It is coming up on another Friday night and time for high school football,, Wait a minute no so tomorrow night as the national college football season kicks off on one of the many ESPN networks Friday night and the Wolfpack will be front and center.
Remember not that long ago when ECU played a Friday night home game on TV early in the state playoffs and high school coaches got so mad with ECU many of them banned the Pirate coaches from coming on their campus to recruit. Those days are long gone. The poor little high school can't compete with the money ESPN throws on the table to colleges so the ACC is on their only Friday night game this year. The power of the all mighty dollars is so big that if ESPN told the ACC or any other league that they would pay to show a live game at 5am on a Tuesday morning someone would do it. Have you forgotten already that ESPN has that 24 hours of basketball so why not football too?
Yes it is high school time and Southern Nash hits the field Thursday night so here is this week's games. I have been perfectly wrong one week and perfectly right the next but what does it add up to? I still don't know how good or bad some of our teams are.
Southern Nash at Bunn: Here we are with another compare score game as Bunn is trying hard to get in the Big East with their third straight Big East game . This is Bunn's first home game and I think the Firebirds give the Wildcats their third straight loss. Southern Nash 28 Bunn 14
SouthWest Edgecombe is also preparing for a long holiday weekend as they Travel to Hunt tonight. Hunt for many years has always played on Thursday when ever they had a home game on this weekend. Hunt and SWE look a lot alike but by the end of the game Hunt wins 28-20
The only game this week featuring two Twin County teams will go in Death Vally as Northern host Tarboro. Tarboro seems to be same old Vikings which means real good. Northern almost stunned the Vikes two years ago at Northern and probably should have won the game. I doubt that happens this year Tarboro 35 Northern 13
Nash Central travels to Roanoke Rapids where the Yellow Jackets have score 68 and 56 points in their first two games.Brand new football team RM Prep was the 68 and Weldon gave RR the 56. There will not be 50 in Roanoke Rapids Friday but a good game. Nash Central 34 RR26
Hertford County is 2-0 and has scored 79 in their first two outings. Rocky Mount is 2-0 and gave up 40 in their two outings. If you want to see scoring Rocky Mount will be the place where the question is how good is either team. I have just flipped a coin and Hertford County wins 35 Rocky Mount 28.
North Edgecombe is taking the week off preparing for Tarboro next week.
Just heard from Randy Langley as I was blogging that tonight on theWRAL- Sports they honored Dequavais Mann the Northern Nash Football player that is heading to Duke next year to play football. Dequavias Mann this week's WRAL-TV Extra Effort Winner. Go Knights!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Spooky Anniversary
Today is the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina attacking New Orleans and the Bayou country of the Gulf Coast. Another Hurricane is dumping rain on that area today seven years later. We who live in a Hurricane plain know what happens when high wind and rains run their course. I pray for those people who have a long road to recovery in that area today.
Seven years ago today a Babe Ruth Baseball team had just won the 14 year old Babe Ruth World Series in Quincy Massachusetts and were trying to fly home to celebrate beating a team from Nash County North Carolina on August 25th of 2005. The 25th had been a Saturday afternoon and every team that makes it to the World Series the Babe Ruth Association cut deals with major airlines that the teams fly for free when ever space is available. The space on a major airline to get the Jefferson Parrish Louisiana team home left Boston on August 29th and because of Katrina the flight was diverted to Houston.
I had flown up early Saturday morning with Richard Sarmeinto, Don Tharrington and Baseball Britt Johnson and Rich and I did a TV tape of the game to show on WHIG that Sunday night. Jefferson Parrish won 7-2 when they beat a team with Brian Goodwin, Tyler Joyner, Ben Fish, Dillon Cockrell, Mike Williams and other 14 year old players from Nash County.
While I watch the news and see what that part of the country is going through again I can only think of that Jefferson Parrish team that had so much to celebrate on the way home from winning a World Championship only to find many of them had no homes to go to. Many of our players we have seen have gone on to bigger and better things in life. I wonder what happened to all those kids?
The Rocky Mount Gryphon football has just become an undefeated team as Bunn has announced that they used an ineligible player in the season opening 37-21 win over Rocky Mount and have forfeited the game. Remember back during the Holt era at Rocky Mount on opening night the Gryphons beat East Forsyth 43-6 but later had to forfeit the game because of the use of and ineligible player.
Fifty years from now no one will remember how the Gryphons lost opening night in 2008 or how they won in 2012. Every team and coach try their best to make sure everyone is legal when ever they take the field because too much sweat goes into preparation to throw wins away on a clerical error. But it happens.
Seven years ago today a Babe Ruth Baseball team had just won the 14 year old Babe Ruth World Series in Quincy Massachusetts and were trying to fly home to celebrate beating a team from Nash County North Carolina on August 25th of 2005. The 25th had been a Saturday afternoon and every team that makes it to the World Series the Babe Ruth Association cut deals with major airlines that the teams fly for free when ever space is available. The space on a major airline to get the Jefferson Parrish Louisiana team home left Boston on August 29th and because of Katrina the flight was diverted to Houston.
I had flown up early Saturday morning with Richard Sarmeinto, Don Tharrington and Baseball Britt Johnson and Rich and I did a TV tape of the game to show on WHIG that Sunday night. Jefferson Parrish won 7-2 when they beat a team with Brian Goodwin, Tyler Joyner, Ben Fish, Dillon Cockrell, Mike Williams and other 14 year old players from Nash County.
While I watch the news and see what that part of the country is going through again I can only think of that Jefferson Parrish team that had so much to celebrate on the way home from winning a World Championship only to find many of them had no homes to go to. Many of our players we have seen have gone on to bigger and better things in life. I wonder what happened to all those kids?
The Rocky Mount Gryphon football has just become an undefeated team as Bunn has announced that they used an ineligible player in the season opening 37-21 win over Rocky Mount and have forfeited the game. Remember back during the Holt era at Rocky Mount on opening night the Gryphons beat East Forsyth 43-6 but later had to forfeit the game because of the use of and ineligible player.
Fifty years from now no one will remember how the Gryphons lost opening night in 2008 or how they won in 2012. Every team and coach try their best to make sure everyone is legal when ever they take the field because too much sweat goes into preparation to throw wins away on a clerical error. But it happens.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
How Do You Value a Great Coach?
Tom O'Brien begins the six year as head coach of the WolfPack Friday night and in his six year there is more optimism in Pack land than any of his previous six. If it is one thing the man has done is stick to the plan. He had said all along that he wanted to red shirt every player as freshmen especially linemen so they would have five years to get stronger every year. This year's seniors in Raleigh is the first full recruiting class that TOB has recruited every player on the Pack.
Injuries can destroy any team and if the Pack stays healthy this just could be a real nice season in Raleigh. Time will tell. This whole season could ride on the results Friday night as the Pack should be favored in this game but historically the Pack starts every season slow and gets better during the season. For the sake of the ACC and even this football season for the Pack They need a victory Friday night.
Gryphon fans will remember that first time B W Holt walked into Rocky Mount's locker room and took over the program just a week or so before August practice started. He has the ability to see talent and get them into the right place and in his first year the Gryphons won their first five games before losing for the first time.
It seems in the short practice time since he has arrived at RMA he has already turned the attitudes around enough that the Eagle players are listening to what he has to say and then doing what he ask them to do. I don't know how many games they can win when conference starts but I bet they don't lose many that when the game is near the end they don't still have a shot to win.
Raymond Cobb made North Edgecombe a perennial Eastern Final and State finals year after year. Two State Championships banners hang at NE. He leaves NE and goes to his SWE and right away he turns the Cougars from an average team to a team than goes deep in the playoffs every year. Only once in eight years injuries did him in and other wise SWE has been one of the teams you had to beat if you wanted to get out of the East either when they were 3-A or 2-A.
The wrong coach can run a program down just as quick as some of the great coaches can lift up a program. Some cases the talent is just not there and they do a good job just to be average and a it is hard for Joe average fan so see when there is simply no talent on a team. It doesn't matter how many wins and losses you get every coach likes to be able to look back and his players and think when he first came to me he was skin and bones and couldn't remember one play from the next. Look at him now colleges are calling him wanting him to play for them.
Yes every coach worth his salt cares more about what a player becomes more than how many wins that player helped get. Sometimes they both work together and everybody wins. It just seems the really good coaches get something out of players that others can't find that player had that in him.
There are a lot of good coaches in this area. There are not many that turn a program around by just being there. We are mighty lucky that we have a couple that roam the sidelines in theses parts. When ever they leave they will be hard to replace.
Injuries can destroy any team and if the Pack stays healthy this just could be a real nice season in Raleigh. Time will tell. This whole season could ride on the results Friday night as the Pack should be favored in this game but historically the Pack starts every season slow and gets better during the season. For the sake of the ACC and even this football season for the Pack They need a victory Friday night.
Gryphon fans will remember that first time B W Holt walked into Rocky Mount's locker room and took over the program just a week or so before August practice started. He has the ability to see talent and get them into the right place and in his first year the Gryphons won their first five games before losing for the first time.
It seems in the short practice time since he has arrived at RMA he has already turned the attitudes around enough that the Eagle players are listening to what he has to say and then doing what he ask them to do. I don't know how many games they can win when conference starts but I bet they don't lose many that when the game is near the end they don't still have a shot to win.
Raymond Cobb made North Edgecombe a perennial Eastern Final and State finals year after year. Two State Championships banners hang at NE. He leaves NE and goes to his SWE and right away he turns the Cougars from an average team to a team than goes deep in the playoffs every year. Only once in eight years injuries did him in and other wise SWE has been one of the teams you had to beat if you wanted to get out of the East either when they were 3-A or 2-A.
The wrong coach can run a program down just as quick as some of the great coaches can lift up a program. Some cases the talent is just not there and they do a good job just to be average and a it is hard for Joe average fan so see when there is simply no talent on a team. It doesn't matter how many wins and losses you get every coach likes to be able to look back and his players and think when he first came to me he was skin and bones and couldn't remember one play from the next. Look at him now colleges are calling him wanting him to play for them.
Yes every coach worth his salt cares more about what a player becomes more than how many wins that player helped get. Sometimes they both work together and everybody wins. It just seems the really good coaches get something out of players that others can't find that player had that in him.
There are a lot of good coaches in this area. There are not many that turn a program around by just being there. We are mighty lucky that we have a couple that roam the sidelines in theses parts. When ever they leave they will be hard to replace.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Mason Holt Wins Again
Rocky Mount High school Senior Cross Country runner Mason Holt won the 2012 Wendell Park Early Bird Invitational Saturday in Wendell. His winning time of 16:48 was thirty second faster than the second place runner in this 5k race. Gryphon Zach Shea finished fifth but overall Rocky Mount could only place fifth in the team competition. Fike was the only other Big East team to run in this event and they finished sixth in a 12 team run.
Over on the girls side Fike and Rocky Mount flip flopped Fike Finishing fifth while Rocky Mount was sixth. In each of these events so far this year they has an A Race where basically the varsity runners run and a B race where the JV's would run. In the B event which in this week's run is called the Women's open event Rocky Mount Gryphon freshman Schuyler Moss was the winner. Schuyler's big brother is Benton Moss former Gryphon pitcher and now a pitcher for the University of North Carolina.
Once he left the game over the weekend Russell Wilson had lead the Seattle Seahawks to six scores and they missed a field goal on the other drive when they failed to score. That was good enough for the Seahawks to announce that Russell will be the starting quarterback opening day. Now that Mike Glennon has risen up to the top of the charts of NFL scouts heading into his senior season at N C State Tom O'Brien decision to cut Wilson loose doesn't look so bad now.
Wilson who couldn't decide on playing baseball or football led O'Brien to declare either you play football for the Pack or head out so Mike Glennon will get his chance. Wilson who was becoming the Brett Farve of College Football not being able to stay or go went on to Wisconsin. Wilson had a great season at Wisconsin and Mike Glennon did the same for the Pack. Since Wilson has been back to State on several occasions it would seem as if O'Brien's decision worked out for everybody.
Last night the Carolina Panthers got front and center on the Sunday Night NFL game at the New York Jets. The offense didn't look all that good and yet they beat the hapless J-E-T-S. I think the Panthers will be in a fight for a playoff spot this year but I seriously doubt the Jets will half their games.
Over on the girls side Fike and Rocky Mount flip flopped Fike Finishing fifth while Rocky Mount was sixth. In each of these events so far this year they has an A Race where basically the varsity runners run and a B race where the JV's would run. In the B event which in this week's run is called the Women's open event Rocky Mount Gryphon freshman Schuyler Moss was the winner. Schuyler's big brother is Benton Moss former Gryphon pitcher and now a pitcher for the University of North Carolina.
Once he left the game over the weekend Russell Wilson had lead the Seattle Seahawks to six scores and they missed a field goal on the other drive when they failed to score. That was good enough for the Seahawks to announce that Russell will be the starting quarterback opening day. Now that Mike Glennon has risen up to the top of the charts of NFL scouts heading into his senior season at N C State Tom O'Brien decision to cut Wilson loose doesn't look so bad now.
Wilson who couldn't decide on playing baseball or football led O'Brien to declare either you play football for the Pack or head out so Mike Glennon will get his chance. Wilson who was becoming the Brett Farve of College Football not being able to stay or go went on to Wisconsin. Wilson had a great season at Wisconsin and Mike Glennon did the same for the Pack. Since Wilson has been back to State on several occasions it would seem as if O'Brien's decision worked out for everybody.
Last night the Carolina Panthers got front and center on the Sunday Night NFL game at the New York Jets. The offense didn't look all that good and yet they beat the hapless J-E-T-S. I think the Panthers will be in a fight for a playoff spot this year but I seriously doubt the Jets will half their games.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Where Were You?
There are events that happen in our world each day that go unnoticed because they don't change the world like others do. There are still those here that can remember listening on the radio on a Sunday afternoon to hear the news that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor.
My generation remembers what they were doing the day Kennedy was shot. All of us of any age can just remember just eleven years ago watching the World Trade Center fall. Every one of those events and of course these are not the only ones left a pit in our stomachs as just at the moment we either heard or saw those events we had no idea which way our life would go from there.
The summer of 1969 there was an event that captured the world attention not for the tragedy that was unfolding but the hope of a new world forth coming. As a 16 year old I was in the middle of a three week stay with my Aunt Bessie in Crewe Virginia. She and Uncle Joe had a dairy farm and for several weeks during the summer I went and stayed with them.
Life on a farm hasn't changed much as the years have gone by. Up at 5am and after breakfast out to milk the cows. Get the milk ready for the milk truck to come by to pick up and the rest of the day planting wheat and corn for the cows. Late afternoon, milk the cows and supper before maybe an hour on the front porch before bed.
There was a Sunday night that everyone in the world could not wait to see it happen but on a farm it is too late for Aunt Bessie and Uncle Joe they are long in bed. Around midnight watching CBS news and Walter Cronkite I was one of the billions of people in front of a TV set to watch the first man walk on the moon. If I haven't forgotten the space craft landed shortly before midnight and sometime between 12.30am and 1am Neil Armstrong walked down the steps of the craft and took "one small step for man.".
There are many times in our lives that we are very disappointed in our government for some of the most idiotic things that they do, but on this night I have never been more proud to be an American. We had landed and now walked on the moon. Neil Armstrong was that man that represented everything that America is.
We as a country are now looking toward Mars and who knows someday we may sit in front of our computers or TV's or what ever device we may have at that time and watch Another Armstrong walk on Mars. I hope when ever that happens I will be as proud of my country that day as I was on that July Summer day in 1969 when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.
My generation remembers what they were doing the day Kennedy was shot. All of us of any age can just remember just eleven years ago watching the World Trade Center fall. Every one of those events and of course these are not the only ones left a pit in our stomachs as just at the moment we either heard or saw those events we had no idea which way our life would go from there.
The summer of 1969 there was an event that captured the world attention not for the tragedy that was unfolding but the hope of a new world forth coming. As a 16 year old I was in the middle of a three week stay with my Aunt Bessie in Crewe Virginia. She and Uncle Joe had a dairy farm and for several weeks during the summer I went and stayed with them.
Life on a farm hasn't changed much as the years have gone by. Up at 5am and after breakfast out to milk the cows. Get the milk ready for the milk truck to come by to pick up and the rest of the day planting wheat and corn for the cows. Late afternoon, milk the cows and supper before maybe an hour on the front porch before bed.
There was a Sunday night that everyone in the world could not wait to see it happen but on a farm it is too late for Aunt Bessie and Uncle Joe they are long in bed. Around midnight watching CBS news and Walter Cronkite I was one of the billions of people in front of a TV set to watch the first man walk on the moon. If I haven't forgotten the space craft landed shortly before midnight and sometime between 12.30am and 1am Neil Armstrong walked down the steps of the craft and took "one small step for man.".
There are many times in our lives that we are very disappointed in our government for some of the most idiotic things that they do, but on this night I have never been more proud to be an American. We had landed and now walked on the moon. Neil Armstrong was that man that represented everything that America is.
We as a country are now looking toward Mars and who knows someday we may sit in front of our computers or TV's or what ever device we may have at that time and watch Another Armstrong walk on Mars. I hope when ever that happens I will be as proud of my country that day as I was on that July Summer day in 1969 when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Some Pride Restored
So far this high school football season I am perfect for the second week in a row. The good news is I got them all right this week not all wrong. All four Nash County high schools were winners and everyone is happy.
The Raymond Cobb Bowl went just as expected as SouthWest Edgecombe continues to be undefeated while playing North Edgecombe with Cobb as the Cougars coach. Cobb who didn't lose many at home while at North Edgecombe and he didn't lose last night 30-14 over the Warriors.
Tarboro gets their second win of the season over a 3-A school as the Pam Pack of Washington fall to the Vikings 34-21. The last four years the Vikings have played for the State title winning the last three. There is no reason from the first two games to make anyone think that Tarboro could still be playing football in December.
Southern Nash goes to 2-0 as they hand Beddingfield their first lost with a 40-13 win over the Bruins. remember this was one of those games to compare scores since Northern Nash lost in a close tilt last week to Beddingfield 27-20.
Nash Central rebounded nicely after giving up 42 to Tarboro to hold SSS to three points. Not quite a shutout but holding them to no touchdowns will do.
Last week Rocky Mount gave up field position every time they kicked the ball. Bertie takes one to the house so the Gryphons still have plenty to work on. Good news for them they have scored over sixty in two games and no touchdowns given up by defense last night. Jason Battle notches career victory number one. Another compare score game was Bunn at Fike and Fike whips Bunn 20-13. Conference foe Fike wins a close one at home over Bunn while Rocky Mount lost a relative close one to Bunn at home.
There is plenty of good news for Northern Nash. The last few years they have struggled to score points but the first two games they have put up 20 and 35. The 35 got them their first win of the season over Southern Wayne 35-22.
The old Geezer can still coach can't he. Rocky Mount Academy lost 28-27 to Cary Christian as B W Holt has made the RMA a competitive team in less than a month's practice.
Rocky Mount Volleyball last 3-0 to D H Conley Friday. We have been doing a lot of score comparing tonight and in the two matches Northern play against the Conley Vikings Northern won two games and one game.
Friday night and all day today was spent watching volleyball at ECU. Campbell beat ECU Friday night in five sets with a 17-15 win in the final set. They lost to UNC Charlotte 0-3 this morning and beat Bethune Cookman 3-0 early this evening
The Raymond Cobb Bowl went just as expected as SouthWest Edgecombe continues to be undefeated while playing North Edgecombe with Cobb as the Cougars coach. Cobb who didn't lose many at home while at North Edgecombe and he didn't lose last night 30-14 over the Warriors.
Tarboro gets their second win of the season over a 3-A school as the Pam Pack of Washington fall to the Vikings 34-21. The last four years the Vikings have played for the State title winning the last three. There is no reason from the first two games to make anyone think that Tarboro could still be playing football in December.
Southern Nash goes to 2-0 as they hand Beddingfield their first lost with a 40-13 win over the Bruins. remember this was one of those games to compare scores since Northern Nash lost in a close tilt last week to Beddingfield 27-20.
Nash Central rebounded nicely after giving up 42 to Tarboro to hold SSS to three points. Not quite a shutout but holding them to no touchdowns will do.
Last week Rocky Mount gave up field position every time they kicked the ball. Bertie takes one to the house so the Gryphons still have plenty to work on. Good news for them they have scored over sixty in two games and no touchdowns given up by defense last night. Jason Battle notches career victory number one. Another compare score game was Bunn at Fike and Fike whips Bunn 20-13. Conference foe Fike wins a close one at home over Bunn while Rocky Mount lost a relative close one to Bunn at home.
There is plenty of good news for Northern Nash. The last few years they have struggled to score points but the first two games they have put up 20 and 35. The 35 got them their first win of the season over Southern Wayne 35-22.
The old Geezer can still coach can't he. Rocky Mount Academy lost 28-27 to Cary Christian as B W Holt has made the RMA a competitive team in less than a month's practice.
Rocky Mount Volleyball last 3-0 to D H Conley Friday. We have been doing a lot of score comparing tonight and in the two matches Northern play against the Conley Vikings Northern won two games and one game.
Friday night and all day today was spent watching volleyball at ECU. Campbell beat ECU Friday night in five sets with a 17-15 win in the final set. They lost to UNC Charlotte 0-3 this morning and beat Bethune Cookman 3-0 early this evening
Friday, August 24, 2012
I'll Try To Do Better This Week
Here it is the second week of the high school football season and I will try harder this week to get a prediction right. 0-6 is not exactly the way you hold on to your job of master high school predictor so let's try to turn it around.
Washington At Tarboro: Ok Viking fans Tarboro proved to me last week ripping a part a really good Nash Central defense that the Vikings will not give up a chance to win four state titles in a row with out giving it their very best old school try, This is a good Pam Pack team but this game is in Tarboro. 35-20 Vikes.
Time to start comparing scores. Last Week Northern lost to Beddingfield, this week it is Southern Nash's turn to try out the Bruins for size. This one is also in Wilson County but a different winner this week. S Nash 28- Beddingfield 20.
Southern Wayne 0-1 travel to Northern. Here is Northern's shot at victory #1 on this season. Rumblings of discontent in Red Oak. The best way to stop that is win a game. If they don't the rumbles could get louder. The Knights settle down 20-13 over The Saints.
Nash Central has a shot to get on the winning ways in 2012 as they travel to Smithfield Selma. The Bulldogs need to chew on a bone and this will be a nice juicy one. Nash Central 35- SSS13.
Last week Bertie beat Gates County while Rocky Mount played well but lost to Bunn. The Falcons come west this year and Rocky Mount will find the win column as the beat Bertie 34 -14.. If you are in to score comparing Bunn this week travels to Fike. Gryphon fans will have a good chance to see whether the lost to Bunn was good or bad after this game.
The final game this week has SouthWest Edgecombe going to North Edgecombe. Raymond Cobb returns to the field where he produced two state champions. It will be the final game against his old team. No way he loses the last one in Leggett. SWE 34 NE 18.
I will not be on a football field Friday night but will be attending my first college volleyball game ever as the FIGHTING CAMELS OF CAMPBELL travel to ECU. GO CAMPBELL!!!!!
Washington At Tarboro: Ok Viking fans Tarboro proved to me last week ripping a part a really good Nash Central defense that the Vikings will not give up a chance to win four state titles in a row with out giving it their very best old school try, This is a good Pam Pack team but this game is in Tarboro. 35-20 Vikes.
Time to start comparing scores. Last Week Northern lost to Beddingfield, this week it is Southern Nash's turn to try out the Bruins for size. This one is also in Wilson County but a different winner this week. S Nash 28- Beddingfield 20.
Southern Wayne 0-1 travel to Northern. Here is Northern's shot at victory #1 on this season. Rumblings of discontent in Red Oak. The best way to stop that is win a game. If they don't the rumbles could get louder. The Knights settle down 20-13 over The Saints.
Nash Central has a shot to get on the winning ways in 2012 as they travel to Smithfield Selma. The Bulldogs need to chew on a bone and this will be a nice juicy one. Nash Central 35- SSS13.
Last week Bertie beat Gates County while Rocky Mount played well but lost to Bunn. The Falcons come west this year and Rocky Mount will find the win column as the beat Bertie 34 -14.. If you are in to score comparing Bunn this week travels to Fike. Gryphon fans will have a good chance to see whether the lost to Bunn was good or bad after this game.
The final game this week has SouthWest Edgecombe going to North Edgecombe. Raymond Cobb returns to the field where he produced two state champions. It will be the final game against his old team. No way he loses the last one in Leggett. SWE 34 NE 18.
I will not be on a football field Friday night but will be attending my first college volleyball game ever as the FIGHTING CAMELS OF CAMPBELL travel to ECU. GO CAMPBELL!!!!!
Thursday, August 23, 2012
There Is Something Wrong With The Schedule
I must be old fashion but we are on the verge of the second week of high school football. Soccer, Tennis, Volleyball and Cross Country have all had two or more matches and yet school has not started for the year. To me there is something morally wrong with that idea.
Back when Morgan attended Winstead Ave Elementary they were on the year round schedule. Like every thing that works with the government it is very hard to do anything halfway. If you have a child in year round and another child in regular your life is pure torture. In order to get the entire system in year round you would need to put all schools year round not just a few. My point being year round would solve athletic scheduling problems especially basketball having to wait for football playoffs top end. I loved the year round schedule. Of course we only had one child in it not three or four. Most folks who have several children in both hated year round and I can see why, if you have one in each.
Wednesday there was an eight team cross country event held and Southern Nash, Northern Nash and Rocky Mount finished 1-2-3.
N C State basketball has offered a basketball scholarship to a player that will not graduate high school until 2015. Good Lord, pretty soon before a kid can decide what elementary school he should attend he's going to have to declare for college. By the way this kid is almost seven feet tall and right now is a five star prospect. You got to do what you got to do to land a good player. Has any body besides N C State fans noticed but now every basketball recruit in the country when he list his choices includes the Wolfpack. Mark Godfried has only been there one year and he has already put to rest State can't recruit with Duke and Carolina.
Northern Nash Volleyball swept South West Edgecombe 3-zip this week and Beddingfield 3-1. They lost to Conley 3-1. Once again they were very competitive with Conley.
Former Nash Central baseball player Alex Pearce who was the UNC Pembroke pitcher of the year is spring is student teaching this fall in Lumberton. He will return to Pembroke where he will enter graduate school in January and be a Grad assistant on the baseball team in 2013. Nice going Alex.
Back when Morgan attended Winstead Ave Elementary they were on the year round schedule. Like every thing that works with the government it is very hard to do anything halfway. If you have a child in year round and another child in regular your life is pure torture. In order to get the entire system in year round you would need to put all schools year round not just a few. My point being year round would solve athletic scheduling problems especially basketball having to wait for football playoffs top end. I loved the year round schedule. Of course we only had one child in it not three or four. Most folks who have several children in both hated year round and I can see why, if you have one in each.
Wednesday there was an eight team cross country event held and Southern Nash, Northern Nash and Rocky Mount finished 1-2-3.
N C State basketball has offered a basketball scholarship to a player that will not graduate high school until 2015. Good Lord, pretty soon before a kid can decide what elementary school he should attend he's going to have to declare for college. By the way this kid is almost seven feet tall and right now is a five star prospect. You got to do what you got to do to land a good player. Has any body besides N C State fans noticed but now every basketball recruit in the country when he list his choices includes the Wolfpack. Mark Godfried has only been there one year and he has already put to rest State can't recruit with Duke and Carolina.
Northern Nash Volleyball swept South West Edgecombe 3-zip this week and Beddingfield 3-1. They lost to Conley 3-1. Once again they were very competitive with Conley.
Former Nash Central baseball player Alex Pearce who was the UNC Pembroke pitcher of the year is spring is student teaching this fall in Lumberton. He will return to Pembroke where he will enter graduate school in January and be a Grad assistant on the baseball team in 2013. Nice going Alex.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
The Next Step
Every step in life always has a question mark of am I capable of doing this. JV players always wonder will I do as well on varsity as I have on JV's. Those that go on to college wonder will I be able to handle college life when I am pretty much on my own to make my own schedule when I am not in class.
Tarboro high school football has two names that stand out. Kelvin Bryant was outstanding for the Vikings went on to Carolina where he was a top runner during the Dick Crum era. You may forget that he signed with the USFL or World football League or what ever it was called before he joined the Washington Redskins.
The other name that come to mind when you talk Tarboro football is Todd Gurley. He lead the Vikes to three state Championships and stunned the entire town of Tarboro when he chose Georgia to go play college football. All of the preseason hype coming out of Athens is that Todd Gurley just may be in the starting backfield when the Bulldogs open the season. Sounds like Todd has made a nice adjustment in his next step in life.
The Seattle Seahawks announced Tuesday that Russell Wilson will get the start in the Hawks third preseason game coming up this weekend. I can tell you this that a rookie does not start game three of the preseason unless they were planning on starting him opening day. The former Wolfpack Quarterback seems to doing nicely taking that next step.
A judge in Raleigh has ruled that Butch Davis must allow his personal cell phone record to be looked over to see if he is part over the coverup going on in Chapel Hill in the wake of the academic problems going on at THE Flagship of the UNC System. I think we will know where this Carolina deal will go soon as all his calls are looked over.
Other players are bailing out on Upper Room now that the school is being screen to see if they are giving their athletes the proper courses in order to play Division 1 sports. I think it is smart on their part to look out for themselves and not wind up not knowing whether they will be eligible to play big time college ball. The NCAA has cleared Rodney Purvis to go to school and attend classes but have not ruled whether is can play basketball. That's like inviting someone to go to the beach with you for the weekend but we may not let you get out of the car when we get there.
Tarboro high school football has two names that stand out. Kelvin Bryant was outstanding for the Vikings went on to Carolina where he was a top runner during the Dick Crum era. You may forget that he signed with the USFL or World football League or what ever it was called before he joined the Washington Redskins.
The other name that come to mind when you talk Tarboro football is Todd Gurley. He lead the Vikes to three state Championships and stunned the entire town of Tarboro when he chose Georgia to go play college football. All of the preseason hype coming out of Athens is that Todd Gurley just may be in the starting backfield when the Bulldogs open the season. Sounds like Todd has made a nice adjustment in his next step in life.
The Seattle Seahawks announced Tuesday that Russell Wilson will get the start in the Hawks third preseason game coming up this weekend. I can tell you this that a rookie does not start game three of the preseason unless they were planning on starting him opening day. The former Wolfpack Quarterback seems to doing nicely taking that next step.
A judge in Raleigh has ruled that Butch Davis must allow his personal cell phone record to be looked over to see if he is part over the coverup going on in Chapel Hill in the wake of the academic problems going on at THE Flagship of the UNC System. I think we will know where this Carolina deal will go soon as all his calls are looked over.
Other players are bailing out on Upper Room now that the school is being screen to see if they are giving their athletes the proper courses in order to play Division 1 sports. I think it is smart on their part to look out for themselves and not wind up not knowing whether they will be eligible to play big time college ball. The NCAA has cleared Rodney Purvis to go to school and attend classes but have not ruled whether is can play basketball. That's like inviting someone to go to the beach with you for the weekend but we may not let you get out of the car when we get there.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Fun Race
This past Friday night while High school football played in front a crowds of people, cross country teams from around the area met at Gillette Field in Wilson and Fike hosted the event and 15 teams from around the state including Northern, Nash Central and Rocky Mount took part.
Five runners from each team ran 2,500 meters or about 1.6 mile per runner each and it was run in relay style so only 15 runners were running at any one time. Rocky Mount finished 6th overall after posting a 45:15 time. I guess this has happened before but I like the idea of a relay. It truly make cross country a team sport.
The big question is how do to set up your runners? Dee Davis ran her #1 runner in the first leg and Mason Holt had the gryphons in the lead when he handed off the second leg. Do you save the best for last or what. All together all five runners from each team ran about 8 miles and I like this idea.
There were several races including girls and other races. The A and B field in which the three boys teams from Nash county ran in didn't even start until 9.30 Friday night and they had started all the races at 6.00pm. Interesting.
Northern Nash's Volleyball team will be trying to repeat as regular season Big East champs again this year. Last week they beat Bunn in five sets and on Friday turned around and took Conley to five sets. The Bunn five set match was not a good outing for the Lady Knights as Bunn is normally not that strong in VB. How ever the five set match with Conley shows you what the Lady Knights are capable of this year. There are not many teams in the Big East that can win a set against Conley and the Lady Knights took them to the wire. Tells me when Northern shows up ready to play they will be good again this year.
Rocky Mount will get their shot at Conley Friday as they travel to Greenville. This will be a good compare match with how Northern went five sets can the Lady Gryphon's get it into five sets? Will not be going to a football game Friday as Campbell VB team opens it's season Friday night at 7pm at ECU. The Doughtie's will be there.
You know it is funny how we feel about people until you get to know them. Morgan has met the Conley Libero who is also a freshman at Campbell and they have become buddies. We feel the way we do about people until we meet them and then we find out they are not what we thought they were. In most of our lives that is true in most cases until we actually know someone.
Cousin Lauren did not make the cut in last weekends Futures Tour Event and she has fallen to 17th in the money list. They are down to four tournaments to go and she needs another top five finished to get back into the top ten.
Five runners from each team ran 2,500 meters or about 1.6 mile per runner each and it was run in relay style so only 15 runners were running at any one time. Rocky Mount finished 6th overall after posting a 45:15 time. I guess this has happened before but I like the idea of a relay. It truly make cross country a team sport.
The big question is how do to set up your runners? Dee Davis ran her #1 runner in the first leg and Mason Holt had the gryphons in the lead when he handed off the second leg. Do you save the best for last or what. All together all five runners from each team ran about 8 miles and I like this idea.
There were several races including girls and other races. The A and B field in which the three boys teams from Nash county ran in didn't even start until 9.30 Friday night and they had started all the races at 6.00pm. Interesting.
Northern Nash's Volleyball team will be trying to repeat as regular season Big East champs again this year. Last week they beat Bunn in five sets and on Friday turned around and took Conley to five sets. The Bunn five set match was not a good outing for the Lady Knights as Bunn is normally not that strong in VB. How ever the five set match with Conley shows you what the Lady Knights are capable of this year. There are not many teams in the Big East that can win a set against Conley and the Lady Knights took them to the wire. Tells me when Northern shows up ready to play they will be good again this year.
Rocky Mount will get their shot at Conley Friday as they travel to Greenville. This will be a good compare match with how Northern went five sets can the Lady Gryphon's get it into five sets? Will not be going to a football game Friday as Campbell VB team opens it's season Friday night at 7pm at ECU. The Doughtie's will be there.
You know it is funny how we feel about people until you get to know them. Morgan has met the Conley Libero who is also a freshman at Campbell and they have become buddies. We feel the way we do about people until we meet them and then we find out they are not what we thought they were. In most of our lives that is true in most cases until we actually know someone.
Cousin Lauren did not make the cut in last weekends Futures Tour Event and she has fallen to 17th in the money list. They are down to four tournaments to go and she needs another top five finished to get back into the top ten.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Alter The Course
I admire the decision that the Washington Nationals have made concerning only letting Steven Strasburg to pitch 180-200 innings this year and when that comes they are going to shut his pitching down for the year in order not to wear his arm out. A former number one draft pick who has already had reconstruction surgery on his arm the Nationals are taking it easy with Strasburg.
The problem for them is they are in the playoff picture and can very easily win the National League East and be in the playoffs and at the rate Strasburg is pitching now they will shut him down before then. My question is knowing they were going to limit his innings why they don't just pitch him one time a week There are 26 weeks in a major league regular season at if he pitches six innings every week for 26 weeks that adds up 156 and he would still have enough for the playoffs. Every plan has to have a plan B an I think the Nationals should be working on B right Now.
The dilemma facing N C State incoming freshmen Rodney Purvis is not as uncommon as we seem to think. Purvis one of State basketball's top five in the nation incoming freshmen basketball class is being held out of school by the Wolfpack over the NCAA's checking of Purvis's high school records to make sure his private high school was teaching him core courses that would make him eligible to be in college. This is a private school issue and I know of a couple of kids right here in Rocky Mount who graduated high school from a private school here that could not get accepted to go to college at certain schools because their high school did not teach the core classes that most colleges require. I'll be shocked if he plays for the Pack.
I have to admit that my picks last week in high school football was about as rotten as you can ever get. I was 0 for the night. There is good news however. It can't get any worse.
It is funny sometimes how we are all enemy's when we go to a ball game but when the game is over most of our kids hang out with each other or are at least friends. Last week ECU women's soccer played a match at Campbell and Morgan saw and talked with Ally Glover former Knight of Northern Nash. Ally is the starting goalie for the Pirates.
The problem for them is they are in the playoff picture and can very easily win the National League East and be in the playoffs and at the rate Strasburg is pitching now they will shut him down before then. My question is knowing they were going to limit his innings why they don't just pitch him one time a week There are 26 weeks in a major league regular season at if he pitches six innings every week for 26 weeks that adds up 156 and he would still have enough for the playoffs. Every plan has to have a plan B an I think the Nationals should be working on B right Now.
The dilemma facing N C State incoming freshmen Rodney Purvis is not as uncommon as we seem to think. Purvis one of State basketball's top five in the nation incoming freshmen basketball class is being held out of school by the Wolfpack over the NCAA's checking of Purvis's high school records to make sure his private high school was teaching him core courses that would make him eligible to be in college. This is a private school issue and I know of a couple of kids right here in Rocky Mount who graduated high school from a private school here that could not get accepted to go to college at certain schools because their high school did not teach the core classes that most colleges require. I'll be shocked if he plays for the Pack.
I have to admit that my picks last week in high school football was about as rotten as you can ever get. I was 0 for the night. There is good news however. It can't get any worse.
It is funny sometimes how we are all enemy's when we go to a ball game but when the game is over most of our kids hang out with each other or are at least friends. Last week ECU women's soccer played a match at Campbell and Morgan saw and talked with Ally Glover former Knight of Northern Nash. Ally is the starting goalie for the Pirates.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Not A Bad Beginning
Bunn came into last night's game with Rocky Mount highly rated and there are times you can just look at players the way they wear their uniform and tell they are football players. Bunn had that look last night. You could tell they have been in the weight room and the entire team just had that look. The Gryphons have a few players that look the part but in general not the entire team. With that being said take the kicker for Bunn out of the game and the Gryphons just might have won that game so there is plenty to feel good about this morning.
The line is undersized so this team will have fourth quarter worries as they get beat down during games. J T Smith did a good job at quarterback as he was the best quarterback on the field. If Mason Hines stays healthy the Gryphons will have a good running game. This week they will surely pay more attention to kick coverage. First time out for new coach Jason Battle his team gave effort until the end which is a drastic difference from last season.
One worry that I had at any new school with the way the parking surrounds the school is getting out when the game is over. There were no issues as before the game you could not get into the school from the 301 entrance but when the game was over you could leave that way. That really help traffic flow.
Girls tennis is off to an impressive start as they went 2-0 on the week including beating highly rated C B Aycock 6-3 on Thursday in their home opener. I understand that three of the top six for the Lady Gryphons are freshmen and if that is true the future is brite for tennis.
Volleyball went 1-1 for the week and as always the starting team doesn't have any height at all. They will always struggle against anyone who can put up a wall at the net. The good news how ever is they are quick but volleyball is won by the team that slapdown on the ball at the net not up and over.
Gryphon cross country will be good as the guys are probably the favorites. Hope you had a to chance to get to go to the open house last night and I know many stayed for the game. The band has grown as there was almost 60players as well as flag corp on the field as even the band got off to a good start.
The line is undersized so this team will have fourth quarter worries as they get beat down during games. J T Smith did a good job at quarterback as he was the best quarterback on the field. If Mason Hines stays healthy the Gryphons will have a good running game. This week they will surely pay more attention to kick coverage. First time out for new coach Jason Battle his team gave effort until the end which is a drastic difference from last season.
One worry that I had at any new school with the way the parking surrounds the school is getting out when the game is over. There were no issues as before the game you could not get into the school from the 301 entrance but when the game was over you could leave that way. That really help traffic flow.
Girls tennis is off to an impressive start as they went 2-0 on the week including beating highly rated C B Aycock 6-3 on Thursday in their home opener. I understand that three of the top six for the Lady Gryphons are freshmen and if that is true the future is brite for tennis.
Volleyball went 1-1 for the week and as always the starting team doesn't have any height at all. They will always struggle against anyone who can put up a wall at the net. The good news how ever is they are quick but volleyball is won by the team that slapdown on the ball at the net not up and over.
Gryphon cross country will be good as the guys are probably the favorites. Hope you had a to chance to get to go to the open house last night and I know many stayed for the game. The band has grown as there was almost 60players as well as flag corp on the field as even the band got off to a good start.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Kicker, Kick Coverage Doom Gryphons
The best player on the field tonight for both Bunn and Rocky Mount hardly touch the ball with his hands but he sure did have a foot. Freeman Jones the Bunn Kick off man booted seven times on the evening and seven times the Gryphons started with the ball on their own 20 yard. He even proved to be able to kick the ball in soccer fashion after a punt snap sailed over his head and in order to keep Rocky Mount from getting the ball on the Bunn 10 yard line kicked the ball through the end zone to give Rocky Mount only 2 points instead of maybe six should they have scored from the 10 yard line. He later got back the 2 lost on the safety when he nailed a 48 yard field goal that had 3 yards to spare.
However Rocky Mount had Mason Hines who on the third offensive play of the game went 76 years to give the Gryphons an early 6-0 lead. Hines would later go 89 yards on the kick return after Jones had to kickoff on the safety at the 20 yards line and could only get it to the 10 yard line and the Gryphons showed what they could do if they had a chance to return one. Then the reason the Gryphons lost this game reared it ugly head. Kick coverage by the Rocky Mount was lacking at best. Bunn would get over 200 yards on kickoff and punt returns including a 90 yard kickoff return touchdown before Rocky Mount fans had stopped celebrating the 76 yard run. In fact none of the points Bunn got came on any drive of any distance beyond the fifty yard line.
The stats have the Gryphons rushing for 198 yards and passes from J T Smith covered another 82 yards while Bunn rushed for 133 and passed for just 51. The bad snap over the punters head cost Bunn 40 yards of rushing on the night.
If you have a defensive star on on night when you give up 37 Junior Donte Battle looked like a division 1 football prospect playing defensive end and line backer. Seemed in the first half he had a hand on every pass attempted by Bunn knocking 2 down and intercepted another. This is the same Donte Battle the MVP of the State Championship basketball game.
Yes the Gryphons played decent football including a third quarter in which they managed to cut a 19-6 half time deficient into a 21-19 lead until a big return gave Bunn more field position and the lead back.
This game was closer than the final score as a Gyphon fumble added to the score. Bunn however is for real. They have a big line and backs that know how to run and they should be as good as predicted as the season goes on.
Really good opening night crowd for the first game ever at the new Rocky Mount High school which I think everyone there went away feeling that Jason Battle's first game wasn't a win but the Gryhons were never out of this one until the very end.
Tarboro whacked Nash Central. 42-26. The Vikings are hard to beat in Tarboro and surprising to me Nash Central's defense gave up too many points. Beddingfield beat Northern Nash 27-20. and Southern Nash beat SouthWest Edgecombe 28-24 as SWE pass in the end zone on the last play of the game fell incomplete.
Big East conference team Hunt wins big over Eastern Wayne 44-12 and Fike is killed by D H Conley 54-27
However Rocky Mount had Mason Hines who on the third offensive play of the game went 76 years to give the Gryphons an early 6-0 lead. Hines would later go 89 yards on the kick return after Jones had to kickoff on the safety at the 20 yards line and could only get it to the 10 yard line and the Gryphons showed what they could do if they had a chance to return one. Then the reason the Gryphons lost this game reared it ugly head. Kick coverage by the Rocky Mount was lacking at best. Bunn would get over 200 yards on kickoff and punt returns including a 90 yard kickoff return touchdown before Rocky Mount fans had stopped celebrating the 76 yard run. In fact none of the points Bunn got came on any drive of any distance beyond the fifty yard line.
The stats have the Gryphons rushing for 198 yards and passes from J T Smith covered another 82 yards while Bunn rushed for 133 and passed for just 51. The bad snap over the punters head cost Bunn 40 yards of rushing on the night.
If you have a defensive star on on night when you give up 37 Junior Donte Battle looked like a division 1 football prospect playing defensive end and line backer. Seemed in the first half he had a hand on every pass attempted by Bunn knocking 2 down and intercepted another. This is the same Donte Battle the MVP of the State Championship basketball game.
Yes the Gryphons played decent football including a third quarter in which they managed to cut a 19-6 half time deficient into a 21-19 lead until a big return gave Bunn more field position and the lead back.
This game was closer than the final score as a Gyphon fumble added to the score. Bunn however is for real. They have a big line and backs that know how to run and they should be as good as predicted as the season goes on.
Really good opening night crowd for the first game ever at the new Rocky Mount High school which I think everyone there went away feeling that Jason Battle's first game wasn't a win but the Gryhons were never out of this one until the very end.
Tarboro whacked Nash Central. 42-26. The Vikings are hard to beat in Tarboro and surprising to me Nash Central's defense gave up too many points. Beddingfield beat Northern Nash 27-20. and Southern Nash beat SouthWest Edgecombe 28-24 as SWE pass in the end zone on the last play of the game fell incomplete.
Big East conference team Hunt wins big over Eastern Wayne 44-12 and Fike is killed by D H Conley 54-27
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
It's Football Time
Visited the New Rocky Mount High School today to watch the Volleyball team play their first home match and they were able to sweep Roanoke Rapids 25-19-25-20-25-10 to win their first match on the home floor. Got my first look inside the school and it is very impressive. The front Atrium is huge. The gym is bigger than I thought it would be but did not count the seats to see how many can sit. The girls Tennis team had a match going on as we drove into the campus with C B Aycock and football was practicing on the practice field. Never seen that much sports going on at the same time on campus before.
Let's get down to business. There is another new coach in the area this year and it is Keith Parisher at North Edgecombe. The Warriors open the football season hosting South Creek and of course you say who in the world is South Creek. That is of course the old Roanoke High in Robersonville. I'll take South Creek in this one 26-13
Northern Nash at Beddingfield: I think the Knight's will have enough defense to win this one. Like yesterday it will be interesting to see how good Northern's offense is and whether they can score. If it is a 13-7 type score the good news will be Northern played well on defense and the bad news not very good on offense. This game could go a long ways in telling us how good Northern could be. I'll take the Knights 19-13.
One side of Edgecombe County there is a new coach just getting his head coaching career in gear while at the other end one beginning his last. Raymond Cobb will introduce his final Cougar football team at SouthWest. They will be hosting Southern Nash. I believe last year was just one of those years when everything that could go bad did for SWE and if they stay healthy they will be the same old Cougars that SWE has been under Cobb. I'll Take the Cougars 26-13. Too much lost in the backfield for the Firebirds to be clicking this early.
New Stadium, new school and a new head coach. Rocky Mount will put it all on display Friday night as there will be an open house where you can get a look inside from 5-7PM and then venture over to the football field. Jason Battle's first team will host Bunn. Bunn is getting a lot of attention from the Raleigh media. If you remember last year the Gryphons were underdogs and whipped Bunn 30-0 in the pouring rain at Bunn. This one is the hardest game to call of all of them in the area opening night. I think the Gryphons eck this one out 21-20.
Now the game of the night. Three time defending 2-A State Champs Tarboro host Nash Central. If I were a betting man I believe I would put a lot of money on Tarboro not winning four in a row state championships. Some where the streak has to end but that has nothing to do with this game. I think up front is where the Bulldogs win this game. Pound-Pound-Pound the smaller Vikings. This is one of those games as long as it is close it will be a good result for everyone regardless of who wins. Bulldogs 35- Tarboro 21
Let's get down to business. There is another new coach in the area this year and it is Keith Parisher at North Edgecombe. The Warriors open the football season hosting South Creek and of course you say who in the world is South Creek. That is of course the old Roanoke High in Robersonville. I'll take South Creek in this one 26-13
Northern Nash at Beddingfield: I think the Knight's will have enough defense to win this one. Like yesterday it will be interesting to see how good Northern's offense is and whether they can score. If it is a 13-7 type score the good news will be Northern played well on defense and the bad news not very good on offense. This game could go a long ways in telling us how good Northern could be. I'll take the Knights 19-13.
One side of Edgecombe County there is a new coach just getting his head coaching career in gear while at the other end one beginning his last. Raymond Cobb will introduce his final Cougar football team at SouthWest. They will be hosting Southern Nash. I believe last year was just one of those years when everything that could go bad did for SWE and if they stay healthy they will be the same old Cougars that SWE has been under Cobb. I'll Take the Cougars 26-13. Too much lost in the backfield for the Firebirds to be clicking this early.
New Stadium, new school and a new head coach. Rocky Mount will put it all on display Friday night as there will be an open house where you can get a look inside from 5-7PM and then venture over to the football field. Jason Battle's first team will host Bunn. Bunn is getting a lot of attention from the Raleigh media. If you remember last year the Gryphons were underdogs and whipped Bunn 30-0 in the pouring rain at Bunn. This one is the hardest game to call of all of them in the area opening night. I think the Gryphons eck this one out 21-20.
Now the game of the night. Three time defending 2-A State Champs Tarboro host Nash Central. If I were a betting man I believe I would put a lot of money on Tarboro not winning four in a row state championships. Some where the streak has to end but that has nothing to do with this game. I think up front is where the Bulldogs win this game. Pound-Pound-Pound the smaller Vikings. This is one of those games as long as it is close it will be a good result for everyone regardless of who wins. Bulldogs 35- Tarboro 21
Head Knocking Starts Friday
This Friday night opens the high school football season and it is time for the annual here is what I think rankings of the Big East football teams: Most of the preseason poles have Hunt winning but after that Nash Central and Fike I have seen picked second through fifth. One says second the next says fifth.
1. Hunt: When you have been at one school as long as Randy Raper has been west of Wilson you know he has established the way he wants to do things. I can assure you Raper has proven over the umpteen years he has been with the Warriors that he has figured out how this high school stuff works. His average team will win eight games and if like last year he is above average he just might go undefeated until the East Final. This year probably one of those eight win years which will probably be good enough to finish first in the Big East. Big East Record 5-0
2. Nash Central: Gone is Jalen Hendricks and who do you put at quarterback to replace him ? Just maybe the best athlete in the conference. You have a running back at quarterback there is no doubt I would run the option. Nash Central has the best defense in the league. I suspect they will begrudge giving up points. It it weren't for clock mismanagement last year Nash Central could have played in the East Finals instead of Hunt. Look for the Bulldogs to win seven or eight during regular season. Big East record 4-1
3. Fike: The end of last season the Golden Demons were coming on strong and I suspect that will carry over this year. That being said 2-3 in the conference in what is proving to be the toughest football league in in the east will be about what I am looking at Fike. Look for Fike to snare seven wins during the regular season.
4. Northern Nash: There is no doubt that four through six could change places very easily. The Knights will have a solid defense but their biggest question is can they score enough points to win. Last year they held Tarboro in check but couldn't score enough to win. If they have that same problem this season they could fall below fourth. Conference record 2-3
5. Southern Nash: I thought the Firebirds didn't get very far with the backfield they had last year and the entire running brigade is gone due to graduation. Rebuilding time in southern Nash County. I see a total of four wins for the Firebirds including a 1-4 Big East Record.
6. Rocky Mount: Jason Battle has his work cut out to bring life back to the best football program in the Twin Counties during the first decade of the 21st century. Wins are not always the indicator whether the program is heading in the right direction. This team needs to win early and stay healthy. I can see four wins and one of those this year will be a conference win. 1-4 in Big East.
We will get our first taste of what might come to pass as Friday night as almost everybody hits the playing field. Rocky Mount's Tom Suiter will once again anchor the WRAL-TV's football Friday for the 32nd year.
1. Hunt: When you have been at one school as long as Randy Raper has been west of Wilson you know he has established the way he wants to do things. I can assure you Raper has proven over the umpteen years he has been with the Warriors that he has figured out how this high school stuff works. His average team will win eight games and if like last year he is above average he just might go undefeated until the East Final. This year probably one of those eight win years which will probably be good enough to finish first in the Big East. Big East Record 5-0
2. Nash Central: Gone is Jalen Hendricks and who do you put at quarterback to replace him ? Just maybe the best athlete in the conference. You have a running back at quarterback there is no doubt I would run the option. Nash Central has the best defense in the league. I suspect they will begrudge giving up points. It it weren't for clock mismanagement last year Nash Central could have played in the East Finals instead of Hunt. Look for the Bulldogs to win seven or eight during regular season. Big East record 4-1
3. Fike: The end of last season the Golden Demons were coming on strong and I suspect that will carry over this year. That being said 2-3 in the conference in what is proving to be the toughest football league in in the east will be about what I am looking at Fike. Look for Fike to snare seven wins during the regular season.
4. Northern Nash: There is no doubt that four through six could change places very easily. The Knights will have a solid defense but their biggest question is can they score enough points to win. Last year they held Tarboro in check but couldn't score enough to win. If they have that same problem this season they could fall below fourth. Conference record 2-3
5. Southern Nash: I thought the Firebirds didn't get very far with the backfield they had last year and the entire running brigade is gone due to graduation. Rebuilding time in southern Nash County. I see a total of four wins for the Firebirds including a 1-4 Big East Record.
6. Rocky Mount: Jason Battle has his work cut out to bring life back to the best football program in the Twin Counties during the first decade of the 21st century. Wins are not always the indicator whether the program is heading in the right direction. This team needs to win early and stay healthy. I can see four wins and one of those this year will be a conference win. 1-4 in Big East.
We will get our first taste of what might come to pass as Friday night as almost everybody hits the playing field. Rocky Mount's Tom Suiter will once again anchor the WRAL-TV's football Friday for the 32nd year.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Do You Have To Cheat To Win?
The North Carolina Academic Scandal has something new almost every day now. Heard on radio the agent for Julius Peppers who was also his academic advisor while at Carolina stated that far too many athletes are in colleges that don't belong there. Now let me say this right up front, I didn't just fall of the back of the wagon and hit my head. I know like you know this goes on every where.
Do you remember the very first 48 Hours show back in the early 1990's when the program compared the basketball programs at Duke and State. One of the question asked to State's player Charles Shackleford was what he did in the class Introduction to Parks and Recreation. As A State fan I was out raged that a reporter would ask such a question knowing full well that if you wanted to be a Park Ranger that was a required course.
It does matter which side of the fence you sit if you are winning you will turn a blind eye away if you see your side doing something that maybe is not quite up and up but will scream loudly when the other side is caught. There was a football coach in the Southeastern Conference when asked why their biggest rival was winning all the time and they were not he said. "They cheat better than we do". To me that is an admission that we cheat. Apparently not very well if you still can't win while cheating.
Has our society gotten to the point the only answer is winning and we will do what ever it takes to win. Baseball is one sport that historical numbers are part of the game. Every body know Babe Ruth hit 714 home runs but in the last 20 years cheating using growth hormones to make you hit it farther has taken away from baseball history.
Money is the root of all evil and college sports is eat up with the desire to raise more money. Lets add nine teams to our conference it will give us a bigger TV contract and all the schools will get their share of the money even though they may not be on TV but they will share the money. Why do you think Notre Dame doesn't want to join a conference? They don't want to share that TV money with anybody else.
I take no pride what so ever knowing that Carolina is going through the pain they are suffering now for the cheating that they have allowed to happen. It is a sign of the times and Carolina is the one that has been caught today. I do want to ask this question which I think might be worth while to everyone who thinks cheating is the only way to win. Is the eight wins a year that Carolina was winning worth all the embarrassment they are paying for now. It is kind of like the guy that robs the bank and get away with $2,500. Was it worth it? At some point in time he will have to rob another bank. When do you get to the point where you can quit cheating and still keep on winning? The answer to that seems to be that cheating will never end as long as the winning is the only goal.
Do you remember the very first 48 Hours show back in the early 1990's when the program compared the basketball programs at Duke and State. One of the question asked to State's player Charles Shackleford was what he did in the class Introduction to Parks and Recreation. As A State fan I was out raged that a reporter would ask such a question knowing full well that if you wanted to be a Park Ranger that was a required course.
It does matter which side of the fence you sit if you are winning you will turn a blind eye away if you see your side doing something that maybe is not quite up and up but will scream loudly when the other side is caught. There was a football coach in the Southeastern Conference when asked why their biggest rival was winning all the time and they were not he said. "They cheat better than we do". To me that is an admission that we cheat. Apparently not very well if you still can't win while cheating.
Has our society gotten to the point the only answer is winning and we will do what ever it takes to win. Baseball is one sport that historical numbers are part of the game. Every body know Babe Ruth hit 714 home runs but in the last 20 years cheating using growth hormones to make you hit it farther has taken away from baseball history.
Money is the root of all evil and college sports is eat up with the desire to raise more money. Lets add nine teams to our conference it will give us a bigger TV contract and all the schools will get their share of the money even though they may not be on TV but they will share the money. Why do you think Notre Dame doesn't want to join a conference? They don't want to share that TV money with anybody else.
I take no pride what so ever knowing that Carolina is going through the pain they are suffering now for the cheating that they have allowed to happen. It is a sign of the times and Carolina is the one that has been caught today. I do want to ask this question which I think might be worth while to everyone who thinks cheating is the only way to win. Is the eight wins a year that Carolina was winning worth all the embarrassment they are paying for now. It is kind of like the guy that robs the bank and get away with $2,500. Was it worth it? At some point in time he will have to rob another bank. When do you get to the point where you can quit cheating and still keep on winning? The answer to that seems to be that cheating will never end as long as the winning is the only goal.
Monday, August 13, 2012
No World Series For North Carolina
Post 10 from Wilmington North Carolina lost today to Florence South Carolina 10-2 and Florence clinched the Southeast Regional in the American Legion Baseball playoffs. Florence now heads to Shelby for the American Legion World Series. Wilmington Post 10 finishes second in the Regional.
This week is the beginning of the varsity high school sports season. Gryphon soccer is beginning the season tonight as they travel to Roanoke Rapids. Tuesday Girls tennis see their first action of the season traveling to Edenton to play Holmes High. The Volleyball team travels to Louisburg.
Wednesday soccer is on the road once again as this time they travel to Millbrook. Tennis hits the road again Thursday with a trip to C B Aycock. The first home varsity game ever to be play on campus at the new school will be Thursday when volleyball host Roanoke Rapids.
Friday cross country hits the trail for the first time this year running in Wilson at Gillette Field. The first varsity football game is Friday night as the Gryphons host Bunn.
The news just does not get any better for the University of North Carolina and this lingering academic scandal which now seems to hit closer to home than we would like. Someone has put Julius Peppers grades on the UNC website which shows he also went to those same classes which has put Carolina in a pot of hot water to begin with. Looks to me like Carolina should ask for an independent investigation into all this fraud because those in charge keep falling further and further into a pit of denial and then more news comes out about what they just denied. Turn it over to somebody else and hold your breath that it doesn't get even worse. You know of course Peppers brings the basketball program front and center now.
Couldn't you just see the weight of the world lifted off the shoulders of the men's basketball team Sunday during the Olympics. LaBron James didn't come any where close to the celebration when Miami won the world title over how he acted winning yesterday. It sure looks like they all enjoyed winning the Gold metal.
Who is the best golfer in the world. Rory McElroy at least for this week. He did to Tiger and every one yesterday what Tiger did has done to the others up until now. You have to give Carl Petterson credit after getting a two stroke penalty on the first hole for a leaf moving in the hazard. If it had of been me I would have shot 100 after that but he tied for third.
This week is the beginning of the varsity high school sports season. Gryphon soccer is beginning the season tonight as they travel to Roanoke Rapids. Tuesday Girls tennis see their first action of the season traveling to Edenton to play Holmes High. The Volleyball team travels to Louisburg.
Wednesday soccer is on the road once again as this time they travel to Millbrook. Tennis hits the road again Thursday with a trip to C B Aycock. The first home varsity game ever to be play on campus at the new school will be Thursday when volleyball host Roanoke Rapids.
Friday cross country hits the trail for the first time this year running in Wilson at Gillette Field. The first varsity football game is Friday night as the Gryphons host Bunn.
The news just does not get any better for the University of North Carolina and this lingering academic scandal which now seems to hit closer to home than we would like. Someone has put Julius Peppers grades on the UNC website which shows he also went to those same classes which has put Carolina in a pot of hot water to begin with. Looks to me like Carolina should ask for an independent investigation into all this fraud because those in charge keep falling further and further into a pit of denial and then more news comes out about what they just denied. Turn it over to somebody else and hold your breath that it doesn't get even worse. You know of course Peppers brings the basketball program front and center now.
Couldn't you just see the weight of the world lifted off the shoulders of the men's basketball team Sunday during the Olympics. LaBron James didn't come any where close to the celebration when Miami won the world title over how he acted winning yesterday. It sure looks like they all enjoyed winning the Gold metal.
Who is the best golfer in the world. Rory McElroy at least for this week. He did to Tiger and every one yesterday what Tiger did has done to the others up until now. You have to give Carl Petterson credit after getting a two stroke penalty on the first hole for a leaf moving in the hazard. If it had of been me I would have shot 100 after that but he tied for third.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Our Health Controls Our Lives
I read with great interest this morning in the Rocky Mount Telegram on the story about the former Nash Central Athletic Director Tony High who has had to step down due to injury. Flat feet is something he was born with and as his life has continued the fight has gotten more agonizing than he could bear without rest.
Athletes live every day with the fact an injury could end their career or a high school athlete could miss his playing time all together due to the fact there is no coming back next year after graduation and playing ball to make up for the year missed. Life moves on with or without us. Once we get into life with a family our health dominates how successful we are because of the limitations health can put on all of us.
I too was born with flat feet and I think you can say that I have an extreme case. I have no arch what so ever. When I was four or five I had trouble every time I grew out of one pair of shoes to another trying to be able to walk with out pain. As they say I grew out of the pain and I think it was because I have no arch. When I get in a pool of water and step out you can see my full foot print on the cement when I get out.
Back in 1972 the Vietnam War was raging and they restarted the draft. They had the first draft live on TV just like the NFL has it's draft. All 18 year old across this country watched holding our breaths for we were told if your birth date was picked in the top 50 numbers you would be called to be inducted in the military. February 3rd was the 26th number called and within a week I received a letter to be in Winton N C. which is the County seat in Hertford County to get on a bus 6.30am and travel to Raleigh to the induction Center.
It was the Wednesday morning the day after Richard Nixon got reelected President the date was November 8th 1972. Promptly at 9am we began taking test which last till about noon. They fed us a box lunch and all 50 people who were on the bus were put in lines and told to strip down to our under wear. Each of us were put in groups of six. We preceded to go to different rooms and in each room we were given complete physicals.
When it was our turn near the end of the process my group of six entered this room where a Chief Boatswain's Mate was standing holding a clip board. After we lined up in front of a white line on the floor which we had to do in every room the Chief says "Here is where you have a chance to get out of military service if you have any physical problems and I want you to tell me about them now". I was the first one in our line and he stepped up to me and said " Got any thing I need to know about". 'Flat feet was my reply'. He took some type of meter out of his pocket and got on one knee and stuck that instrument down to the floor by my feet. He looked up at me and looked again back at the meter. He stood up and say "Son you are out of the military".
He stepped back and asked the others if they had any thing he needed to see. All five claimed flat feet like me. After he had looked at all five he told them that if they wanted to see what flat feet looked like take a look at me. He walked back up to where I was standing behind the white line and again said "Son they are the flattest feet I have ever seen. You have no arch what so ever.". He signed a piece of paper and said give that to the Sargent at the end of the line. My life in the military career lasted one day.
I have never had trouble walking since early child hood and I guess it is because I have no arch what so ever to hurt when I walk. Unlike Coach High and many others who have to endure pain every day flat feet was my way out of Vietnam.
Athletes live every day with the fact an injury could end their career or a high school athlete could miss his playing time all together due to the fact there is no coming back next year after graduation and playing ball to make up for the year missed. Life moves on with or without us. Once we get into life with a family our health dominates how successful we are because of the limitations health can put on all of us.
I too was born with flat feet and I think you can say that I have an extreme case. I have no arch what so ever. When I was four or five I had trouble every time I grew out of one pair of shoes to another trying to be able to walk with out pain. As they say I grew out of the pain and I think it was because I have no arch. When I get in a pool of water and step out you can see my full foot print on the cement when I get out.
Back in 1972 the Vietnam War was raging and they restarted the draft. They had the first draft live on TV just like the NFL has it's draft. All 18 year old across this country watched holding our breaths for we were told if your birth date was picked in the top 50 numbers you would be called to be inducted in the military. February 3rd was the 26th number called and within a week I received a letter to be in Winton N C. which is the County seat in Hertford County to get on a bus 6.30am and travel to Raleigh to the induction Center.
It was the Wednesday morning the day after Richard Nixon got reelected President the date was November 8th 1972. Promptly at 9am we began taking test which last till about noon. They fed us a box lunch and all 50 people who were on the bus were put in lines and told to strip down to our under wear. Each of us were put in groups of six. We preceded to go to different rooms and in each room we were given complete physicals.
When it was our turn near the end of the process my group of six entered this room where a Chief Boatswain's Mate was standing holding a clip board. After we lined up in front of a white line on the floor which we had to do in every room the Chief says "Here is where you have a chance to get out of military service if you have any physical problems and I want you to tell me about them now". I was the first one in our line and he stepped up to me and said " Got any thing I need to know about". 'Flat feet was my reply'. He took some type of meter out of his pocket and got on one knee and stuck that instrument down to the floor by my feet. He looked up at me and looked again back at the meter. He stood up and say "Son you are out of the military".
He stepped back and asked the others if they had any thing he needed to see. All five claimed flat feet like me. After he had looked at all five he told them that if they wanted to see what flat feet looked like take a look at me. He walked back up to where I was standing behind the white line and again said "Son they are the flattest feet I have ever seen. You have no arch what so ever.". He signed a piece of paper and said give that to the Sargent at the end of the line. My life in the military career lasted one day.
I have never had trouble walking since early child hood and I guess it is because I have no arch what so ever to hurt when I walk. Unlike Coach High and many others who have to endure pain every day flat feet was my way out of Vietnam.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Results Good
Friday night Rocky Mount High took part in a scrimmage at North Johnston High and what I am hearing the results were very promising for Gryphon head coach Jason Battle. I understand in the four segments in which the Gryphons took part in they had the upper hand in all four. After doing well against Roanoke Rapids Wednesday night the Gryphons now can focus on their season opener and the first game ever at Rocky Mount High when they host Bunn.
You probably have already heard this but the Gryphon basketball team will return to the Holiday basketball tournament in Raleigh again this year. It is not the defending state boys basketball team but the girls. The Holiday Tournament over the years has brought in all of the highly recruited basketball players who are either playing in the Triangle or are being recruited to play in the Triangle. That includes the girls and of course the Gryphons have J'Kyra Brown returning for her senior year and though she has committed to ECU the Tournament is still bringing the best in the state to Raleigh at Christmas.
I have one of those funny things that happen in life. Last Wednesday when we carried Morgan to Campbell University we were at lunch and Morgan sees on FaceBook that Mason Holt had been accepted to Campbell for 2013. We were very close to the track at Campbell and Morgan sent Mason a picture of the Belk Track at Campbell. She put on the caption your new home in 2013. Hope to see Mason in church Sunday to see if he is going to run Cross Country and track at CU.
The PGA had a weather delay much like what we had in our area tonight and all the leaders still have at least nine holes of the third round left to play. Luck plays a big part in any sports event but Tiger was in the middle of three of the worse holes of golf he has ever played back to back when the rains came. The other end of the spectrum the leaders were dropping everything in the hole and couldn't miss any shots. It will be interesting to see who benefits the most from having to stop and wait till Sunday morning.
You probably have already heard this but the Gryphon basketball team will return to the Holiday basketball tournament in Raleigh again this year. It is not the defending state boys basketball team but the girls. The Holiday Tournament over the years has brought in all of the highly recruited basketball players who are either playing in the Triangle or are being recruited to play in the Triangle. That includes the girls and of course the Gryphons have J'Kyra Brown returning for her senior year and though she has committed to ECU the Tournament is still bringing the best in the state to Raleigh at Christmas.
I have one of those funny things that happen in life. Last Wednesday when we carried Morgan to Campbell University we were at lunch and Morgan sees on FaceBook that Mason Holt had been accepted to Campbell for 2013. We were very close to the track at Campbell and Morgan sent Mason a picture of the Belk Track at Campbell. She put on the caption your new home in 2013. Hope to see Mason in church Sunday to see if he is going to run Cross Country and track at CU.
The PGA had a weather delay much like what we had in our area tonight and all the leaders still have at least nine holes of the third round left to play. Luck plays a big part in any sports event but Tiger was in the middle of three of the worse holes of golf he has ever played back to back when the rains came. The other end of the spectrum the leaders were dropping everything in the hole and couldn't miss any shots. It will be interesting to see who benefits the most from having to stop and wait till Sunday morning.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Helmet Hitting Time
High school football teams from all over the area were on the scrimmage field tonight somewhere trying to figure out who looks good in shorts and who wants to hit when you line up against someone else.
Tarboro hosted six teams including County mates North Edgecombe and SouthWest Edgecombe. Raymond Cobb has announced that this will be his last at SWE and this will be his last chance to return to the finals for another State football championship.
Nash Central who almost twice last year beat Hunt only to fall short will move the best athlete in the conference to quarterback in junior Khalil Macklin. I can tell you the Bulldogs have a linebacker on defense that is drawing attention from everyone in Colin Staton #44. He will run fullback on offense and middle linebacker on defense but in college it would not surprise me to see him playing D-1 in any North Carolina school or even Maryland. College he will probably move to outside linebacker or maybe safety but he is getting attention from everyone.
Tiger is in the hunt for the PGA championship in South Carolina. A hard wind had the pros scrambling to get the ball on the greens. It is funny to watch a golf match with the temperatures in the upper 90's with a bright sunshine and yet the wind blowing 15-20 miles and hour.
USA basketball has only one more game to go as they crushed Argentina today. The women's team go for gold Saturday and they are dominating the games more than the men.
N C State men' s basketball wins again on their tour of Spain. Seems the freshman are for real for the Pack. At least the ones that made the trip.
Saturday night the Carolina Panthers begin the second year of the Cam Newton era. Despite being 6-10 last year there is optimism abounding that the Panthers can make a push for the playoffs. Who knows what New Orleans will be without their head coach. Atlanta to me is a good regular season team and Tampa who knows where they will be. If the defense is better the Panthers could surprise some folks.
Tarboro hosted six teams including County mates North Edgecombe and SouthWest Edgecombe. Raymond Cobb has announced that this will be his last at SWE and this will be his last chance to return to the finals for another State football championship.
Nash Central who almost twice last year beat Hunt only to fall short will move the best athlete in the conference to quarterback in junior Khalil Macklin. I can tell you the Bulldogs have a linebacker on defense that is drawing attention from everyone in Colin Staton #44. He will run fullback on offense and middle linebacker on defense but in college it would not surprise me to see him playing D-1 in any North Carolina school or even Maryland. College he will probably move to outside linebacker or maybe safety but he is getting attention from everyone.
Tiger is in the hunt for the PGA championship in South Carolina. A hard wind had the pros scrambling to get the ball on the greens. It is funny to watch a golf match with the temperatures in the upper 90's with a bright sunshine and yet the wind blowing 15-20 miles and hour.
USA basketball has only one more game to go as they crushed Argentina today. The women's team go for gold Saturday and they are dominating the games more than the men.
N C State men' s basketball wins again on their tour of Spain. Seems the freshman are for real for the Pack. At least the ones that made the trip.
Saturday night the Carolina Panthers begin the second year of the Cam Newton era. Despite being 6-10 last year there is optimism abounding that the Panthers can make a push for the playoffs. Who knows what New Orleans will be without their head coach. Atlanta to me is a good regular season team and Tampa who knows where they will be. If the defense is better the Panthers could surprise some folks.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
The Nest Is Empty
Wednesday was moving in day at Campbell University as Volleyball cranked up with a team meeting Wednesday night. Morgan got moved into her dorm room and met all her volleyball teammates and this morning VB started three a day workouts.
First day for the new manager for Campbell Volleyball was to clean and wash all of the volleyballs, all 114 of them. I don't think Rocky Mount High school has had 114 in the entire life of Volleyball program at Rocky Mount.
Weather hampered Gryphon football's first scrimmage against Roanoke Rapids last night. The first few minutes the refs went over changes in the rules for 2012. Roanoke Rapids ran 12 plays and move the ball but failed to score. Rocky Mount had 12 plays and like RR moved the football but failed to score. Both teams had to go to the locker rooms as lightening forced a stoppage and once resumed they tried to go for a while longer until finally weather stopped play and both teams went home. Officially for the first time Gryphon fans were able to get a good look at the football stadium. Friday night Gryphon football will travel to North Johnston for another scrimmage.
I am a surfer and look at other newspapers all the time. Today you can go to the Daily Reflector in Greenville and since Greenville is the home of ECU they ran a story about former Gryphon Jacobi Jenkins. JJ has graduated from ECU but is returning to be a starting corner back this year for the Pirates. It is worth looking up and reading.
I don't know whether you saw this or not but there is an article out calling UNC's Roy Williams the most over rated coach in the country. First of all why would anybody need to write such an article. The article says Williams has been one of the luckiest coaches ever because the two places he has coached Kansas and North Carolina are easy sells to players to come to.
If it was so easy why did Carolina replace Matt Doughery? Regardless of how good a bench coach you are if you don't have players nobody will know how good you are. Major colleges a coach has to be able to recruit, keep his players eligible and win. Under those credentials there is nothing over rated about old Roy.
Today is the first day of the Southeast Regional of the American Legion baseball playoffs. Virginia beat Kentucky this morning and Wilmington North Carolina scored two runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to beat Georgia 9-8 to win their first game in Sumter South Carolina.
First day for the new manager for Campbell Volleyball was to clean and wash all of the volleyballs, all 114 of them. I don't think Rocky Mount High school has had 114 in the entire life of Volleyball program at Rocky Mount.
Weather hampered Gryphon football's first scrimmage against Roanoke Rapids last night. The first few minutes the refs went over changes in the rules for 2012. Roanoke Rapids ran 12 plays and move the ball but failed to score. Rocky Mount had 12 plays and like RR moved the football but failed to score. Both teams had to go to the locker rooms as lightening forced a stoppage and once resumed they tried to go for a while longer until finally weather stopped play and both teams went home. Officially for the first time Gryphon fans were able to get a good look at the football stadium. Friday night Gryphon football will travel to North Johnston for another scrimmage.
I am a surfer and look at other newspapers all the time. Today you can go to the Daily Reflector in Greenville and since Greenville is the home of ECU they ran a story about former Gryphon Jacobi Jenkins. JJ has graduated from ECU but is returning to be a starting corner back this year for the Pirates. It is worth looking up and reading.
I don't know whether you saw this or not but there is an article out calling UNC's Roy Williams the most over rated coach in the country. First of all why would anybody need to write such an article. The article says Williams has been one of the luckiest coaches ever because the two places he has coached Kansas and North Carolina are easy sells to players to come to.
If it was so easy why did Carolina replace Matt Doughery? Regardless of how good a bench coach you are if you don't have players nobody will know how good you are. Major colleges a coach has to be able to recruit, keep his players eligible and win. Under those credentials there is nothing over rated about old Roy.
Today is the first day of the Southeast Regional of the American Legion baseball playoffs. Virginia beat Kentucky this morning and Wilmington North Carolina scored two runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to beat Georgia 9-8 to win their first game in Sumter South Carolina.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Olympic Coverage
There are many who are slamming NBC for their showing high lights of the Olympics in prime Time. There is an old saying that people learn a lot about you every time you open your mouth and that can be good or bad. I have had the privilege to go to London once in my life. This time of year the sun doesn't set until about 9.30 or 10PM. The reason for that of course is London is way north of what most folks here think. It is about due east of Southern Canada.. It is also three thousand miles east of the USA which means when it is prime time in the eastern US it is 1am in London. It is not their prime time and since the Olympics are in Great Britain the world will watch the action live all day in Great Britain not US time.
If you have been following the Olympics then when NBC coverage starts in the early morning on NBC you are getting those events live. They have three NBC Networks bringing you as much live coverage as possible only it is at 10am instead of 8PM US time. I don't see that NBC has alter in any way the formula they have used for five or six Olympics and their coverage is just fine.
Brian Goodwin is just about been in AA ball in Harrisburg PA almost three weeks now and it is amazing that any of us once we can of get the lay of the land become comfortable with what we are doing. Every time we change jobs that first day we don't know whether we made the right decision or not but after we get into the routine things begin to fall in place.
That is happening for Brian Goodwin. As late as about last Wednesday Brian was hitting a buck fifty but since then he has gone 8 for 20 and raised his batting average up to 239. He cracked his third homer over the weekend. I think Brian had to get use to and find a rhythm at his new job. Now that he has been there to see AA ball players are just like him I hope Brian is establishing to the Washington Nationals that he is going to be what they think. I suspect Brian will finish the season in Harrisburg but next spring don't be surprise if they start him out in AAA and after he gets his feet on the ground or an injury happens in Washington he might as they say get 21 days with the big club while someone is on the IR. Big League lingo that's called a cup of coffee. Sometimes players who get that cup of coffee never go back to AAA. We will see.
Today marks my 1,500th blog. It has taken just over four years to do that many. I will continue to do this until you show me that I have lost your interest. I thank you for your support those of you that join me every day. I could go on face Book or even Tweeter but I think this medium is for me. You know we all should be on the lookout for the next faster way to contact people.
I realize that one day the world of the computer could change over night. We must be open to change. I am sure the man that invented the wooden match thought his family was set for ever but along came the Bic lighter and the wooden match industry faded to only one company makes matches any more. The guy who invented the clothes pens felt the same until the electric dryer came along. I am open to change when ever I feel it fits me so until then the only way to find me is frompressbox.blogspot.com.. Thank You!
If you have been following the Olympics then when NBC coverage starts in the early morning on NBC you are getting those events live. They have three NBC Networks bringing you as much live coverage as possible only it is at 10am instead of 8PM US time. I don't see that NBC has alter in any way the formula they have used for five or six Olympics and their coverage is just fine.
Brian Goodwin is just about been in AA ball in Harrisburg PA almost three weeks now and it is amazing that any of us once we can of get the lay of the land become comfortable with what we are doing. Every time we change jobs that first day we don't know whether we made the right decision or not but after we get into the routine things begin to fall in place.
That is happening for Brian Goodwin. As late as about last Wednesday Brian was hitting a buck fifty but since then he has gone 8 for 20 and raised his batting average up to 239. He cracked his third homer over the weekend. I think Brian had to get use to and find a rhythm at his new job. Now that he has been there to see AA ball players are just like him I hope Brian is establishing to the Washington Nationals that he is going to be what they think. I suspect Brian will finish the season in Harrisburg but next spring don't be surprise if they start him out in AAA and after he gets his feet on the ground or an injury happens in Washington he might as they say get 21 days with the big club while someone is on the IR. Big League lingo that's called a cup of coffee. Sometimes players who get that cup of coffee never go back to AAA. We will see.
Today marks my 1,500th blog. It has taken just over four years to do that many. I will continue to do this until you show me that I have lost your interest. I thank you for your support those of you that join me every day. I could go on face Book or even Tweeter but I think this medium is for me. You know we all should be on the lookout for the next faster way to contact people.
I realize that one day the world of the computer could change over night. We must be open to change. I am sure the man that invented the wooden match thought his family was set for ever but along came the Bic lighter and the wooden match industry faded to only one company makes matches any more. The guy who invented the clothes pens felt the same until the electric dryer came along. I am open to change when ever I feel it fits me so until then the only way to find me is frompressbox.blogspot.com.. Thank You!
Monday, August 6, 2012
Post 10 Win Legion Title
Wilmington Post 10 completed an undefeated State American Legion Baseball tournament beating the defending champions Cherryville Sunday by an 11-1 in eight innings
Pitt County was knocked out Saturday night by P10 after dumping PC 20-8. Pitt County's two losses were double digits while their three wins were all by one run. Cherryville eliminated the host team Caldwell County Saturday night 5-1 getting their shot Sunday to repeat as State Champions but in order to do that Post 10 had to be beaten twice Sunday. Post 10 finished it off in the first game. They now head to the Southeast Regional in South Carolina.
The thing that makes the Olympic so special is people perform well beyond what you or I can do and every four years we watch people just like us make good. The London Olympics are quickly becoming the Olympics of the Blade Runner. If you don't know who I am talking about you are missing out on a special story in this year's Olympics. Oscar Pisorius or the fastest man with no legs has shot past Michael Phelps and has become the story of the second week of the London Olympics.
Born with a birth defect which found him with no fibula in either leg he had both legs amputated at 11 months old below the knees. Scientist for MIT have created these carbon fiber springs and with it a world class runner was made. You will find most military amputees have these type artificial legs installed after returning from war. If you haven't been paying attention this story is worth watching the Olympics.
Cousin Lauren Doughtie had another good weekend on the Futures Tour as she has finished 17th this week shooting a three round score of 211 after last week finishing 14th shooting 210. Despite the good finish she fell to 9th on the money earnings list.
Lauren has finally hit what we have all been waiting for finding that consistency that keeps her up front every week. This is her third full year and in the past she would have a 72 and follow it up with a 76/77 and those kind of scores don't make the cut enough. She is the tour leader in Eagles having carded a three on a par 5 for the third time this weekend. There are still eight tournaments left before the top ten win their cards to the LPGA tour in 2013. If she can be as consistence these last weeks as she had been over the last month in a half she has a real shot. I think we all know on every tour players go through hot periods where they can't do wrong and then times when they just can't find the rhythm to stay up front. We are pulling hard for her.
Pitt County was knocked out Saturday night by P10 after dumping PC 20-8. Pitt County's two losses were double digits while their three wins were all by one run. Cherryville eliminated the host team Caldwell County Saturday night 5-1 getting their shot Sunday to repeat as State Champions but in order to do that Post 10 had to be beaten twice Sunday. Post 10 finished it off in the first game. They now head to the Southeast Regional in South Carolina.
The thing that makes the Olympic so special is people perform well beyond what you or I can do and every four years we watch people just like us make good. The London Olympics are quickly becoming the Olympics of the Blade Runner. If you don't know who I am talking about you are missing out on a special story in this year's Olympics. Oscar Pisorius or the fastest man with no legs has shot past Michael Phelps and has become the story of the second week of the London Olympics.
Born with a birth defect which found him with no fibula in either leg he had both legs amputated at 11 months old below the knees. Scientist for MIT have created these carbon fiber springs and with it a world class runner was made. You will find most military amputees have these type artificial legs installed after returning from war. If you haven't been paying attention this story is worth watching the Olympics.
Cousin Lauren Doughtie had another good weekend on the Futures Tour as she has finished 17th this week shooting a three round score of 211 after last week finishing 14th shooting 210. Despite the good finish she fell to 9th on the money earnings list.
Lauren has finally hit what we have all been waiting for finding that consistency that keeps her up front every week. This is her third full year and in the past she would have a 72 and follow it up with a 76/77 and those kind of scores don't make the cut enough. She is the tour leader in Eagles having carded a three on a par 5 for the third time this weekend. There are still eight tournaments left before the top ten win their cards to the LPGA tour in 2013. If she can be as consistence these last weeks as she had been over the last month in a half she has a real shot. I think we all know on every tour players go through hot periods where they can't do wrong and then times when they just can't find the rhythm to stay up front. We are pulling hard for her.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Where's Horseshoes In The Olympics?
I've seen about all the beach Volleyball and Water polo that I can stand. When do the real events start. Horseshoes, Corn Hole? You have got to be kidding no Corn Hole!
You know basketball was invented as a sport to play inside the barn in the winter while the football players waited for baseball in the spring. Why in the world is basketball a summer sport?
Now let me see now under the events called Equestrian they have Dressage, eventing and jumping. Where is polo? I looked in up in the old Webster's Dictionary just to make sure what polo is. It is a game played on horseback. Polo is not an Olympic sport but water polo is. Where are the horses?
Football is an official Olympic sports but I have not seen one touchdown on NBC yet. Football is the #1 TV viewing sport in American but NBC continues to hide football. All I keep seeing are these 1-0 soccer matches.
My father was an Electrician by trade and after 20 years he was hired at Bertie High School to teach Electrical House wiring. They use to go off each year to the FAA convention and had contest to see who could wire up a room by the floor plan. Twice he had the state champion. Fencing is an Olympic sport and I think watching someone build a fence would be good TV viewing but they keep showing these guys poking each other with a real flexible long knives.
They have a category called shooting. I wonder whether Rocky Mount has anyone in these events since there are a lot of people in Rocky Mount who practice every night. They hit people every now and then. I am sure that some of the people around here who stand on street corners would go home and watch TV they would have known about shooting in the Olympics.
They have wrestling Greco-Roman, freestyle. Where's WWE? Did you know hockey is a summer sport. I haven't seen it yet but it must be played on roller skates because Ice Hockey doesn't do too well this time of year.
All I know if badminton is an Olympic sport what have we got to do to get horseshoes in? If Table Tennis is an Olympic sport where is pool or to be proper Billiards. I sure would love to be on the committee that is in charge of what qualifies as an Olympic Sport. Corn Hole would be on my list to make it the next Olympic Sport.
You know basketball was invented as a sport to play inside the barn in the winter while the football players waited for baseball in the spring. Why in the world is basketball a summer sport?
Now let me see now under the events called Equestrian they have Dressage, eventing and jumping. Where is polo? I looked in up in the old Webster's Dictionary just to make sure what polo is. It is a game played on horseback. Polo is not an Olympic sport but water polo is. Where are the horses?
Football is an official Olympic sports but I have not seen one touchdown on NBC yet. Football is the #1 TV viewing sport in American but NBC continues to hide football. All I keep seeing are these 1-0 soccer matches.
My father was an Electrician by trade and after 20 years he was hired at Bertie High School to teach Electrical House wiring. They use to go off each year to the FAA convention and had contest to see who could wire up a room by the floor plan. Twice he had the state champion. Fencing is an Olympic sport and I think watching someone build a fence would be good TV viewing but they keep showing these guys poking each other with a real flexible long knives.
They have a category called shooting. I wonder whether Rocky Mount has anyone in these events since there are a lot of people in Rocky Mount who practice every night. They hit people every now and then. I am sure that some of the people around here who stand on street corners would go home and watch TV they would have known about shooting in the Olympics.
They have wrestling Greco-Roman, freestyle. Where's WWE? Did you know hockey is a summer sport. I haven't seen it yet but it must be played on roller skates because Ice Hockey doesn't do too well this time of year.
All I know if badminton is an Olympic sport what have we got to do to get horseshoes in? If Table Tennis is an Olympic sport where is pool or to be proper Billiards. I sure would love to be on the committee that is in charge of what qualifies as an Olympic Sport. Corn Hole would be on my list to make it the next Olympic Sport.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
It's Down To Four
Day four of the North Carolina American Legion State Baseball Tournament being held in Lenoir will feature only four teams when Saturday's double header gets started. Wilmington Post 10 beat Cherryville last night in the winners bracket game and in doing so becomes the only team left that still stands undefeated.
Post 10 took out High Point in game one followed that up with a Thursday victory over the host team Caldwell County. Wilmington will meet in the 7PM game tonight Caldwell County again. Don't hold me to this but in most tournaments that do not let the undefeated team sit out but must continue to play Wilmington is automatically in the Finals at 3PM or 7PM Sunday regardless of their outcome with Caldwell County tonight.
The 3PM game today will have Area one Pitt County who after being embarrassed in game one with the ten run rule has come back and is still alive after beating ing High Point and last night Knocking Whiteville out 6-5. Cherryville who just last night played in the winners bracket game against Wilmington now must survive to play Sunday. So it is Wilmington still has to lose twice while Caldwell County, Pitt County and Cherryville are hanging on. Cherryville is the defending State Champions.
Sunday night on the All New Sports Show they will begin about three weeks of featuring the upcoming high school football season. That's 8PM Sunday night on WHIG-TV
Paul Andre with First Media radio told me about two months ago that First Media Radio is going to have one of their other stations this year feature the Wilson County Schools on Friday night and another feature Nash County. As soon as I know for sure which station is doing which County I will pass it along.
The Olympics are a week old now and I still wonder how Beach Volleyball is an Olympic Sport. Sure seems to me that the only time that should be in the Olympics is when the host Country is on the sea shore where there would be a beach. Hauling in sand and calling it Beach Volleyball just doesn't sit right with me.
Post 10 took out High Point in game one followed that up with a Thursday victory over the host team Caldwell County. Wilmington will meet in the 7PM game tonight Caldwell County again. Don't hold me to this but in most tournaments that do not let the undefeated team sit out but must continue to play Wilmington is automatically in the Finals at 3PM or 7PM Sunday regardless of their outcome with Caldwell County tonight.
The 3PM game today will have Area one Pitt County who after being embarrassed in game one with the ten run rule has come back and is still alive after beating ing High Point and last night Knocking Whiteville out 6-5. Cherryville who just last night played in the winners bracket game against Wilmington now must survive to play Sunday. So it is Wilmington still has to lose twice while Caldwell County, Pitt County and Cherryville are hanging on. Cherryville is the defending State Champions.
Sunday night on the All New Sports Show they will begin about three weeks of featuring the upcoming high school football season. That's 8PM Sunday night on WHIG-TV
Paul Andre with First Media radio told me about two months ago that First Media Radio is going to have one of their other stations this year feature the Wilson County Schools on Friday night and another feature Nash County. As soon as I know for sure which station is doing which County I will pass it along.
The Olympics are a week old now and I still wonder how Beach Volleyball is an Olympic Sport. Sure seems to me that the only time that should be in the Olympics is when the host Country is on the sea shore where there would be a beach. Hauling in sand and calling it Beach Volleyball just doesn't sit right with me.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Scrimmage Time
Every high school in the area and around the state are putting the finishing touches up on their first week of practices and when ever you do that it doesn't take long to get bored with hitting your teammates. The best remedy for that is to practice against someone else and this weekend the fall sports at Rocky Mount High will get their first chance to face off against someone else.
Boys soccer will be the first as they will be participating in invitational scrimmage at Hertitage High Saturday. You will get to see the Gryphons at home in a scrimmage August 8th. Their first match of the season is at home on August 13th as they play host to Roanoke Rapids
Football will show off the new football stadium on campus next Wednesday August 8th as they will host Roanoke Rapids. Then Friday night they will be at North Johnston.
Cross Country will take part in the Fike Night Invitational at 6pm on August 8th
Girls Tennis will be taking part in a Super scrimmage at Green Central on August 11th. They play their first real match on August 16th hosting C B Aycock.
Volleyball will play their first game on the season at Louisburg on Aug. 14th at 5.30.
There was a time when Tiger Woods was the most dominating player in golf. Whether it is his age, health or his personal life getting in his way Tiger is still a very good golfer. His only problem is there are about 100 very good golfers playing every week in any tournament. In other words Tiger is no better than any of the rest any more. What will that mean.? He will have weeks where it looks like he is back and then you will not hear from him for several weeks because he is back of the pack. Tigers days of winning every other week are gone. He will win some more but only a hand full for the rest of his career.
Speaking of Golf: I just recently saw the Bobby Jones movie for the first time on cable. I don't believe it did well at all in the theaters when it was released but I found it to be very good. I am a sucker for sports movies. The movie Secretariat is big on cable right now and I love that one too. I really do like history movies and Bobby Jones just maybe was the greatest golfer ever and there is no doubt Secretariat was the greatest race horse ever.
Boys soccer will be the first as they will be participating in invitational scrimmage at Hertitage High Saturday. You will get to see the Gryphons at home in a scrimmage August 8th. Their first match of the season is at home on August 13th as they play host to Roanoke Rapids
Football will show off the new football stadium on campus next Wednesday August 8th as they will host Roanoke Rapids. Then Friday night they will be at North Johnston.
Cross Country will take part in the Fike Night Invitational at 6pm on August 8th
Girls Tennis will be taking part in a Super scrimmage at Green Central on August 11th. They play their first real match on August 16th hosting C B Aycock.
Volleyball will play their first game on the season at Louisburg on Aug. 14th at 5.30.
There was a time when Tiger Woods was the most dominating player in golf. Whether it is his age, health or his personal life getting in his way Tiger is still a very good golfer. His only problem is there are about 100 very good golfers playing every week in any tournament. In other words Tiger is no better than any of the rest any more. What will that mean.? He will have weeks where it looks like he is back and then you will not hear from him for several weeks because he is back of the pack. Tigers days of winning every other week are gone. He will win some more but only a hand full for the rest of his career.
Speaking of Golf: I just recently saw the Bobby Jones movie for the first time on cable. I don't believe it did well at all in the theaters when it was released but I found it to be very good. I am a sucker for sports movies. The movie Secretariat is big on cable right now and I love that one too. I really do like history movies and Bobby Jones just maybe was the greatest golfer ever and there is no doubt Secretariat was the greatest race horse ever.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
A Sign Of The Times We Live
Due to the recent scandal at Penn State the Capitol Area Soccer League better known to most as CASL has written up some up to date guidelines to prevent anything that happened at Penn State happening within CASL. There are several rules put into place but they have instituted a one strike and you are out rule which is related to sportsmanship. This relates to activity while playing but also parents actions watching matches.
Their big rule is no player or coach are to ever be alone at the same time. No contact with players through electronic communications devices only relating to practice or cancelled practice. No player can be dropped off and left anymore. A parent must be at practice or at games with their children at all times. We live in a sad world when an organization like CASL has to put in rules such as this to protect their existence in case anything was to happen among the 20,000 coaches and players they support every year.
Last night in the North Carolina American Legion State Tournament Apex lost to last years champ Cherryville in extra innings. This morning Apex became the first team knocked out of this years affair. Pitt County Post 39 got slaughtered by the host team Caldwell County 14-1 in seven innings but this afternoon they survive to play another day beating High Point 9-8.
I don't know how I missed this but congratulations to Tim Osment and the Rocky Mount 11/12 year old National League little league team who won the Tar Heel State Championship Sunday. Most of the time when ever we have teams playing all around I have someone involved who will text me to keep me up to date on a teams progress. This team I did not have a source and I had every intention of calling Lynn Driver Monday and find out how our 9/10 and the 11/12 teams did in state tournaments this weekend but here it is Thursday and I never did.
Next year during the coaches clinics in Greensboro Randy Raper of Wilson Hunt will be the head football coach during the East-West All Star football game. He will have on his staff Tyrone Johnson of Beddingfield and Jeff Gould of SouthWest Edgecombe. When the soccer teams play next year the east head coach will be Tarboro's Leshaun Jenkins.
Their big rule is no player or coach are to ever be alone at the same time. No contact with players through electronic communications devices only relating to practice or cancelled practice. No player can be dropped off and left anymore. A parent must be at practice or at games with their children at all times. We live in a sad world when an organization like CASL has to put in rules such as this to protect their existence in case anything was to happen among the 20,000 coaches and players they support every year.
Last night in the North Carolina American Legion State Tournament Apex lost to last years champ Cherryville in extra innings. This morning Apex became the first team knocked out of this years affair. Pitt County Post 39 got slaughtered by the host team Caldwell County 14-1 in seven innings but this afternoon they survive to play another day beating High Point 9-8.
I don't know how I missed this but congratulations to Tim Osment and the Rocky Mount 11/12 year old National League little league team who won the Tar Heel State Championship Sunday. Most of the time when ever we have teams playing all around I have someone involved who will text me to keep me up to date on a teams progress. This team I did not have a source and I had every intention of calling Lynn Driver Monday and find out how our 9/10 and the 11/12 teams did in state tournaments this weekend but here it is Thursday and I never did.
Next year during the coaches clinics in Greensboro Randy Raper of Wilson Hunt will be the head football coach during the East-West All Star football game. He will have on his staff Tyrone Johnson of Beddingfield and Jeff Gould of SouthWest Edgecombe. When the soccer teams play next year the east head coach will be Tarboro's Leshaun Jenkins.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
The Journey Continues
Today is August the first. Four years ago today I wrote my first story on this blog. Charles Austin and I had discussed me doing this and he graciously set this up for me and I have been writing ever since. 1,461 days have past since the first one and today makes my 1,494th entry. That averages out to over one per day. In the four years I missed four days in early August of 2010 while my family went on a cruise to the Bahamas. Other wise I have had something to say everyday and least once a day and every now and then twice.
Those times that I have done a blog twice in most cases I had written what ever I had to talk about and something big happened later that day that I thought you might want to hear about so I would do another story. Most of these four years have been dedicated to Rocky Mount High School since daughter Morgan has been there during these four years and since she has been the manager of just about every team. Pat and I have been there supporting her watching her give a towels to a sweaty player. She was really good doing that. She heading down south to college now so we won't be there at every game like in the past.
That first month there were only about fifty times that anyone hit this site but as time as gone on I have picked up a regular following of fans. I want to thank each and everyone of you who are the ones that come to this site every day even though you know there is not much going on to talk about. Just Tuesday there was really nothing going on to talk about who won and lost any games but still more than a 100 of you came on this site. Back in March when the Gryphon basketball team was on the journey to their second state title in three years about 350 of you hit this site everyday to read about the champs journey.
It is obvious that all of us want to only hear the good or great things that happen in our every day life but in every sporting event there is a winner and loser. I hate like the dickens to criticize a high school coach or player because they do what they do for the love of it. If it was for the money they would be long gone from high school coaching.
The older I get the things that I have loved to do are getting harder to do. Up until just a couple of years ago every Friday night I was in a booth doing high school football on the radio. Fewer and fewer stations are doing football on the air. I was approached by the Tarboro radio station who is trying to get Viking football on the air this year and I turned down the chance to do the play by play. My schedule with Volleyball at Campbell there are simply too many conflicts to be in the booth every Friday night this year.
So this blog has become my version of talking on the radio. I say a lot of the same things here that I would have said on the air. I want to thank you for viewing this site like you have in the past four years. I hope that as we go forward I will continue to keep your interest up. For I know if I just start writing just to be writing then I am going to lose you because it won't be interesting. Thank you for letting me your friend here every day.
Those times that I have done a blog twice in most cases I had written what ever I had to talk about and something big happened later that day that I thought you might want to hear about so I would do another story. Most of these four years have been dedicated to Rocky Mount High School since daughter Morgan has been there during these four years and since she has been the manager of just about every team. Pat and I have been there supporting her watching her give a towels to a sweaty player. She was really good doing that. She heading down south to college now so we won't be there at every game like in the past.
That first month there were only about fifty times that anyone hit this site but as time as gone on I have picked up a regular following of fans. I want to thank each and everyone of you who are the ones that come to this site every day even though you know there is not much going on to talk about. Just Tuesday there was really nothing going on to talk about who won and lost any games but still more than a 100 of you came on this site. Back in March when the Gryphon basketball team was on the journey to their second state title in three years about 350 of you hit this site everyday to read about the champs journey.
It is obvious that all of us want to only hear the good or great things that happen in our every day life but in every sporting event there is a winner and loser. I hate like the dickens to criticize a high school coach or player because they do what they do for the love of it. If it was for the money they would be long gone from high school coaching.
The older I get the things that I have loved to do are getting harder to do. Up until just a couple of years ago every Friday night I was in a booth doing high school football on the radio. Fewer and fewer stations are doing football on the air. I was approached by the Tarboro radio station who is trying to get Viking football on the air this year and I turned down the chance to do the play by play. My schedule with Volleyball at Campbell there are simply too many conflicts to be in the booth every Friday night this year.
So this blog has become my version of talking on the radio. I say a lot of the same things here that I would have said on the air. I want to thank you for viewing this site like you have in the past four years. I hope that as we go forward I will continue to keep your interest up. For I know if I just start writing just to be writing then I am going to lose you because it won't be interesting. Thank you for letting me your friend here every day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
