that was legal.

The final play the Byrd coaching staff instructed their snapper to raise up with his head down after the snap. Sure enough the player who jumped over the center hit him on the way to the block and here comes the penalty.

Byrd made the next kick to win the game.

Judgement calls are a part of the game. We can only hope that referees are doing the best they can and are not bias in any way for one team or the other while the game is in progress.

Everyone needs to move on. We lost to a good football team that took advantage of our mistakes.

We can only hope that the refereeing crew from Alamance County held no grudges on us.

Time To Change Focus

We have really been focused in on Gryphon Football for the past three months but life moves on.

The Basketball world in college it looks like Carolina is the beast this year.

I hate to be the one to let you Blue Devil fans know this if you don't already but Duke is slow.

I already know this as a Wolfpack fan. Our guard play is going to be terrible again this year.

Wake looks as if they may challenge the Tar Heels.

There will be no repeat of the repeat for Appalachian State in football. The Mountaineers had seven turnovers to Richmond and lose by 20 at home.

Looks like the Tarheels are heading to Charlotte to play in their Bowl.

Wake is probably going to RFK in DC to play Navy and the Wolfpack is heading to Birmingham to play in the pizza bowl.

The Conference-USA CHAMPS ECU Pirates will host the Liberty Bowl in what could be Skip Holtz's last game as coach. Hope not but we will see.

We have reach that time where the question for Gryphon fans will be whether B W Holt returns for a seventh season. Sixty Fours years old an bitten for the seventh time in a regional finals game.

The prospects are not as bright next year for Gryphon football as the entire offensive and defensive lines must be replaced.

Remember this.... the baseball team was not suppose to be as good this year as 2007 was but look what happened.

The best teams don't always win every game.

Six years in Rocky Mount and B W Holt has sent his teams to six playoffs.

In 2003 an opening round loss to Jack Brett 24-7

In 2004 after an undefeated season a third round loss to Rose 15-13

In 2005 a regional loss to Western Alamance 30-10

2006 found the Gryphons on the road in the playoffs facing Western Alamance in the third round and took the lead with just over a minute to play before losing 41-37.

The Eastern Finals in 2007 saw the Gryphons driving for what could have been a tying touchdown before an interception was returned for a touchdown losing 50-37.

and finally last Friday running out the clock only to lose 22-19.

His six years have brought 14 playoff wins and six defeats. a total of 70 wins and just 13 losses overall.

The Gryphons have played twenty playoff games in six years. Thats an average of 3.3 playoff games per year and we have never made it to the final game.

I don't know how long he will continue to coach but if I had another son and he wanted to play football I would want B W Holt as his coach.

Not Much Difference

Rocky Mount has been in the 3-A level going on four years now.

I know a lot of die hard fans didn't like the idea of no longer being 4-A.

I have this question to ask you right now. While the game was going on last night how many of you thought "Gee I wish this was for the 4-A eastern regional?

Last night before the game Cy Seymour who does ECU basketball color was here with the local cable company in New Bern to cover West Craven.

He told me last night that Craven county's new high school was a step into making all of the Craven County High Schools the same size just like Nash county has done.

For years Rocky Mount was the smallest school in the Big East 4-A. Ask Southwest Edgecombe today how it is being the smallest school in the conference now.

Since moving down to 3-A Rocky Mount has been in three eastern finals in Football. The baseball team won the state title.

Soccer, Tennis,Volleyball, and basketball have all advanced deep in the playoff races. When we were 4-A deep in the playoffs were few and far between.

The playoffs are so competitive that luck plays a part now and then as well as being in the right place at the right time.

The baseball team won the title last year but the 2007 team may have been better.

Northern Nash's baseball team advance to the Eastern Baseball Finals in 2007.

All any of us can ask is the the playing field be level for all those who play. A school with 1,800 students would be the favorite against a school with only 1,200 if they were playing checkers.

The extra 600 students there are probably one or two good checkers players available that the 1,200 student school doesn't have.

Their is so much more opportunity to win when you are always bigger than the next guy.

What moving down to 3-A has done is provided Nash county students a chance to win games with talent not with having to be overwhelmed with population numbers.

Dropping down in size has given us a chance to win but it has not guarenteed victories.

Whether it is 3-A or4-A there is not much difference in the good teams.

Holy Cow Tarboro wins over Northside 28-14. The Vikings play next Friday night in Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill at 7.30pm.

I have had an understanding with my wife all year that if Rocky Mount was playing on December 13th I was going to the ball game. If they were not I was going with her to New York next weekend on one of those 24 hour shopping trips. Leave at midnight Friday and come home at dark Saturday night.

I feel like I know my way around the city pretty good where as she can't find the Empire State Building.

So Tarboro will have to win it all without me.

Major Disapointment

The Rocky Mount Gryphons came out in tonights game and I think they were a little too hyped up for the game and played probably their worst quarter of the season but found themselve trailing only 7-6.

Playing more like what we consider Gryphon football the Gryphons scored twice in the second quarter to take a 19-7 lead.

West Craven manages to score just before the half to make it 19-14.

The entire second half is a game of field position and the Gryphons didn't have any. The Gryphons managed to keep the Eagles out of the end zone for 23 minutes and 26 seconds in the second half.

However this was the Gryphons game to win when they started what we thought would be their final drive of the game.

The Gryphons got two first downs and were moving down field and running the clock out when the one thing we didn't want was to put the ball on the ground.

West Craven gets one last chance and punches it in the end zone with 34 seconds to play.

The Gryphons ran the ball one last play and Jordan Ford was headed to pay dirt and the last possible tackler made the play forcing the Gryphons to try a 45 yard field goal which never had a chance on the last play.

That play was very reminiscent of the 2004 playoff game against Rose at the RMAC when Stephan Virgil's punt return late in the game almost went to the house but the last possible tackler got him.

This group of seniors was 28-2 the last two years.

This was one whale of a game.

B W Holt has lost 13 games in six years at Rocky Mount and six have been in the playoffs and a forfeit.

We could not ask this team to give us more that what received from them this year. We could not ask our coaches to coach any better than what they have given us the last six years

I thank them for their effort all season.

We lose to a very good West Craven team that will now represent us in the state finals.

We need them to win it all to help make our 14-1/13-2 season mean that much more. If they were to lose next week it makes our light for this season shine dimmer.

The Eagles stun the Gryphons 22-19.

From my point of view the quarterback Mooring is a good quarterback.

I am not on the phone right now calling Tom O'Brian and asking why we are not looking at him. The fifty passes thrown only ten went more than ten yards down field.

What West Craven has is a great receiver in Erik Hightower who caught some balls when we had him covered and when quite a few were badly thrown he still made the plays.

I think the figure was 279 yards for Hightower. This kid can play and unfortunately he's going to Carolina.

The MVP of tonights game for West Craven is their punter. Twice in the second half those kick it away from Brian Goodwin punts one was downed on the six yardline and one trickled into the end zone and the Gryphons started at the twenty.

The Gryphons had three turnovers tonight and WC had 2.

Earlier this week I told you if the Gryphons didn't turn it over the Gryphons win. Unfortunately we put it on the ground and West craven had 15 points from our turnovers.

There is and old joke about falling and they say "it's not the fall that kills you but the sudden stop.

Suddenly the season is over.

Waited One Year Just For tonight

There are two hugh football games going on just 16 miles apart. The Vikings of Tarboro the #1 seed in the Eastern 2-A bracket is Hosting Northside of Jacksonville who comes in as the #2 seed.

I am pulling hard for the Vikes but I believe that Northside will win in a close one.

Tonight is the night that every player for the Gryphons that walked off that field in Elon at Western Alamance High School last year has vowed would come again.

This team has played all year as if "could be" was not an option but "we are" the best was there drive.

Deep down this team wanted to play Western Alamance again but you can only play the next team on the schedule.

One of the greatest things about sports is the anticipation of what could happen. When it finally gets here it is over in a flash.

One years worth of wait is upon us. The only resemblance this team we play tonight to Western Alamance is they will have West on the front of their jerseys but it will also have Craven beside it.

We have prepared well this week and it will take a supreme effort to come out on top.

This team has been so good that we start eleven different players on offense and eleven on defense. Most every one we have played have several players on both sides of the ball.

If there is one worry that I have it will be we have not been tested in the fourth quarter all year.


In fact we have not trailed in a game all year.

Southwest Edgecombe took the second half kickoff and kept it for twenty plays but we held on the goal line. They never crossed the fifty yard line the rest of the game.

I have observed B W Holt for six years now and I can bet you that if we trail 14-7 and score on the last play of the game we will go for two and the win.

He has preached to his players to be aggressive. They have practiced that way all year.

We started this season playing East Forsyth a team that their quarterback had committed to Maryland.

Bobby English who works on the chain crew told me that next day that their quarterback came to the side lines and told his coach that he didn't have any time to throw because we were all over him.

West Craven's quarterback is leaning toward ECU. I hope Saturday morning that Bobby tells me that he came to the sidelines complaining about not having any time.

Only Time will tell.

Pregame on am 1390 starts at 6.45.

If you need to wear long johns do so. Don't be embarrassed who's going to know but you. Be there early because a hugh crowd will take a while to get through security.

I know you probably got this message at home last night but Mr Tracy Warren assistant principal at RMHS who normally calls when there is an absents at school called to remind every Gryphon fanto be at the game and he closed his message with a simple.....


GO GRYPHONS

Tom Suiter Retires

Rocky Mount native Tom Suiter, who has worked for WRAL-TV since 1971, is retiring from the sports anchor desk on Dec. 19.

Tom's catch phrase was "Let's go to the video tape."

Suiter, who is most famous for the high school football show "Football Friday", will continue that role during football season. He will continue to present his "Extra Effort Award" as well.

One thing that I can say about Capital Broadcasting, the parent company of WRAL, once you start work for them, you can stay for life.

Charlie Gaddy, who did the 6 p.m. news for so many years, still does the Town Hall meetings about once a month for Channel 5. Gaddy is a native of Montgomery County, ironically, so is Rocky Mount head football coach B.W. Holt.

Mark Roberts, who was the "trafficologist" (the Traffic guy) on the morning news, still does the "Brain Game" show on Saturdays.

They don't let the good ones stray far from home.

You could see it coming, but the Carolina Hurricanes let a good coach go in Peter Laviolette. He helped orchestrate the Stanley Cup to Raleigh in 2006.

A small franchise like the Carolina Hurricanes, especially in this year's economy, needs to make the playoffs and get some extra home games to boost the cash flow. So far this year, the Hurricanes have been up and down and it was to risky to wait to make a change later in the season.

I really like to watch hockey and when ESPN started covering Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers back in the 80s I got hooked on it.

The Hurricanes are bringing back a retread Paul Maurice who Laviolette replaced in 2003. I bet if things work out, Ron Francis will be coach the next time a coaches change is made.

The weather forecast for Friday night is clear and cold. The daytime high will only make it to 48 degrees, so by kickoff it will be nearing 40.

This is too important a game to stay home because of the weather. It could be the last game of the season, but for sure it is the last home game where the Gryphons have managed to win 24 straight.
They have not lost at home since the Eastern finals in 2005 to Western Alamance, which will be three years ago this Friday.

This has been a good week of practice. L'Var Silver and Hiawatha Bunn will start and Zack Williams will be a game time decision.

You know one of the good things about winning by 31 points every week is you don't have to go too deep in the playbook. Other coaches look at our film and all they see is the jet package running wide and the belly series.

The entire arsenal is ready if needed.

I don't know what the record attendance at a Rocky Mount football game has been, but I bet this one could break the record.

Anytime you get a big crowd the visitors must show up in force and you can count on it this Friday.

Today is the last day of the pre-sale of tickets in the main office at RMHS. $7 going, going, gone at 4.00 p.m., then they will be eight bucks at the gate.

Our air time is 6.45 on AM 1390. B.W. Holt will be with us around 7 p.m.

Get plenty of rest tonight and bring your hollering voice, cow bells and anything else to show your support.

GO GRYPHONS!!!

Getting Nervous.

Congratulations to Corinne Fischer of the the Lady Gryphon Volley ball team as she was named the conference player of the year in Volleyball.

She is joined by teammates Danita Whitaker, Devon Eby, and Holly Campbell on the all conference team.

Despite not having a complete team due to the fact that there are several football players that will fill out the varsity basketball team they continue to surprise at how well they are playing.

Both the boys and girls beat Rose last night. Already this year the boys have beaten 4-A Southeast Raleigh twice and Rose. Are we in for a magical basketball season this year?

Looks like the baseball team has shown everyone else how it is done.

Now that the college football season is over coaches are getting out to see players that are still playing in the high football playoffs.

Coaches from North Carolina A&T and Campbell were there at Gryphon practice yesterday.

I am of the age I don't wear glasses when I am out an about but if I see someone from twenty yards or more I can't recognize their face unless I put my glasses on.

I said that coach looks familiar. My curiosity got the best of me and I put my glasses on and saw that the Campbell coach was Greg Williams.

Greg Williams who is now coaching at Campbell was a member of the famed "White Shoes" defense for N C State back in 1967. He came back to Raleigh with his college teammate Chuck Amato. When Amato was given a plane ticket back to Florida State in 2006 Williams sat out of coaching in 2007 as his contract with N C State was paid off. He still lives in Raleigh.

I guess I will go back to practice to see who might be there today.

Advanced tickets will be sold at the High school main office Wednesday and Thursday from 8.00am-4.00pm at $7.

They will cost you a buck more Friday night at the gate. The weather seems to be rainless on Friday. You should be prepared to come early if you plan on getting a good seat.

I like the defensive game plan that the coaches will have for the Eagles.

Despite how well we have played the team on the other side of the ball is just as good as we are.

We need no turnovers by the offense. Turnovers take away opportunities. We have scored two out of every three times that we have had possession of the ball this year.

If you only get it five times in the first half and fumble twice that means we will probably only score 14 points by the half. That will keep them in the game.

I truly believe that if we hold on to the ball we will win.

Our M O all year has come out of the field House roaring and play everybody on the team in the second half.

I sure would like for that to continue.

am 1390 will go on the air Friday night at 6.45. This will be a good night to carry your walkman to the game and hear B W talk with Wes about 7.00 as you sit in your seat since you are going to come early.

7th Time could Be The Charm

All coaches have their own style. There is no where written down in the book which says this is the way you coach.

Six years ago in desperation Rocky Mount found B W Holt. It has become a match made in heaven.

B W to me is a tell it how it really is kind of coach. I heard him tell the team more than once last week we were better than East Alamance. Then he would say "BUT that doesn't mean we are going to win".

He takes kids from across the tracks and gives them something to be proud of. He doesn't mind calling out the superstar by name if he needs a kick in the rump.

There is something about this man that has Dean Smith qualities. He has a family attitude for all his players.

Starmount the place he coached for 19 years will have a throng of folks here hoping he finally gets over that hump. He is so beloved at Starmount they had a B W Holt night there a couple on years ago on a Friday night when we had our off night long after he had left Starmount.

Long after he is gone from Rocky Mount which I hope is no time soon others will be compared to him.

When sixty four year old B W Holt decides he rather sit on the porch and look at the mountains than coach football the coach that follows him will be following a giant of a man.

Rocky Mount will have as much trouble as Carolina had until Roy Williams finally replaced Dean Smith.

Regardless of what the next man does it won't be enough.

Friday night B W Holt will try to get his first team ever to the state finals. Six times he has been in the regional finals and six times the season ended in defeat.

Every team that is still playing deserves their shot at winning this weeks game but half the field will not survive Friday night. The losers will feel that their seasons have been ruined when in no way will a loss dampen the greatness that every team left has had this year.

The pregame show last Friday night Wes Bradshaw asked B W to tell us whether this team was the best that he has ever had.

B W was very hesitant to say and I believe the reason was this years team still has a whole season to play.

Right now this team has done no more than any of six other teams that Holt has coached that made it to the finals.

Two more games and his opinion may change. Two more games and this years team may be talked about like the 63 and 64 teams are today forty five from now.

There is something about winning a championship just one that elevates players and coaches to a different level.

Brett Farve won one super bowl but was he a better quarterback than Dan Marino who never won? I really doubt it.

Is Coach Holt a Terrible coach because he is 0-6 in regional finals?

There is a saying in NASCAR if you run up front enough you are going to cross the line first once in a while.

B W Holt is running up front again this year and the finish line is in sight.