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.