It's Time To Put Up Or Shut up

There is that old saying that you had better be aware of what you wish for.  The fans and the players of Nash Central were already thinking about a replay with Hunt before they ever got out of the gate at Hunt last time those two met in football.

Tonight in the second round of the State 3-AA playoffs Hunt plays host to Nash Central for the right to advance to the third round of the playoffs.  The winner will be the only Big East team still standing.  I wish I could say that the Bulldogs were winning this game but it just seems that the Bulldogs have acted a lot like the San Diego Chargers.  They always mess up at the wrong time.  This is a toss up and it may come down to the last drive of the game just like last time.

Tarboro is back on the road and traveling just as far as last week.  How big is a POD suppose to be.  They take on unbeaten Northside in Jacksonville.  I have been to a Relay For Life event at Northside once and the school is less than ten years old.  Like Northern and Nash Central it is located only a mile and a half from Jacksonville High.   I am afraid this is the end of the streak for the Vikings.

North Edgecombe is home hosting Lejuene High School.  Of course that is the high school on Base of Camp Lejuene in Jacksonville.  The Warriors should have no problem this week.  By the way I have done a football game from Lejuene High.  I think it was 1972 and  our broadcast team that night had the honor of eating dinner in the Officers Club.  I think I have done a little of everything in my life.

Hunt beat Fike in Soccer 4-1 to set up a 4th round showdown with Jacksonville Saturday in Jaxsonville.  The Cardinals knocked Hunt out of the playoffs last year in round four.  So far in three playoff games the Cardinals have score 17 goals while Hunt has scored 16.   Jax has given up three while Hunt two.  What does all that add up too probably a 2-1 game Saturday.

All day today from 9-5 the gym at Rocky Mount will be full of dribbling basketballs as the Lady Gryphons host a basketball jamboree.  The boys take over the gym all day Saturday.

Go Early If You Are Going To Game.

I hear that Nash Central has sold more than a 1,000 tickets for Friday night's conference (Playoff ) game against Hunt. .  What does that translate to.  You had better be there early 6:00pm if you want to sit down.  Remember even if you have a ticket you will still be in line to go through security check.

Tonight the NFL Network starts their run of Thursday night NFL games with the Chargers Hosting the Raiders.  Other NFL news the Sunday Night game in December 8th on NBC which was to pit the Colts against the Patroits has been scratched because the Peyton Manningless Colts are winless.One of the other 4.15 games that day will be bumped up.

And Now the News:

I have thought long and hard  whether I wanted to say anything at all about the Penn State Cover up.  First of all is this is not a sports story.  It has nothing to do with players receiving benefits of agents paying for trips or getting a tattoo by giving someone your jersey.  This story is about a criminal act and the cover up which has ensued.

Anyone who has ever worked for anybody else knows the daily pressures each of us face when  something has gone wrong at work and how far do I need to go up channels before I have over stepped my bounds.  Does anyone remember the assistant basketball coach at Baylor who blew the lid off the cover up there when a player  killed another player and the head coach Dave Bliss covered it up.  That assistant coach is no longer in coaching.  

Does anybody remember just four years ago the Duke Lacrosse scandal.  First of all I think we need to remember that there is a due process of law in this country.  The grad assistant who saw an act and went to his father for help in what to do went to the head coach the next day.  He did the right thing.  He sent it to the CEO of the Penn State football program.  If Joe Pa decides that is as far as he will carry then the young grad assistant did  all he could do.

Nine years later Joe Paterno has announce he will step down at the end of the season.  That is a nice gesture on his part but sorry Joe It's time to go.  I think the only reasonable solution for the Trustees of Penn State is to put everyone on suspension who is a part of the cover up.  That means Joe Pa can't coach this Saturday or any other this year. Everybody from the AD on up to the President of the University if they  knew what was going on. suspend them until we all know the truth.

Let's be truthful here. Anyone who thinks he kept this quiet to save Penn State is an idiot.  Joe Paterno didn't press the issue any further than he had  to to protect himself hoping it would go away.  He didn't care one thing about the victims.

It happens all the time.  People get suspended from their job pending and investigation with pay.  I'm sorry if the legacy of Joe Paterno will be stained.  His legacy is bleeding profusely now anyway..  Back when Woody Hayes struck the Clemson player thirty years ago they fired him within a couple of days.  Legacy or not his time is up NOW.