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, December 29, 2008
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.
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.
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