Tonight I was at Rocky Mount Prep doing a TV game for the "All New Sports Show" with camera man Edward Green and did the Prepsters put on a show or what. 3-A Southern Vance was in town and at 6-8 are not one of the top teams in 3-A basketball but average at best. This was an opportunity for Prep to see how they would stand up should they make the 1-A playoffs.
The Jags shot three's and slammed dunks all night long in taking out the Raiders 105-61. Do the Jaguars of Don Reams have a really good squad? They sure do and were lead by Jacob Barrett who on the night had 22 points. He was not alone how ever as DeShaun Freeman added 17 most of his points were on dunks. Gary Smith tossed in 14 along with another 13 from 007 James Bond. We are not through yet as Donte Samuels garnered another 10 Keneen DeBerry 9, Trilnyal Sumler8, Aaron Oats 6, Mark Pittman 6. That's a total of 9 players who had at least 6 points.
Rocky Mount High school has gotten great news on the condition of J'Kyra Brown injured knee. There is no tear so for the protection of her future endeavors on the basketball court at ECU and beyond J'Kyra Brown sat out tonight as Rocky traveled to Nash Central in the make up game of the makeup game. The makeup game is from last Friday's game moved to Wednesday because of the ice and last night moved because of the weather warnings postponed to tonight and Nash Central took advantage of a Brown less Gryphon team and beat the Lady Gryphons 67-53. Niya Styles lead the way for the Lady Bulldogs.
Rocky Mount boys stayed even with Hunt as they took care of business beating Nash Central for the third time this year by a 73-53 score. Rocky Mount is home Friday night as they host Fike High.
I hope you have seen the Thursday addition of the Rocky Mount Telegram as there is a story on former Gryphon football player Brandon Jones who once he graduated from Rocky Mount found his way to Santa Rosa Junior College and this week Brandon has signed to play division one football at Texas State University in San Marcos Texas. You say you have never heard of Texas State. They have 34,000 students which is about the size of N C State University which is the largest school in North Carolina . Their football stadium where Brandon will be playing is also where the TV show Friday Night lights was filmed. I work with his proud Mama Fredonna at GSM/Celadon and we are all proud of Brandon!
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Weather Does It Again
This game tonight at Nash Central is already a make up game because of the ice last Friday pushed us to a Wednesday game following a conference game on Tuesday. Guess what? due to possible tornado warning this afternoon and tonight the games with Nash Central has been postponed until Thursday night. All four games JV's and varsity will start as usual on Thursday.
J'Kyra Brown is being tested today to see how extensive her knee injury is from last night during the Hunt game. She went down at the 4:01 mark in the second quarter and had scored five points and at that point Rocky Mount lead 18-15. That five point total is the lowest of her career at Rocky Mount High. Every Gryphon fan holds their breath waiting on the news.
I am very disapointed with the amount of people in attendance at the Hunt game last night. The gym was just over half full and considering this could have almost given Hunt the conference championship the place should have been over flowing. I can assure you if Southern Nash was playing Rocky Mount at either SN or RM the place would have been over flowing.
I realize that Hunt is a football school but people should realize they have a team capable of winning the State Championship just like Rocky Mount has and the crowd should have been standing room only last night. There were as many Gryphon fans there as Warrior fans but the as big as that game was last night they should have had to lock the doors but didn't need to.
Thursday night I am scheduled to be at Rocky Mount Prep to cover the boys game for TV. So this bring on a major conflict for me being in two places at the same time.
The Northern Nash - Hunt game has been moved to Thursday just like other Nash County schools have.
Was there any surprise that Virginia took down the Pack last night? Wolfpack fans can almost predict the outcome based on where the game is played and who they had beat the game before. Losing Lo Brown didn't help their cause. If Brown is out Saturday when they play Miami they could also be out of the running for first in the ACC and it isn't even February.
J'Kyra Brown is being tested today to see how extensive her knee injury is from last night during the Hunt game. She went down at the 4:01 mark in the second quarter and had scored five points and at that point Rocky Mount lead 18-15. That five point total is the lowest of her career at Rocky Mount High. Every Gryphon fan holds their breath waiting on the news.
I am very disapointed with the amount of people in attendance at the Hunt game last night. The gym was just over half full and considering this could have almost given Hunt the conference championship the place should have been over flowing. I can assure you if Southern Nash was playing Rocky Mount at either SN or RM the place would have been over flowing.
I realize that Hunt is a football school but people should realize they have a team capable of winning the State Championship just like Rocky Mount has and the crowd should have been standing room only last night. There were as many Gryphon fans there as Warrior fans but the as big as that game was last night they should have had to lock the doors but didn't need to.
Thursday night I am scheduled to be at Rocky Mount Prep to cover the boys game for TV. So this bring on a major conflict for me being in two places at the same time.
The Northern Nash - Hunt game has been moved to Thursday just like other Nash County schools have.
Was there any surprise that Virginia took down the Pack last night? Wolfpack fans can almost predict the outcome based on where the game is played and who they had beat the game before. Losing Lo Brown didn't help their cause. If Brown is out Saturday when they play Miami they could also be out of the running for first in the ACC and it isn't even February.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Tie At Top---Girls Disaster Time
If you are a Gryphon fan tonight is full of mixed emotions. The Bad news first, 4.01 left to play in the first half J'Kyra Brown driving down court tried to cut and she went down on her surgically repaired knee. She had to be carried off the court. The Gryphons lead 18-15 at the time. Hunt wins 50-48.
Now the good news, In probably one of the best high school basketball games played since the Big East was made into a 3-A conference Rocky Mount and Hunt played with two teams with aspirations at the state title played as if this was the title game and in the end M J Gainey hit a 12 foot running baseline jumper with 1 second left on the clock to give Rocky Mount a 53-51 win. Now the bad news, this was the worse officiated game ever.
Both teams play full court pressure defense and if you thought you were going to drive to the basket and take a lay up forget it. I don't think one shot made it all the way to the basketball as shots were rejected and players tumbled to the floor going to the hole but very few whistles. If you left your shoulder pads home you are in the emergency room now cause you got beat up.
Hunt biggest lead was six and Rocky Mount once lead by four otherwise it was nip and tuck all the way. Dwantae Sutton hit a three with 2:02 to play to give Hunt a three point lead at 51-48 but that would prove to be their last point of the game. Hunt out rebounded Rocky Mount 27-26. Rocky Mount only had 10 turnovers while Hunt had 19 but every Gryphon TO came at just the wrong time. Donte Battle lead the Gryphons with 20. MJ Gainey 16. Hunt had three players in double figures Dwantae Sutton with 14, Keenan Tabron 11 and Justin Jefferson 10.
Immanuel King scooped up 8 rebounds for the Gryphons while Daniel Westbrook had 7 for the Warriors. Both teams play Wednesday and are both 5-1 in conference. Hunt plays Northern Nash at Hunt . Northern beat Sourthern Nash tonight on a shot at the buzzer 44-42 while Rocky Mount travels to Nash Central.
One of the things I have told you about Rocky Mount girls all year has been there was not enough help for J'Kyra Brown. With Brown out of the game Carmen Richardson took the scoring load getting a career high 30 points but not one other player made an outside shot. Rocky Mount relied on their defense to keep them in the game and it almost won the game for them but simply the Lady Gryphons without J'Kyra are not a very good offensive team.
All Lady Gryphon fans will hold their breath waiting to hear about J'Kyra's injury. I would doubt she will play at all for the remaining two games this week depending on the report of her injury.
Northern Nash Girls clobbered Southern Nash 71-19 and have a two game lead with four games to play heading down the stretch.
Rocky Mount is at Nash central Wednesday.
Now the good news, In probably one of the best high school basketball games played since the Big East was made into a 3-A conference Rocky Mount and Hunt played with two teams with aspirations at the state title played as if this was the title game and in the end M J Gainey hit a 12 foot running baseline jumper with 1 second left on the clock to give Rocky Mount a 53-51 win. Now the bad news, this was the worse officiated game ever.
Both teams play full court pressure defense and if you thought you were going to drive to the basket and take a lay up forget it. I don't think one shot made it all the way to the basketball as shots were rejected and players tumbled to the floor going to the hole but very few whistles. If you left your shoulder pads home you are in the emergency room now cause you got beat up.
Hunt biggest lead was six and Rocky Mount once lead by four otherwise it was nip and tuck all the way. Dwantae Sutton hit a three with 2:02 to play to give Hunt a three point lead at 51-48 but that would prove to be their last point of the game. Hunt out rebounded Rocky Mount 27-26. Rocky Mount only had 10 turnovers while Hunt had 19 but every Gryphon TO came at just the wrong time. Donte Battle lead the Gryphons with 20. MJ Gainey 16. Hunt had three players in double figures Dwantae Sutton with 14, Keenan Tabron 11 and Justin Jefferson 10.
Immanuel King scooped up 8 rebounds for the Gryphons while Daniel Westbrook had 7 for the Warriors. Both teams play Wednesday and are both 5-1 in conference. Hunt plays Northern Nash at Hunt . Northern beat Sourthern Nash tonight on a shot at the buzzer 44-42 while Rocky Mount travels to Nash Central.
One of the things I have told you about Rocky Mount girls all year has been there was not enough help for J'Kyra Brown. With Brown out of the game Carmen Richardson took the scoring load getting a career high 30 points but not one other player made an outside shot. Rocky Mount relied on their defense to keep them in the game and it almost won the game for them but simply the Lady Gryphons without J'Kyra are not a very good offensive team.
All Lady Gryphon fans will hold their breath waiting to hear about J'Kyra's injury. I would doubt she will play at all for the remaining two games this week depending on the report of her injury.
Northern Nash Girls clobbered Southern Nash 71-19 and have a two game lead with four games to play heading down the stretch.
Rocky Mount is at Nash central Wednesday.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Motor Mouth Gave Me An Idea
Use to you could cut the TV down and listen to you favorite team on radio and watch the game on TV. Most of the time the radio will tell you the shot has been made before you ever see it on TV because the distance the signal travels to the satellite and back. Instead of listening on the radio and watching on TV I had to endure Dick Vitale the entire night Saturday during the State- Carolina game. He always has what ever team was on their all time team but Saturday he threw a new wrinkle out there the all North Carolina college team.
His five were David Thompson, Phil Ford, Tim Duncan, Christian Laettner and Michael Jordan. That is a really fine top five but I do disagree with one. David Thompson is probably the best small forward ever to play college basketball so I have no problem with him making the all North Carolina college team. Phil Ford help college basketball change the rules and bring on a time clock to college basketball just for the way he ran Dean Smith's four corners. Carolina lost only one game in four years once they went into the four corners and it happened to be the last game Phil ever played for Carolina against Marquette in the National Championship game in 1978.
Tim Duncan made Wake Forest a national power the four years in played in Winston Salem and if their coach would have tried to run up and down the floor instead of hoping to be close in the end they may have won a couple of National Championships but didn't. Christian Laettner is by far the greatest NCAA playoff player in the history of the NCAA. Played in 24 NCAA games won two national titles and made the shot of all time in NCAA play.
Vitale's last pick is Michael Jordan. Yes Michael was an All American at Carolina and he made the shot in 1982's National Championship game but let's be for real. Michael Jordan became Michael Jordan in Pro basketball. I know he was the #4 pick in the 84 draft but Michael's college career gets glorified by what he has done since he left Chapel Hill. I don't know if Michael makes the All Time Carolina team.
Let just look who got left off the All North Carolina college Team. Jeff Mullins, Art Heyman, Steve Vasendak, Grant Hill and even Mike Gminski from Duke. From Wake Forest what about Len Chappell. For the Wolfpack Ronnie Shavlik, Tommy Burleson, Chris Corchiani or Rodney Monroe. Look at this list of Carolina players Lenny Rosenbluth, Larry Miller, Charlie Scott, Al Wood, Tyler Hansbourgh or even Sam Perkins.
That's just players from the ACC what about Earl The Pearl Monroe or M L Carr, Stephan Curry from Davidson and let me throw another Davidson name Terry Holland. People forget Davidson lost twice in the 60's to Carolina otherwise they would have gone to the final four. Charlie Scott made a 25 foot jump shot one of those years at the buzzer sounded to beat Davidson.
You know motor mouth likes to throw names out and if he is going to make a list of the best players to ever play in the state called Tobacco Road he had better remember who has played here.There is so many good one this is all the space I had space to name. Remember this list is all college players who played college ball in North Carolina. Didn't have room for James Worthy, JJ Reddick and so many more. Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time but there are a barrel full of players that were better than him in college from this state.
His five were David Thompson, Phil Ford, Tim Duncan, Christian Laettner and Michael Jordan. That is a really fine top five but I do disagree with one. David Thompson is probably the best small forward ever to play college basketball so I have no problem with him making the all North Carolina college team. Phil Ford help college basketball change the rules and bring on a time clock to college basketball just for the way he ran Dean Smith's four corners. Carolina lost only one game in four years once they went into the four corners and it happened to be the last game Phil ever played for Carolina against Marquette in the National Championship game in 1978.
Tim Duncan made Wake Forest a national power the four years in played in Winston Salem and if their coach would have tried to run up and down the floor instead of hoping to be close in the end they may have won a couple of National Championships but didn't. Christian Laettner is by far the greatest NCAA playoff player in the history of the NCAA. Played in 24 NCAA games won two national titles and made the shot of all time in NCAA play.
Vitale's last pick is Michael Jordan. Yes Michael was an All American at Carolina and he made the shot in 1982's National Championship game but let's be for real. Michael Jordan became Michael Jordan in Pro basketball. I know he was the #4 pick in the 84 draft but Michael's college career gets glorified by what he has done since he left Chapel Hill. I don't know if Michael makes the All Time Carolina team.
Let just look who got left off the All North Carolina college Team. Jeff Mullins, Art Heyman, Steve Vasendak, Grant Hill and even Mike Gminski from Duke. From Wake Forest what about Len Chappell. For the Wolfpack Ronnie Shavlik, Tommy Burleson, Chris Corchiani or Rodney Monroe. Look at this list of Carolina players Lenny Rosenbluth, Larry Miller, Charlie Scott, Al Wood, Tyler Hansbourgh or even Sam Perkins.
That's just players from the ACC what about Earl The Pearl Monroe or M L Carr, Stephan Curry from Davidson and let me throw another Davidson name Terry Holland. People forget Davidson lost twice in the 60's to Carolina otherwise they would have gone to the final four. Charlie Scott made a 25 foot jump shot one of those years at the buzzer sounded to beat Davidson.
You know motor mouth likes to throw names out and if he is going to make a list of the best players to ever play in the state called Tobacco Road he had better remember who has played here.There is so many good one this is all the space I had space to name. Remember this list is all college players who played college ball in North Carolina. Didn't have room for James Worthy, JJ Reddick and so many more. Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time but there are a barrel full of players that were better than him in college from this state.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Long Time Coming
Fans who wore red on Saturday had a full day to yell for the Wolfpack as ESPN Game Day was in town and a couple of thousand fans waited most of the night as if Walmart had 50 inch TV's on sale for 99 Dollars. They were line up at day light to be one of the first to get a seat behind the podium where the ESPN reporters would start talking at 10am.
Some with out shirts in the 25 degree weather while others with clever signs bemoaning how terrible it must be to root for Carolina or for that matter even attend the University down the road. One sign read that Carolina's courses were so easy even a Caveman could pass at Carolina. Even one brought in a sign saying that the Notre Dame football star Manti Te'o girl friend was like attending classes in Chapel Hill, fake.
It is all part of the rivalry of Tobacco Road Basketball. What right did State fans have talking about their neighbors and they hadn't even beaten the Tar Heel in six years? This was just the Carolina game. Two weeks ago State fans were just as fired up with Duke in the house. They haven't beaten them much lately either.
What makes a rivalry is the desire to win just one, the next one. It doesn't matter that Roy has beaten State 19 out of the last 20 times. Let's win the next one and all of that is forgotten. The other end of the spectrum is the team that wins all the time. They forget what it is like to lose to a rival. You can bet when State heads to both Duke and Carolina later in the season both will be ready to start new streaks because the most important game is the next game.
What we all forget sometimes is the next game for Carolina is Boston College and for State Virginia. N C State is on the verge of being a quality basketball program this year but the next game after beating Carolina or Duke they are like 1-14 in the next game. It's time to step up. Carolina is now 13-7 and if they don't watch it just might not make the NCAA Tournament this year. Duke had a nice win over Maryland Saturday but you can just see that they are not a powerhouse with out Kelly.
I hope you didn't go to the fridge or bathroom during one of the early commercials during the telecast. Roy Williams and Mark Gottfried did a commercial acting like runners getting ready for a road race. Both were stretching and getting ready but when the race started neither lasted more than 100 yards before they dropped out complaining of injury. It was hilarious. I was so wrapped up in watching the two of them that I don't even remember what the commercial was advertising.
Even in heated rivalries there is a common thread between us all. We love each other except on game day Today I love my Carolina friends but I sure do feel a lot better inside than normal.
Some with out shirts in the 25 degree weather while others with clever signs bemoaning how terrible it must be to root for Carolina or for that matter even attend the University down the road. One sign read that Carolina's courses were so easy even a Caveman could pass at Carolina. Even one brought in a sign saying that the Notre Dame football star Manti Te'o girl friend was like attending classes in Chapel Hill, fake.
It is all part of the rivalry of Tobacco Road Basketball. What right did State fans have talking about their neighbors and they hadn't even beaten the Tar Heel in six years? This was just the Carolina game. Two weeks ago State fans were just as fired up with Duke in the house. They haven't beaten them much lately either.
What makes a rivalry is the desire to win just one, the next one. It doesn't matter that Roy has beaten State 19 out of the last 20 times. Let's win the next one and all of that is forgotten. The other end of the spectrum is the team that wins all the time. They forget what it is like to lose to a rival. You can bet when State heads to both Duke and Carolina later in the season both will be ready to start new streaks because the most important game is the next game.
What we all forget sometimes is the next game for Carolina is Boston College and for State Virginia. N C State is on the verge of being a quality basketball program this year but the next game after beating Carolina or Duke they are like 1-14 in the next game. It's time to step up. Carolina is now 13-7 and if they don't watch it just might not make the NCAA Tournament this year. Duke had a nice win over Maryland Saturday but you can just see that they are not a powerhouse with out Kelly.
I hope you didn't go to the fridge or bathroom during one of the early commercials during the telecast. Roy Williams and Mark Gottfried did a commercial acting like runners getting ready for a road race. Both were stretching and getting ready but when the race started neither lasted more than 100 yards before they dropped out complaining of injury. It was hilarious. I was so wrapped up in watching the two of them that I don't even remember what the commercial was advertising.
Even in heated rivalries there is a common thread between us all. We love each other except on game day Today I love my Carolina friends but I sure do feel a lot better inside than normal.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Duke Got Duked
Miami laid a whomping on Duke the other night and for most of us it is always the other way around. Duke normally makes you look sick while they run up and down and make every thing they shoot at the basket. If you a regular to this blog I told you way back in the first of December that I didn't see Duke being able to sustain their play in November and early December because quite frankly I didn't see this team as being a great team. They are a team full of really good players with a coach who knows where he needs to put a player to get the best for Duke out of that player. The injury to Kelly has taken away Duke's ability to have every player in the right spot at the right time.
Teams find themselves in the middle of games like that and quite frankly I didn't think Duke played that badly just Miami play the game of their lives. Just ask Nash Central who was on the short end of a game like that against Rocky Mount just a couple of weeks ago. The Bulldogs played ok just they looked feeble against a team that was rolling 100% on offense. The very next week Rocky Mount had a second half that Hunt could do nothing wrong. Sometimes it is just the other teams night. If Miami can play that way the rest of the year they will win the national championship.
Tonight Carolina at State meet in Raleigh and ESPN's game day is in town and I guess this means State will be ready to play in this one. Carolina is improving but they are missing one thing this year that I don't see getting any better as the season goes forth. The Heels don't have a man in the middle that plays great interior defense. I suspect this one will be close but I think the Pack beats Roy Williams for only the second time since he has been in charge of the Tar Heels.
The weather not only has the streets and roads slippery but it has made for a upcoming week of high school basketball that should be as interesting at the conference tournaments that are three weeks away. Tuesday finds Rocky Mount at Hunt and if the Gryphons are to win the regular season or even get a share of it they have to win Tuesday or be down two games with four to play. Win or lose they head right to Nash Central Wednesday to make up Friday's iced out game. They return home Friday for Fike.
Hunt Has Rocky Mount Tuesday, Northern at Home Wednesday and a trip to Southern on Friday. Northern's three games this week are home to Southern Tuesday, At Hunt Wednesday and home with Nash Central Friday. The Bulldogs have Fike, Rocky Mount and Northern. The hot team this week can jump from near the bottom to near the top if they can win all three this week
Pizza Knight is Monday at the Pizza Inn: The Northern Nash baseball team is having a fund raiser Monday at the Pizza Inn in Rocky Mount. Portion of sales and all of the tips will go to the Northern Nash baseball team. The event is from 5-8pm Monday night. When you walk in make sure you tell them that you are there for the Northern Baseball fund raiser as a section will be put aside for those helping out in the fund raiser. The baseball team will be assisting the waiters and waitresses so help out Northern baseball and go watch the likes of David Williams and company serve you.
Teams find themselves in the middle of games like that and quite frankly I didn't think Duke played that badly just Miami play the game of their lives. Just ask Nash Central who was on the short end of a game like that against Rocky Mount just a couple of weeks ago. The Bulldogs played ok just they looked feeble against a team that was rolling 100% on offense. The very next week Rocky Mount had a second half that Hunt could do nothing wrong. Sometimes it is just the other teams night. If Miami can play that way the rest of the year they will win the national championship.
Tonight Carolina at State meet in Raleigh and ESPN's game day is in town and I guess this means State will be ready to play in this one. Carolina is improving but they are missing one thing this year that I don't see getting any better as the season goes forth. The Heels don't have a man in the middle that plays great interior defense. I suspect this one will be close but I think the Pack beats Roy Williams for only the second time since he has been in charge of the Tar Heels.
The weather not only has the streets and roads slippery but it has made for a upcoming week of high school basketball that should be as interesting at the conference tournaments that are three weeks away. Tuesday finds Rocky Mount at Hunt and if the Gryphons are to win the regular season or even get a share of it they have to win Tuesday or be down two games with four to play. Win or lose they head right to Nash Central Wednesday to make up Friday's iced out game. They return home Friday for Fike.
Hunt Has Rocky Mount Tuesday, Northern at Home Wednesday and a trip to Southern on Friday. Northern's three games this week are home to Southern Tuesday, At Hunt Wednesday and home with Nash Central Friday. The Bulldogs have Fike, Rocky Mount and Northern. The hot team this week can jump from near the bottom to near the top if they can win all three this week
Pizza Knight is Monday at the Pizza Inn: The Northern Nash baseball team is having a fund raiser Monday at the Pizza Inn in Rocky Mount. Portion of sales and all of the tips will go to the Northern Nash baseball team. The event is from 5-8pm Monday night. When you walk in make sure you tell them that you are there for the Northern Baseball fund raiser as a section will be put aside for those helping out in the fund raiser. The baseball team will be assisting the waiters and waitresses so help out Northern baseball and go watch the likes of David Williams and company serve you.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Bad Weather No Sports
Due to the fact that Nash County Schools are getting out two hours early because of the impending bad weather today, tonight's Rocky Mount at Nash Central game has been moved to Wednesday night January 30th. JV and varsity games will go on at a normal time Wednesday.
Northern Nash at Hunt and the Fike- Southern Nash games are also postponed. I do not know at this time the rescheduled date.
Today marks the two weeks to go in the regular season and now having three conference games next week really makes next weeks games even more important than before for playoff positioning. But every one will have to do it to make up tonight's missed games.
Northern Nash at Hunt and the Fike- Southern Nash games are also postponed. I do not know at this time the rescheduled date.
Today marks the two weeks to go in the regular season and now having three conference games next week really makes next weeks games even more important than before for playoff positioning. But every one will have to do it to make up tonight's missed games.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Prospects For Post Season
Teams are making the turn on the back stretch of the season and yes there is a possible champion from the area if all the stars line up right. Let's look at what we know about each and there chances of hanging a banner up in March.
Girls: Nash Central- They have some really nice parts and Timyra Staton can be very good at times. However I doubt they have enough parts for a sectional final run as they did last year.
Rocky Mount- They have the best player from this area and the best player this century from here. Rocky Mount plays excellent defense and if they can catch a bracket when the guards are questionable could make a nice run in Playoffs. When they run into a team that can control J'Kyra Brown and limit her Rocky Mount will be out. No Regional this year.
Northern Nash- No doubt the deepest team around with quality players for two units. Grover Battle can sub one team for another. If we have a State Championship final team this year it will be Northern Nash. Any thing less that the Regional will be a major disapointment for this team. South Central though not as deep at Northern can matchup with at least one unit. Central's ball handle can stand the pressure that Northern will apply. If it comes down to Northern or South Central any where in the Regional that will be a cat fight.
Boys: Nash Central- Nate Pittman is a very good basketball player and the Bulldogs are a good team. When I was in school if you had a player six foot you could beat almost anybody. The Bulldogs probably average Six feet two per player but in this day and time that is small. They are quick as lightening but not tall enough. Right matchups they could get to a Sectional final.
Hunt- They go about eight players but they have a good combination of tall and speed. They not only could make the Regional but beyond. I don't care what team you are and how good you are they need every advantage and home court is major in high school basketball. I think Hunt will make a Sectional final and would not be surprised if they play for a State title.
Rocky Mount- They have every thing needed to return to the title game. Tall, long and fast. Their biggest achilles is ball handling in their rock and roll offense. Most of their ball handling is self inflicted instead of good defense. If that is under control by playoff time they can beat anybody. They need their outside shots to fall. When that happens the middle is wide open for Donte Battle to dominant. Once again who and where they play in the playoffs will be big.
It seems every year here lately the Big East is sending teams at least to the Regional and I will be shocked if there is not at least one girls team in Fayetteville and maybe two boys teams. We might only get one if they are matched up in the same POD.
Girls: Nash Central- They have some really nice parts and Timyra Staton can be very good at times. However I doubt they have enough parts for a sectional final run as they did last year.
Rocky Mount- They have the best player from this area and the best player this century from here. Rocky Mount plays excellent defense and if they can catch a bracket when the guards are questionable could make a nice run in Playoffs. When they run into a team that can control J'Kyra Brown and limit her Rocky Mount will be out. No Regional this year.
Northern Nash- No doubt the deepest team around with quality players for two units. Grover Battle can sub one team for another. If we have a State Championship final team this year it will be Northern Nash. Any thing less that the Regional will be a major disapointment for this team. South Central though not as deep at Northern can matchup with at least one unit. Central's ball handle can stand the pressure that Northern will apply. If it comes down to Northern or South Central any where in the Regional that will be a cat fight.
Boys: Nash Central- Nate Pittman is a very good basketball player and the Bulldogs are a good team. When I was in school if you had a player six foot you could beat almost anybody. The Bulldogs probably average Six feet two per player but in this day and time that is small. They are quick as lightening but not tall enough. Right matchups they could get to a Sectional final.
Hunt- They go about eight players but they have a good combination of tall and speed. They not only could make the Regional but beyond. I don't care what team you are and how good you are they need every advantage and home court is major in high school basketball. I think Hunt will make a Sectional final and would not be surprised if they play for a State title.
Rocky Mount- They have every thing needed to return to the title game. Tall, long and fast. Their biggest achilles is ball handling in their rock and roll offense. Most of their ball handling is self inflicted instead of good defense. If that is under control by playoff time they can beat anybody. They need their outside shots to fall. When that happens the middle is wide open for Donte Battle to dominant. Once again who and where they play in the playoffs will be big.
It seems every year here lately the Big East is sending teams at least to the Regional and I will be shocked if there is not at least one girls team in Fayetteville and maybe two boys teams. We might only get one if they are matched up in the same POD.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Follow Up
I was unable to attend last night's Northern -Rocky Mount game as I had to be in Greenville. Thanks to Randy Langley, Paul Andre and Wayne Wallace in keeping me up to date on all the action and results. I am glad to see Aluxus Hill was able to play for Northern last night without any effect from the knee injury she sustained Friday night. I don't care what team it is in order to be your best you need everyone that can contribute to do so every night. Just ask Duke right now what it means to have one of you best players on the bench injured.
Northern had five players in the game to score at least eight points. Camille Branch for the second game in a row came off the bench to score 15, Quinesha Lynch, 13, Alexus Hill 9, Jordan Oldham 8 and Khadijrah Richardson 8. Rocky Mount had two players J'Kyra Brown 27 and Carmen Richardson 12 the only two to score at least 8. That's is like playing 5 against 2.
Rocky Mount boys had eight players score at least 3 against Northern. The Knights did well playing inspired ball against Rocky Mount considering they had a player out with sickness and two suspended. Just ask N C State about how an inspired team can play.
Friday Rocky Mount travels to Nash Central and Northern goes to Hunt. Southern Nash and Fike will also play. Yes there are just two full weeks left in the regular season and now is the time to start that push to finish up the season as high up in the standings as you can. Remember the lower seed always hits the road and in basketball playing a team on their home court in a packed gym with every body hollering against you is not an easy thing to try to win even when you are a really good team.
The saga of N C State basketball continues the roller coaster ride. I view State as a Joe Average person who won the lottery. When they beat Duke that was their lottery. Joe Average spends his money and looks up and finds he is out of money a can't remember what he spent it on. State's victory over Duke they been on national TV shows and since then haven't play well at all. They spent their lottery winnings up all ready.
State can be a great team when they play inspired. Can you remember the last time Duke played in a game and can say they were flat. I think the teams on the mountain top know what it took to get to the top and what it takes to stay there. State didn't stay at the mountain top long. We all live and learn and if they do they can climb back up to the top before this season is over.
I am going to use TaShawn Mabry as an example. One of the greatest players ever for Rocky Mount. C J Leslie is very similar in style of play and when I say that I am talking about at times was a player nobody could handle but at other times seem to not have focus. His senior year during the playoffs Mabry played like a man possessed and lead Rocky Mount to a title. If Leslie plays in a similar fashion before the end of the year he could lead State to an NCAA Title. He is probably going pro after this season and a super NCAA playoffs could make him climb up the draft ladder. I realize I'm hoping more than expecting but that is a possibility.
Northern had five players in the game to score at least eight points. Camille Branch for the second game in a row came off the bench to score 15, Quinesha Lynch, 13, Alexus Hill 9, Jordan Oldham 8 and Khadijrah Richardson 8. Rocky Mount had two players J'Kyra Brown 27 and Carmen Richardson 12 the only two to score at least 8. That's is like playing 5 against 2.
Rocky Mount boys had eight players score at least 3 against Northern. The Knights did well playing inspired ball against Rocky Mount considering they had a player out with sickness and two suspended. Just ask N C State about how an inspired team can play.
Friday Rocky Mount travels to Nash Central and Northern goes to Hunt. Southern Nash and Fike will also play. Yes there are just two full weeks left in the regular season and now is the time to start that push to finish up the season as high up in the standings as you can. Remember the lower seed always hits the road and in basketball playing a team on their home court in a packed gym with every body hollering against you is not an easy thing to try to win even when you are a really good team.
The saga of N C State basketball continues the roller coaster ride. I view State as a Joe Average person who won the lottery. When they beat Duke that was their lottery. Joe Average spends his money and looks up and finds he is out of money a can't remember what he spent it on. State's victory over Duke they been on national TV shows and since then haven't play well at all. They spent their lottery winnings up all ready.
State can be a great team when they play inspired. Can you remember the last time Duke played in a game and can say they were flat. I think the teams on the mountain top know what it took to get to the top and what it takes to stay there. State didn't stay at the mountain top long. We all live and learn and if they do they can climb back up to the top before this season is over.
I am going to use TaShawn Mabry as an example. One of the greatest players ever for Rocky Mount. C J Leslie is very similar in style of play and when I say that I am talking about at times was a player nobody could handle but at other times seem to not have focus. His senior year during the playoffs Mabry played like a man possessed and lead Rocky Mount to a title. If Leslie plays in a similar fashion before the end of the year he could lead State to an NCAA Title. He is probably going pro after this season and a super NCAA playoffs could make him climb up the draft ladder. I realize I'm hoping more than expecting but that is a possibility.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Game Of the Week Is All Northern
Game two in the 2012/2013 game of the week featuring Northern Nash girls and Rocky Mount goes to Northern Nash on their home floor by a 60-47 score. Northern lead by 18 at the half and never let Rocky mount back in the game in the second half.
This completes the first cycle of conference games and Northern remains undefeated on the year and the only team undefeated in conference play at 5-0. Rocky Mount falls to 4-1. Friday night starts the second round. If Northern continues to finish in first place and since the POD is in effect there is a good chance that theses two could meet in the sectional finals again this year but this time at Northern.
Rocky Mount boys win at a very improved Northern 68-57.This game was close right down to the very end before Rocky Mount manages to pull away. This game was tied throughout the game before The Gryphons were able to to get control in the 4th quarter.
Rocky Mount is on the road again Friday night as they travel to Nash Central. As far as the boys are concerned you know that Nash Central wants to make up for that devastating crushing defeat Rocky Mount put on them in Rocky mount three weeks ago by 34.
Now both the Gryphon teams having one lost and the girls trail Northern and the boys trail Hunt in the standings neither can afford a let down against any other team as they begin the second round of conference play. The boys beat the Bulldogs in the Christmas Tournament on Nash Central's home floor as this will be their second trip to the Dog Pound this year. The girls won by 15 or so at home the first time around against the lady Bulldogs but they did not meet Nash central in the Holiday Tournament.
This completes the first cycle of conference games and Northern remains undefeated on the year and the only team undefeated in conference play at 5-0. Rocky Mount falls to 4-1. Friday night starts the second round. If Northern continues to finish in first place and since the POD is in effect there is a good chance that theses two could meet in the sectional finals again this year but this time at Northern.
Rocky Mount boys win at a very improved Northern 68-57.This game was close right down to the very end before Rocky Mount manages to pull away. This game was tied throughout the game before The Gryphons were able to to get control in the 4th quarter.
Rocky Mount is on the road again Friday night as they travel to Nash Central. As far as the boys are concerned you know that Nash Central wants to make up for that devastating crushing defeat Rocky Mount put on them in Rocky mount three weeks ago by 34.
Now both the Gryphon teams having one lost and the girls trail Northern and the boys trail Hunt in the standings neither can afford a let down against any other team as they begin the second round of conference play. The boys beat the Bulldogs in the Christmas Tournament on Nash Central's home floor as this will be their second trip to the Dog Pound this year. The girls won by 15 or so at home the first time around against the lady Bulldogs but they did not meet Nash central in the Holiday Tournament.
Monday, January 21, 2013
The Greatest Game Of The Week
We hear all the time that a boxing match is the greatest match ever. Football games are the biggest of the century. Tuesday night Rocky Mount Girls travel to Northern Nash in what is becoming the biggest game of the week. They met five times last season and already played for the Nash County Christmas Tournament Championship this year. That one on a neutral floor went over time to decide a winner.
Two years ago Northern made it to the Regional representing the Big East. Last season it was Rocky Mount. Which one will it be just could be determined by who gets the #1 seed in the playoffs because the one that finishes second will probably wind up at South Central some where along the way in the Sectional.
I make all of this speculation base on every team staying healthy throughout the remainder of the season. I previously spoke of Alexus Hill not returning to Northern's lineup in their victory over Fike on Friday night. Hill is Northern's most athletic player but Northern has more players who play quality basketball in the game so if Hill is not 100% Tuesday Northern has other options. Hill not being 100% at the end of last season helped Rocky Mount a lot as last season ended.
Rocky Mount is not as deep and if they lose any player to injury it will hurt them a lot more than Northern. How ever an injury to J'Kyra Brown at any point in this season would be a killer for RM because Brown is the heart and soul of this team. Her team mates tend to watch her when Rocky Mount has the ball and rely on her at the biggest moments. J'Kyra has delivered but in all four of Rocky Mount's losses not enough help showed up to take the pressure off of Brown. In the over time loss to Northern in the Christmas Tournament The Lady Knights simply wore Brown out double teaming her the entire game and she fouled out late in overtime but the game by then had been decided.
Rocky Mount can not afford for either Kelsey or Kyler Daniels to be in foul trouble Along with J'Kyra Brown they are the height to compete with the likes of Jordan Oldham, Camille Branch, Deja Lewis, Khadijarh Richardson and they need to stay on the court the whole game to compete with Northern's height. Northern has the luxury that if one is in foul trouble bring in someone from the bench that is just as big and talented.
All of that being said this game is probably going to be won by the guards. Both teams are going to press all over the floor. The one that makes the other pay the price for poor ball handling will win. Shakyia Mercer and Quinesha Lynch will get most of that responsibility for Northern. Rocky Mount will rely mostly of Carmen Richardson and Destini Parker. They sure would love to let J'Kyra Brown go on down court and not have to be part of helping bring the ball up court.
I would suspect just because it is a Tuesday night that you had better find a seat by halftime of the boys JV game. Now that Rocky Mount has a new gym and not quite as big as the old one Northern's gym is now the biggest in the conference. It doesn't matter how big any gym is the house will be full for Rocky Mount and Northern Tuesday night.
Two years ago Northern made it to the Regional representing the Big East. Last season it was Rocky Mount. Which one will it be just could be determined by who gets the #1 seed in the playoffs because the one that finishes second will probably wind up at South Central some where along the way in the Sectional.
I make all of this speculation base on every team staying healthy throughout the remainder of the season. I previously spoke of Alexus Hill not returning to Northern's lineup in their victory over Fike on Friday night. Hill is Northern's most athletic player but Northern has more players who play quality basketball in the game so if Hill is not 100% Tuesday Northern has other options. Hill not being 100% at the end of last season helped Rocky Mount a lot as last season ended.
Rocky Mount is not as deep and if they lose any player to injury it will hurt them a lot more than Northern. How ever an injury to J'Kyra Brown at any point in this season would be a killer for RM because Brown is the heart and soul of this team. Her team mates tend to watch her when Rocky Mount has the ball and rely on her at the biggest moments. J'Kyra has delivered but in all four of Rocky Mount's losses not enough help showed up to take the pressure off of Brown. In the over time loss to Northern in the Christmas Tournament The Lady Knights simply wore Brown out double teaming her the entire game and she fouled out late in overtime but the game by then had been decided.
Rocky Mount can not afford for either Kelsey or Kyler Daniels to be in foul trouble Along with J'Kyra Brown they are the height to compete with the likes of Jordan Oldham, Camille Branch, Deja Lewis, Khadijarh Richardson and they need to stay on the court the whole game to compete with Northern's height. Northern has the luxury that if one is in foul trouble bring in someone from the bench that is just as big and talented.
All of that being said this game is probably going to be won by the guards. Both teams are going to press all over the floor. The one that makes the other pay the price for poor ball handling will win. Shakyia Mercer and Quinesha Lynch will get most of that responsibility for Northern. Rocky Mount will rely mostly of Carmen Richardson and Destini Parker. They sure would love to let J'Kyra Brown go on down court and not have to be part of helping bring the ball up court.
I would suspect just because it is a Tuesday night that you had better find a seat by halftime of the boys JV game. Now that Rocky Mount has a new gym and not quite as big as the old one Northern's gym is now the biggest in the conference. It doesn't matter how big any gym is the house will be full for Rocky Mount and Northern Tuesday night.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Sunday Predictions
We have come down to the League championships in the NFL. Sunday provides us with two games and each will have a Harbaugh coaching. These two games could really be good ones. So far in the NFL playoffs I am 3-5 so what ever I am going to tell you now you may be wise to pick opposite me.
Baltimore At New England: This game features the winningest quarterback this century in regards to Super Bowls against a team that has one. New England is the kind of team as you watch them play you say to yourself this team is really beatable until you look at the final score and they have won by 20. The Ravens are suppose to be old on defense and if defense wins championships why is this old team still playing? I have a feeling it going to be really cold in Foxboro but it is January and this is the NFL playoffs and this is the way it is suppose to be at this time.
Recent past will tell you the best don't always win the Super Bowl any more it has changed to the hot team wins. Baltimore is the hot team or most of the time the team that slips into the playoffs becomes that hot team. Baltimore didn't slip in but they are hot. There are just some teams that match up well with others and the Ravens seem to have the Patriots number. The Ravens will go to Foxboro and pull this one out 31-30
San Fransisco at Atlanta: All of this mumbo jumbo talk about running quarterbacks and their success. I suspect high school coaches cringe when they see the poor defensive end play when a quarterback fakes a and keeps the ball and runs untouched for a touchdown. There will be one day when coaches will convince these ends to stay home and after two or three blows the end of the running quarterback will occur. It still might take ten years to happen so that leaves us with San Fran coming to Atlanta with an offense improved since they made the quarterback change.
They were really good before the change. I like many people don't like Atlanta's team and last week they were able to get many Monkees off their back finally winning a playoff game. So they got that playoff win and they will go down at home. Might be bad weather in Foxboro but in the Georgia Dome which to me takes away home field advantage. It will be 72 degrees and comfortable for the 49's too. I'm taking the Niners 41-28.
The next Super Bowl will have two brothers coaching against each other as John will face off against Jim. You know the NFL is a copy cat league so after this years Super Bowl watch out for the brothers of other NFL head coaches start getting their shots at head coaching jobs. Try anything in the NFL as we see with this running quarterback fad there are not many who know how to coach. When a team only has a quarterback and a running back in the back field and one of them runs untouched, I would like to know one thing. Why do these teams look at so much film for. The coaches and the players must sleep during film sessions because none seem to know how to stay home and play their position.
Baltimore At New England: This game features the winningest quarterback this century in regards to Super Bowls against a team that has one. New England is the kind of team as you watch them play you say to yourself this team is really beatable until you look at the final score and they have won by 20. The Ravens are suppose to be old on defense and if defense wins championships why is this old team still playing? I have a feeling it going to be really cold in Foxboro but it is January and this is the NFL playoffs and this is the way it is suppose to be at this time.
Recent past will tell you the best don't always win the Super Bowl any more it has changed to the hot team wins. Baltimore is the hot team or most of the time the team that slips into the playoffs becomes that hot team. Baltimore didn't slip in but they are hot. There are just some teams that match up well with others and the Ravens seem to have the Patriots number. The Ravens will go to Foxboro and pull this one out 31-30
San Fransisco at Atlanta: All of this mumbo jumbo talk about running quarterbacks and their success. I suspect high school coaches cringe when they see the poor defensive end play when a quarterback fakes a and keeps the ball and runs untouched for a touchdown. There will be one day when coaches will convince these ends to stay home and after two or three blows the end of the running quarterback will occur. It still might take ten years to happen so that leaves us with San Fran coming to Atlanta with an offense improved since they made the quarterback change.
They were really good before the change. I like many people don't like Atlanta's team and last week they were able to get many Monkees off their back finally winning a playoff game. So they got that playoff win and they will go down at home. Might be bad weather in Foxboro but in the Georgia Dome which to me takes away home field advantage. It will be 72 degrees and comfortable for the 49's too. I'm taking the Niners 41-28.
The next Super Bowl will have two brothers coaching against each other as John will face off against Jim. You know the NFL is a copy cat league so after this years Super Bowl watch out for the brothers of other NFL head coaches start getting their shots at head coaching jobs. Try anything in the NFL as we see with this running quarterback fad there are not many who know how to coach. When a team only has a quarterback and a running back in the back field and one of them runs untouched, I would like to know one thing. Why do these teams look at so much film for. The coaches and the players must sleep during film sessions because none seem to know how to stay home and play their position.
Friday, January 18, 2013
The Show Down Is Set
Tonight Fike High finished a week in which they started tied with Rocky Mount and North Nash Girls for first place and played both this week with a chance to move up in the world of Big East girls basketball. Instead, Fike loses at Home to Rocky Mount Wednesday by 20 and tonight at Northern start out the game down 11-0 before they blink and lose by 21 72-51. What that does is sets up Rocky Mount and Northern for their seventh meeting in the past 13 months and their second this season.
Northern coasting for the rest of the game after jumping to the 11-0 start and 24-8 first quarter lead. They had four player hit double digit points lead by Camille Branch who had 15. Quinesha Lynch 13, Deja Lewis 10, Khadijarh Richardson 10. They had two others with 8 or more Alexus Hill 9 and Jordan Oldham 8.
Fike was lead by the trio of E J Proctor 14, Jameka Ruffin 13 and Shatera Black 12. Once Fike got use to the Northern pressure defense Fike played even for all of the second half but by that time Northern consistantly lead by 20 or more for most of the second , third and fourth quarters. Northern won their 14th game without a loss and they stand 4-0 on the Big East. Fike drops to 10-3 and 2-2 in the Big East.
You can see this game on WHIG-TV Sunday night at 8pm as the TV cameras were in the house for this Big East game.
Over in Rocky Mount the Lady Gryphons held Southern Nash to 8 points in the first half and they too coasted home to beat the Lady Firebirds 54-40. J'Kyra Brown was unstoppable as she scored 33 of the Rocky Mount 54 points. Carmen Richardson and Kelsey Daniels both had 5 points for the Gryphons. Kedijah Manning lead Southern with 17 points.
Rocky Mount heads to Northern Tuesday night 4-0 in the Big East and 12-4 over all. One piece of concern for Northern as Alexus Hill went down early in the 4th quarter on a knee that she hurt last season. One of the reasons Rocky Mount was able to defeat Northern four straight times last year was Hill hurt her knee in the second meeting with Rocky Mount and never was quite the same for rest of the season. Her health for Tuesday's game will be a major concern for Grover Battle heading into the the battle for first place.
Northern Nash Boys built up a big lead on Fike and had to hold on for dear life but in doing so the Knights won their first conference game in almost two years. Correction! Northern beat Southern Nash Last week and this is their second conference win of the season The final Northern Nash 58- Fike 55.
The Rocky Mount boys were too tall and too quick for Southern Nash as Mike Gainey's squad earned their 14th win of the year beating Southern 76-38. They lead throughout and by 20 at the half. Donte Battle lead the way with 20. M J Gainey chipped in 13 while the only other double digit scorer was Michael Hines with ten. Eight other player got in the scoring book for the Gryphons.
Chi-Ali Bunn lead the Firebirds with 11. Rocky Mount is 3-1 in the Big East and 14-2 over all heading to Northern Tuesday night.
Northern coasting for the rest of the game after jumping to the 11-0 start and 24-8 first quarter lead. They had four player hit double digit points lead by Camille Branch who had 15. Quinesha Lynch 13, Deja Lewis 10, Khadijarh Richardson 10. They had two others with 8 or more Alexus Hill 9 and Jordan Oldham 8.
Fike was lead by the trio of E J Proctor 14, Jameka Ruffin 13 and Shatera Black 12. Once Fike got use to the Northern pressure defense Fike played even for all of the second half but by that time Northern consistantly lead by 20 or more for most of the second , third and fourth quarters. Northern won their 14th game without a loss and they stand 4-0 on the Big East. Fike drops to 10-3 and 2-2 in the Big East.
You can see this game on WHIG-TV Sunday night at 8pm as the TV cameras were in the house for this Big East game.
Over in Rocky Mount the Lady Gryphons held Southern Nash to 8 points in the first half and they too coasted home to beat the Lady Firebirds 54-40. J'Kyra Brown was unstoppable as she scored 33 of the Rocky Mount 54 points. Carmen Richardson and Kelsey Daniels both had 5 points for the Gryphons. Kedijah Manning lead Southern with 17 points.
Rocky Mount heads to Northern Tuesday night 4-0 in the Big East and 12-4 over all. One piece of concern for Northern as Alexus Hill went down early in the 4th quarter on a knee that she hurt last season. One of the reasons Rocky Mount was able to defeat Northern four straight times last year was Hill hurt her knee in the second meeting with Rocky Mount and never was quite the same for rest of the season. Her health for Tuesday's game will be a major concern for Grover Battle heading into the the battle for first place.
Northern Nash Boys built up a big lead on Fike and had to hold on for dear life but in doing so the Knights won their first conference game in almost two years. Correction! Northern beat Southern Nash Last week and this is their second conference win of the season The final Northern Nash 58- Fike 55.
The Rocky Mount boys were too tall and too quick for Southern Nash as Mike Gainey's squad earned their 14th win of the year beating Southern 76-38. They lead throughout and by 20 at the half. Donte Battle lead the way with 20. M J Gainey chipped in 13 while the only other double digit scorer was Michael Hines with ten. Eight other player got in the scoring book for the Gryphons.
Chi-Ali Bunn lead the Firebirds with 11. Rocky Mount is 3-1 in the Big East and 14-2 over all heading to Northern Tuesday night.
Puppy Love?
I heard this headline last night about the Manti Te'o story. It was one of those 7pm Hollywood shows that I don't watch but it came on before I could click off of it to change the channel. The sports story that everybody is talking about. First thing I thought about was "Is everybody talking about this or is it the media with nothing else to talk about?"
We have fallen in love with instant media. There was a while that blogging on the Internet was access to the world. Along comes U Tube and Face book and everything you do is now out there for the world to see for those who have the time to watch. Now this thing called Tweeter where you instant thoughts can be sent to anyone who wants to hear what you say can be sent to them.
Is this a kid who loves notoriety and when it came up about a girl friend embellish to make it seem more than it actually was or is he a Lance Armstrong of Tweeter? Now we have to remember that this kid is 22 or less and as a major college football player has plenty of pressure from the media. I can tell you as a 17 and 18 year old I laid across my bed many a night staring at a telephone wanting to call a girl for a date but not in some cases having the courage to do so. Now many years later I chuckle remembering how hard it was to call girls now that I have become the sex symbol that I am.
We all I think have gone through wishing to speak to a girl and once she looked your way fell in love whether she spoke to you or not. If this girl did exist and they were pen pals(boy that's old time) talking on line he just may felt something for her and never had seen her. So he considered her a girl friend even though they had never met. Then there is the Lance Armstrong Effect. He may have made all of this up.
Social pressure for a college kid who didn't have a girl friend and a media star to boot may have been thinking I need to invent a girl and kill her off to take this girl friend pressure off me. If this is what happened he is a Lance Armstrong waiting to happen. then the other option is he just might have been Catfished? That is another one of this modern media world lingo that a prank has been pulled on him by somebody on social media.
Evidence seems to be telling us that he knew that stories were untrue and did nothing to quiet the false statements. Teammates have come forward and are telling just about everyone on the team knew there was no girl.. Manti Te'o is waiting for the April NFL draft. If all of this proves out to be false I don't see how any NFL team could gamble on such a person. His performance in the National Championship game has hurt his NFL status a lot already before all of this surfaced. We have all seen professional team look first to talent potential and talent over rides problems. We have seen many instances where after the fact many NFL teams wish they had passed on players and the opposite has happened that teams pass on players that blossom as they grow up.
If all of this pans out that this is a classic Catfish that he was duped 100% then he is clean and we all can feel sorry for him. Where this story stands now I don't see where he will be exonerated. Hope he is. This new world of instant fame carries pressure that young kids don't see until they are buried in the avalanche that follows stupidity in this instant world of fame.
We have fallen in love with instant media. There was a while that blogging on the Internet was access to the world. Along comes U Tube and Face book and everything you do is now out there for the world to see for those who have the time to watch. Now this thing called Tweeter where you instant thoughts can be sent to anyone who wants to hear what you say can be sent to them.
Is this a kid who loves notoriety and when it came up about a girl friend embellish to make it seem more than it actually was or is he a Lance Armstrong of Tweeter? Now we have to remember that this kid is 22 or less and as a major college football player has plenty of pressure from the media. I can tell you as a 17 and 18 year old I laid across my bed many a night staring at a telephone wanting to call a girl for a date but not in some cases having the courage to do so. Now many years later I chuckle remembering how hard it was to call girls now that I have become the sex symbol that I am.
We all I think have gone through wishing to speak to a girl and once she looked your way fell in love whether she spoke to you or not. If this girl did exist and they were pen pals(boy that's old time) talking on line he just may felt something for her and never had seen her. So he considered her a girl friend even though they had never met. Then there is the Lance Armstrong Effect. He may have made all of this up.
Social pressure for a college kid who didn't have a girl friend and a media star to boot may have been thinking I need to invent a girl and kill her off to take this girl friend pressure off me. If this is what happened he is a Lance Armstrong waiting to happen. then the other option is he just might have been Catfished? That is another one of this modern media world lingo that a prank has been pulled on him by somebody on social media.
Evidence seems to be telling us that he knew that stories were untrue and did nothing to quiet the false statements. Teammates have come forward and are telling just about everyone on the team knew there was no girl.. Manti Te'o is waiting for the April NFL draft. If all of this proves out to be false I don't see how any NFL team could gamble on such a person. His performance in the National Championship game has hurt his NFL status a lot already before all of this surfaced. We have all seen professional team look first to talent potential and talent over rides problems. We have seen many instances where after the fact many NFL teams wish they had passed on players and the opposite has happened that teams pass on players that blossom as they grow up.
If all of this pans out that this is a classic Catfish that he was duped 100% then he is clean and we all can feel sorry for him. Where this story stands now I don't see where he will be exonerated. Hope he is. This new world of instant fame carries pressure that young kids don't see until they are buried in the avalanche that follows stupidity in this instant world of fame.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Gryphons Rebound
Wednesday night basketball in the Big East as exams again this year has turn the schedule all around. Rocky Mount traveled to Fike and they needed to get the bad taste of of the Hunt defeat out of their mouth and they do as they knock off the Golden Demons 69-46. Donte Battle lead the way scoring 18. Sophomore Broderick Caudle who is coming on like gang busters for the Gryphons chipped in 13. M J Gainey added 9. Rocky Mount's record jumps to 13-2 and 2-1 in the Big East.
The Girls held on to their share of the tie for first place as they handed the Fike girls a 64-44 spanking on the Golden Demons home floor. J'Kyra Brown lead the way scoring 26 and Carmen Richardson tossed in 18. Kelsey Daniels underneath the basket collected 13. This was the Lady Gryphons 11th win with four losses. They are 3-0 in the Big East.
The Gryphons have a home game Friday night with Southern Nash. Next week The Gryphons finish up the first round of conference play with a trip to Northern Nash on Tuesday. That's right I said Tuesday. They follow up Tuesday's visit to Northern with a date at Nash Central Friday.
Wednesday we had another of these big rival mid week games as Northern Traveled to Nash Central and Northern Girls had no problem with the Lady Bulldogs. The Lady Knights remain unbeaten and remained tied with Rocky Mount. In the boys action Nash Central beat Northern Nash 64-48. I just think all the Athletic Directors need to get together and come up with a schedule where the really good rival games are played on Friday night.
Rocky Mount and Northern Nash, Rocky Mount and Nash Central, Nash Central and Northern Nash, Hunt and Fike. If the AD's will tell me what the exam schedule next year and give me twenty minutes and I will have the best schedule for each school to get the most people at their games during conference play. Seats filled equals income for high school sports.
Hunt Wednesday remained the only unbeaten in boys conference play as they beat Southern Nash 61-49.
If you couldn't see it coming N C State gets nailed at Maryland 51-50. If State had of played the way they did last night against Duke last Saturday the Devils would have won by 40. I don't know whether it shows you how good State is or how bad Maryland was to only lose by one. Once again though, State has trouble getting to the basket when they play big men and regardless of how good they have been BC and Maryland have some tall trees that stay in the lane. If you say Duke has a big man but he is not a defender that plants in the lane and doesn't budge. The Pack has trouble against any team that their big men stay under that basket it cuts CJ and Howell's ability to roam towards the basket.
The Girls held on to their share of the tie for first place as they handed the Fike girls a 64-44 spanking on the Golden Demons home floor. J'Kyra Brown lead the way scoring 26 and Carmen Richardson tossed in 18. Kelsey Daniels underneath the basket collected 13. This was the Lady Gryphons 11th win with four losses. They are 3-0 in the Big East.
The Gryphons have a home game Friday night with Southern Nash. Next week The Gryphons finish up the first round of conference play with a trip to Northern Nash on Tuesday. That's right I said Tuesday. They follow up Tuesday's visit to Northern with a date at Nash Central Friday.
Wednesday we had another of these big rival mid week games as Northern Traveled to Nash Central and Northern Girls had no problem with the Lady Bulldogs. The Lady Knights remain unbeaten and remained tied with Rocky Mount. In the boys action Nash Central beat Northern Nash 64-48. I just think all the Athletic Directors need to get together and come up with a schedule where the really good rival games are played on Friday night.
Rocky Mount and Northern Nash, Rocky Mount and Nash Central, Nash Central and Northern Nash, Hunt and Fike. If the AD's will tell me what the exam schedule next year and give me twenty minutes and I will have the best schedule for each school to get the most people at their games during conference play. Seats filled equals income for high school sports.
Hunt Wednesday remained the only unbeaten in boys conference play as they beat Southern Nash 61-49.
If you couldn't see it coming N C State gets nailed at Maryland 51-50. If State had of played the way they did last night against Duke last Saturday the Devils would have won by 40. I don't know whether it shows you how good State is or how bad Maryland was to only lose by one. Once again though, State has trouble getting to the basket when they play big men and regardless of how good they have been BC and Maryland have some tall trees that stay in the lane. If you say Duke has a big man but he is not a defender that plants in the lane and doesn't budge. The Pack has trouble against any team that their big men stay under that basket it cuts CJ and Howell's ability to roam towards the basket.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Liars Are Every Where
Thursday on the Oprah Winfrey Channel Lance Armstrong is going to admit he cheated. I don't have any idea what he plans on saying or whether he cheated a little bit or whole hog I just hope I don't hear "I made a mistake." A mistake is cheating on your wife once and realizing what a dummy you are and never do it again. A person who cheats all his life didn't make a mistake he just got caught.
Lance Armstrong got caught almost from the beginning but somehow or other lied his way for 15 years until his lies caught up with him. Quite frankly I hope everyone he cheated along the way sues him for every penny he ever stole that he would not have made if it were not for doping.
We love hero's. We love them so much we will worship them regardless of how they got to be a hero as long as they don't tell me how they became super human. We want to believe they did it on total dedication to their activity or sweat equity. Please don't tell me they cheated to get to the top.
Isn't it funny that Lance Armstrong never won the Tour DeFrance until he had Cancer. Now how many people do you know that go through Chemo for any length of time come back super human? You know Andy Pettite Of the Yankees admitted he used steroids coming back from injury because he was told you would heal faster. I suspect Armstrong became the super human he became once he got on steroids fighting Cancer. He just didn't know when to stop.
Isn't it funny that Tiger Woods has not won a major golf championship since they put drug testing into golf? He use to win every other one. Success breeds forgetfulness as to how we got as good as we are. We lie so much about what ever it is we lie about after a while the believe in our hearts it is the truth. We believe it to be true is is much easier to keep lying.
We all somewhere along the way have used aids to make us better. As a high school football player back in the 60's we were given a handful of salt pills after every practice to make you drink water to replenish our water intake. I did what I was told but then along comes Gatorade and we didn't us salt pills any more. Because we used pills or a drink to make our bodies replenish our water were we cheating by not going to the water fountain and gulping water?
Is there a student in the world any more that can tell me how much 50x25 is without using a calculator? Even those Hollywood beauties that we all love to look at went to a doctor to come a CC instead of an A cup. Our world is full of cheating or lying. You know what the worse of all is? There will be plenty of the people will defend the cheaters and liars because they see nothing wrong with it.
When our world gets to the point that we don't care how it happened just that greatness came then we are on the edge of losing civilization. We are a sick world to love a cheater as long as he doesn't tell me but call him a bum tomorrow when the truth is known. In our own little world we too are cheaters to worship people because they are extraordinary. We do it because deep down we all want to be great at something and when we are just normal we envy those that have done it. It is hard in this world to just be satisfied with me as I am. There is an old saying that God gives you everything you need. It's our wants that kill us.
Lance Armstrong got caught almost from the beginning but somehow or other lied his way for 15 years until his lies caught up with him. Quite frankly I hope everyone he cheated along the way sues him for every penny he ever stole that he would not have made if it were not for doping.
We love hero's. We love them so much we will worship them regardless of how they got to be a hero as long as they don't tell me how they became super human. We want to believe they did it on total dedication to their activity or sweat equity. Please don't tell me they cheated to get to the top.
Isn't it funny that Lance Armstrong never won the Tour DeFrance until he had Cancer. Now how many people do you know that go through Chemo for any length of time come back super human? You know Andy Pettite Of the Yankees admitted he used steroids coming back from injury because he was told you would heal faster. I suspect Armstrong became the super human he became once he got on steroids fighting Cancer. He just didn't know when to stop.
Isn't it funny that Tiger Woods has not won a major golf championship since they put drug testing into golf? He use to win every other one. Success breeds forgetfulness as to how we got as good as we are. We lie so much about what ever it is we lie about after a while the believe in our hearts it is the truth. We believe it to be true is is much easier to keep lying.
We all somewhere along the way have used aids to make us better. As a high school football player back in the 60's we were given a handful of salt pills after every practice to make you drink water to replenish our water intake. I did what I was told but then along comes Gatorade and we didn't us salt pills any more. Because we used pills or a drink to make our bodies replenish our water were we cheating by not going to the water fountain and gulping water?
Is there a student in the world any more that can tell me how much 50x25 is without using a calculator? Even those Hollywood beauties that we all love to look at went to a doctor to come a CC instead of an A cup. Our world is full of cheating or lying. You know what the worse of all is? There will be plenty of the people will defend the cheaters and liars because they see nothing wrong with it.
When our world gets to the point that we don't care how it happened just that greatness came then we are on the edge of losing civilization. We are a sick world to love a cheater as long as he doesn't tell me but call him a bum tomorrow when the truth is known. In our own little world we too are cheaters to worship people because they are extraordinary. We do it because deep down we all want to be great at something and when we are just normal we envy those that have done it. It is hard in this world to just be satisfied with me as I am. There is an old saying that God gives you everything you need. It's our wants that kill us.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Everybody Has One
Sunday Michigan was the last unbeaten team in college basketball and Ohio State made them a one time loser. All four of the unbeatens going into the week lost. Duke fell from #1 all the way to 3rd. Louisville a team that lost to Duke last year (November)assumed the top spot and they survived the being #1 tonight at U Conn. So former North Edgecombe player Montrezl Harrell a freshman plays on the top team in the land.
N C State moved up to #14 in the AP Poll. Duke stayed #1 in the RPI and quite frankly with the schedule they have left combined with what they have already played this year they will probably be #1 in RPI all year. N C State playing #1 Duke Saturday jumped back to #10. Don't snooze on this team but Miami is 8th in the RPI. One of the things I like about RPI is it tells you how tough of a schedule you have played and from that Miami has lost only three times all year.
I don't know when the votes for all the major awards in the NFL were done or even if they have been done yet but if they haven't Russell Wilson wrapped up the rookie of the year award. I do believe however the voting was done after the regular season ended and if that is so RG 3 will win it. Peyton Manning probably will win the MVP but he sure didn't play like the best against Baltimore. Denver went way conservative once they got the lead and how in the world do you give up a bomb with 30 seconds to go in the game.
In middle school I was a safety on our team and the first rule of a safety is don't let anybody get behind you. How in the world do you go for an interception and misplay the ball with 30 seconds to go? San Fran is a different team now that they have changed quarterbacks. Right now I'm picking them to win Super Bowl but I wouldn't depend on it. I was 1-3 this weekend and 3-5 in the NFL playoffs so far.
Funny schedule for high school basketball this week as Rocky Mount travels to Fike Wednesday. They are then home to Southern Nash Friday. Plans are right now for me to be at Northern Friday night covering the Fike -Northern girls game for TV. This is a big week for the Fike girls as they get both Rocky Mount and Northern. So far Fike girls looking good and this is their chance to upset the apple cart with both RM and NN this week.
N C State moved up to #14 in the AP Poll. Duke stayed #1 in the RPI and quite frankly with the schedule they have left combined with what they have already played this year they will probably be #1 in RPI all year. N C State playing #1 Duke Saturday jumped back to #10. Don't snooze on this team but Miami is 8th in the RPI. One of the things I like about RPI is it tells you how tough of a schedule you have played and from that Miami has lost only three times all year.
I don't know when the votes for all the major awards in the NFL were done or even if they have been done yet but if they haven't Russell Wilson wrapped up the rookie of the year award. I do believe however the voting was done after the regular season ended and if that is so RG 3 will win it. Peyton Manning probably will win the MVP but he sure didn't play like the best against Baltimore. Denver went way conservative once they got the lead and how in the world do you give up a bomb with 30 seconds to go in the game.
In middle school I was a safety on our team and the first rule of a safety is don't let anybody get behind you. How in the world do you go for an interception and misplay the ball with 30 seconds to go? San Fran is a different team now that they have changed quarterbacks. Right now I'm picking them to win Super Bowl but I wouldn't depend on it. I was 1-3 this weekend and 3-5 in the NFL playoffs so far.
Funny schedule for high school basketball this week as Rocky Mount travels to Fike Wednesday. They are then home to Southern Nash Friday. Plans are right now for me to be at Northern Friday night covering the Fike -Northern girls game for TV. This is a big week for the Fike girls as they get both Rocky Mount and Northern. So far Fike girls looking good and this is their chance to upset the apple cart with both RM and NN this week.
Big Week For The Wanna-Bees
Let's face facts, in football N C State has not won a conference football championship since 1979. Yet they have increased the capacity of the football stadium 50% because Wolfpack fans can't get enough Wolfpack football.. Even in the years when they have been ready to get rid of the coach 38,000 would be in the house.
Basketball has not won a conference championship since 1987. Since Tobacco Road is the Mecca of the college basketball world N C State has lagged behind Carolina and Duke and in many years behind Wake Forest. Yet the palace they play basketball in is 50% larger now than the size of Reynold's where they won their last title.
The Wolfpack nation has supported it's sports through thick and thin and Saturday as the students stormed the court those that sit in the money seats stayed in the house to watch the celebration because they too hunger for more victories. The good news in all this increase in wins in basketball is there are no secrets hidden that when they get out will embarrass the Wolfpack Nation. Debbie Yow has made demands on coaches to win and win the right way. She has even proven this year she that she wants coaches out shaking every bush for the type player that N C State wants.
Saturday those Wanna-Bee's made a grand step in beating Duke when Duke stood as the tallest team in America as the #1 team. It doesn't matter to me who Duke had on the court the Pack couldn't afford to say we couldn't even beat Duke when they were a man down. They did what they had to do. Most every player got a ride above the crowd as the students hoisted CJ and company while basking in the victory.
Guess what? The Duke game is over and there is a trip to Maryland Wednesday. If you have been a reader of this column then you know I have told you in the past Wanna-Bees will beat a team that they are not suppose to beat every now and then but turn right around and lose to someone they are not suppose to the next. Maryland is not one of those teams that is a guarantee win for the Pack.
There is never any disgrace is losing when you play well. Duke on the road to a top 20 team could have won Saturday had State not made 20 of 23 free throws. Richard Howell being a beast under the boards. If State shows up and plays well at Maryland and loses that is easy to accept. I have no visions of N C State going undefeated in conference play but from where the Pack sits right now at 3-0 a 14-4 conference record is possible. 14-4 could very well win the regular season title.
As a Wanna-Bee N C State must now make that step to a 14-4 type team. They can't afford a lost to Georgia Tech or the likes because the ACC has plenty of teams ready to hand you a loss if you ask for it. Miami, Florida State, Duke, Carolina. All right you Wanna-bees, you have asked for this. You have starved for this moment. You stand in the doorway looking squarely into the eyes of the world of basketball powerhouse. The question is now Do you really want to step through that door and join Carolina and Duke or would you rather keep playing the role of a Wanna-Bee.
Basketball has not won a conference championship since 1987. Since Tobacco Road is the Mecca of the college basketball world N C State has lagged behind Carolina and Duke and in many years behind Wake Forest. Yet the palace they play basketball in is 50% larger now than the size of Reynold's where they won their last title.
The Wolfpack nation has supported it's sports through thick and thin and Saturday as the students stormed the court those that sit in the money seats stayed in the house to watch the celebration because they too hunger for more victories. The good news in all this increase in wins in basketball is there are no secrets hidden that when they get out will embarrass the Wolfpack Nation. Debbie Yow has made demands on coaches to win and win the right way. She has even proven this year she that she wants coaches out shaking every bush for the type player that N C State wants.
Saturday those Wanna-Bee's made a grand step in beating Duke when Duke stood as the tallest team in America as the #1 team. It doesn't matter to me who Duke had on the court the Pack couldn't afford to say we couldn't even beat Duke when they were a man down. They did what they had to do. Most every player got a ride above the crowd as the students hoisted CJ and company while basking in the victory.
Guess what? The Duke game is over and there is a trip to Maryland Wednesday. If you have been a reader of this column then you know I have told you in the past Wanna-Bees will beat a team that they are not suppose to beat every now and then but turn right around and lose to someone they are not suppose to the next. Maryland is not one of those teams that is a guarantee win for the Pack.
There is never any disgrace is losing when you play well. Duke on the road to a top 20 team could have won Saturday had State not made 20 of 23 free throws. Richard Howell being a beast under the boards. If State shows up and plays well at Maryland and loses that is easy to accept. I have no visions of N C State going undefeated in conference play but from where the Pack sits right now at 3-0 a 14-4 conference record is possible. 14-4 could very well win the regular season title.
As a Wanna-Bee N C State must now make that step to a 14-4 type team. They can't afford a lost to Georgia Tech or the likes because the ACC has plenty of teams ready to hand you a loss if you ask for it. Miami, Florida State, Duke, Carolina. All right you Wanna-bees, you have asked for this. You have starved for this moment. You stand in the doorway looking squarely into the eyes of the world of basketball powerhouse. The question is now Do you really want to step through that door and join Carolina and Duke or would you rather keep playing the role of a Wanna-Bee.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Between A Rock And A Hard Place
Rocky Mount boys lost Friday night at home puts them into a very precarious position. Having won two of the last three state championships Gryphon basketball now judges itself on titles instead of great seasons and a lost to a very good Hunt squad leaves Rocky Mount looking to find a way back to the state title just maybe on the road.
There is no doubt you have to be lucky along the way for all the dominoes to fall just right. One of those double six's is getting home games in the sectionals. Just ask Northern Nash Girls what it is like having to play the sectional finals on somebody Else's home floor to get to the Regional. In order to get the #1 seed from the Big East now they cannot stumble any where else during the regular season and need to beat Hunt at Hunt the next time around. Should they be tied at the end of the regular season with Hunt they would have to beat Hunt in the conference tournament at Hunt. There would be a good chance they would then have to beat Hunt at Hunt to in the sectional finals if they were to lose either the next conference game with Hunt or the tournament final.
There is no doubt this is the best Hunt team I have seen since Hunt joined the Big East. They have size and speed and beat Rocky Mount when the Gryphons were not hitting from the outside but they were even inside where Rocky Mount could not make up for the outside. Like the Pack beating Duke Saturday Hunt doesn't have to apologize for the Gryphons shots not falling like The Pack needed to beat Duke Saturday regardless of who Duke had on the court.
Northern Nash Girls and Rocky Mount stay on a collision course as both have won their opening two conference games. Fike girls beat Nash Central Friday so the Lady Bulldogs are 0-2. This is not a good start at all for the Lady Bulldogs chance of returning to the sectional finals for a second year in a row.
Northern Nash's victory over Southern Nash is the first conference win for them in almost two years. Rick Ruffins has a much improved team this season and they have a shot to finish about even in wins and losses in conference play. They find themselves tied with Nash Central and Rocky Mount.
It didn't take long for Hunt to stay in house and name Stevie Hinnant the Hunt athletic director as the football coach replacing Randy Raper. Hinnant is only the 4th football coach in Hunt's history. Stevie is a graduate of Hunt and other while he was off in college has spent every year of his life at Hunt. He was a freshman there when the school opened 35 years ago.
There is no doubt you have to be lucky along the way for all the dominoes to fall just right. One of those double six's is getting home games in the sectionals. Just ask Northern Nash Girls what it is like having to play the sectional finals on somebody Else's home floor to get to the Regional. In order to get the #1 seed from the Big East now they cannot stumble any where else during the regular season and need to beat Hunt at Hunt the next time around. Should they be tied at the end of the regular season with Hunt they would have to beat Hunt in the conference tournament at Hunt. There would be a good chance they would then have to beat Hunt at Hunt to in the sectional finals if they were to lose either the next conference game with Hunt or the tournament final.
There is no doubt this is the best Hunt team I have seen since Hunt joined the Big East. They have size and speed and beat Rocky Mount when the Gryphons were not hitting from the outside but they were even inside where Rocky Mount could not make up for the outside. Like the Pack beating Duke Saturday Hunt doesn't have to apologize for the Gryphons shots not falling like The Pack needed to beat Duke Saturday regardless of who Duke had on the court.
Northern Nash Girls and Rocky Mount stay on a collision course as both have won their opening two conference games. Fike girls beat Nash Central Friday so the Lady Bulldogs are 0-2. This is not a good start at all for the Lady Bulldogs chance of returning to the sectional finals for a second year in a row.
Northern Nash's victory over Southern Nash is the first conference win for them in almost two years. Rick Ruffins has a much improved team this season and they have a shot to finish about even in wins and losses in conference play. They find themselves tied with Nash Central and Rocky Mount.
It didn't take long for Hunt to stay in house and name Stevie Hinnant the Hunt athletic director as the football coach replacing Randy Raper. Hinnant is only the 4th football coach in Hunt's history. Stevie is a graduate of Hunt and other while he was off in college has spent every year of his life at Hunt. He was a freshman there when the school opened 35 years ago.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
NFL's Most Exciting Weekend
To me this weekend of NFL football is the equivalent to Thanksgiving weekend in high school football. It is to me the weekend where teams can say this has been a good season for us win or lose. The Super Bowl is a lot of hype and most of the time dull games. Let's take a look at the four games this weekend.
Baltimore at Denver: Peyton Manning has never won a game in his life when the temperature was less than 40 degrees. Being a Philip Rivers fan I have been under the opinion for about eight weeks that Denver was the best team in football and I still have that feel. Baltimore is average on the road.
One of the reasons Manning has never won under 40 degrees he has up to this year always played inside and when he did play outside it was on the road. He is home this year and I will go with the horses in this one 31-20
Green Bay at San Fransisco: There is no doubt in my mind that the best quarterback in the NFL is Aaron Rogers. You never quite know which 49er team will show up. If the one with the best defense shows up this could really be the best game of the weekend. If this is a shoot out I'll take Green Bay or if the winner gets under 20 points I'll take Frisco. I don't see this be low scoring and because of that I don't think the gold miners can win. Packers 38 San Fran 28.
Seattle at Atlanta: Now lets look at last week. Washington is wearing out Seattle until R G 3 gets hurt and the coach pulls the dumbest coaching job of the year in the NFL. If the Skins coach had any sense Washington would be playing ton instead of Seattle. Just because of that I'm taking Seattle over Atlanta. The Falcons are home and have lost three straight years in their first game each season in the playoffs. That is not necessarily a quarterback thing but a team thing.
Seattle is solid on defense and they have a rookie quarterback that limits his mistakes. Weather should not be an issue since this is inside. Seattle 24 Atlanta 21
Houston and New England: All that needs to be said is Houston was crushed the last time these two played. New England 35 Houston 17.
Baltimore at Denver: Peyton Manning has never won a game in his life when the temperature was less than 40 degrees. Being a Philip Rivers fan I have been under the opinion for about eight weeks that Denver was the best team in football and I still have that feel. Baltimore is average on the road.
One of the reasons Manning has never won under 40 degrees he has up to this year always played inside and when he did play outside it was on the road. He is home this year and I will go with the horses in this one 31-20
Green Bay at San Fransisco: There is no doubt in my mind that the best quarterback in the NFL is Aaron Rogers. You never quite know which 49er team will show up. If the one with the best defense shows up this could really be the best game of the weekend. If this is a shoot out I'll take Green Bay or if the winner gets under 20 points I'll take Frisco. I don't see this be low scoring and because of that I don't think the gold miners can win. Packers 38 San Fran 28.
Seattle at Atlanta: Now lets look at last week. Washington is wearing out Seattle until R G 3 gets hurt and the coach pulls the dumbest coaching job of the year in the NFL. If the Skins coach had any sense Washington would be playing ton instead of Seattle. Just because of that I'm taking Seattle over Atlanta. The Falcons are home and have lost three straight years in their first game each season in the playoffs. That is not necessarily a quarterback thing but a team thing.
Seattle is solid on defense and they have a rookie quarterback that limits his mistakes. Weather should not be an issue since this is inside. Seattle 24 Atlanta 21
Houston and New England: All that needs to be said is Houston was crushed the last time these two played. New England 35 Houston 17.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Gryphons Meet Their Match
Last year at the old Rocky Mount gym Hunt came out blazing and in the middle of the second quarter had the Gryphons down 14 and in trouble. Finally the shots stopped falling and the Gryphon speed tormented Hunt into a 30 point Gryphon win. Tonight Hunt biggest lead was 8 but when it was time for the big plays it was Hunt making them and in doing so Hunt jumps on top in Big East baketball with a 69-64 win over Rocky Mount in Rocky Mount.
Rocky Mount had a 39-31 lead at the half but the Gryphons could score only eight points in the third quarter and found themselves down 51-47 at the end of the 3rd. Hunts biggest lead was 55-47 and every time Rocky Mount had their chances Hunt didn't let the Gryphons get any type of run to close the gap.
Daniel Westbrook lead the Warriors with 17 most of his points in the fourth quarter. Justin Jefferson had 15, Isaiah White 14. Hunt won the rebound battle 33-28 with Hunt's Travon Davis getting 7 boards for the Warriors.
Donte Battle lead Rocky Mount with 18 followed by Mason Hines 13 and Broderick Caudle 13. Jaquel Bryant was the leading Gryphon rebounder with 7. Hunt had 12 turnovers at the half and finished with 19 while Rocky Mount finished with 16. There are those nights when the other team was better and tonight the Gryphons go down at home 69-64.
The Rocky Mount girls started off with a 22-6 lead at the end of the first quarter and pretty much kept Hunt at arms length for the rest of the game as they ladies hold on to their share of first with a 67-44 win over Hunt. Rocky Mount force 35 Lady Warrior turnovers and played many different combination of lineupsduring much of the 2nd. 3rd and 4th quarter.
J"Kyra Brown had 28 despite Hunt triangle and two defense with a person on J'Kyra and one on Carmen Richardson. Richardson had 16 points. Kianna Ballard was the only Lady Warrior in double figures with 11. Rocky Mount won the boards 33-27 and Rocky Mount had 11 less turnovers than Hunt.
Tonight the Lady Gryphons made an effort to take shots outside and for the first time this year there was production from Richardson, Destini Parker and Takeyra Thomas helping loosen up the middle. Rocky Mount travels to Southern Nash Wednesday for their next action.
Northern Nash girls stay tied with Rocky Mount as they won at Southern Nash 60-37. You can see a replay of tonight's boys game on WHIG-TV Sunday night as Wes Bradshaw was in the house covering for TV.
Rocky Mount had a 39-31 lead at the half but the Gryphons could score only eight points in the third quarter and found themselves down 51-47 at the end of the 3rd. Hunts biggest lead was 55-47 and every time Rocky Mount had their chances Hunt didn't let the Gryphons get any type of run to close the gap.
Daniel Westbrook lead the Warriors with 17 most of his points in the fourth quarter. Justin Jefferson had 15, Isaiah White 14. Hunt won the rebound battle 33-28 with Hunt's Travon Davis getting 7 boards for the Warriors.
Donte Battle lead Rocky Mount with 18 followed by Mason Hines 13 and Broderick Caudle 13. Jaquel Bryant was the leading Gryphon rebounder with 7. Hunt had 12 turnovers at the half and finished with 19 while Rocky Mount finished with 16. There are those nights when the other team was better and tonight the Gryphons go down at home 69-64.
The Rocky Mount girls started off with a 22-6 lead at the end of the first quarter and pretty much kept Hunt at arms length for the rest of the game as they ladies hold on to their share of first with a 67-44 win over Hunt. Rocky Mount force 35 Lady Warrior turnovers and played many different combination of lineupsduring much of the 2nd. 3rd and 4th quarter.
J"Kyra Brown had 28 despite Hunt triangle and two defense with a person on J'Kyra and one on Carmen Richardson. Richardson had 16 points. Kianna Ballard was the only Lady Warrior in double figures with 11. Rocky Mount won the boards 33-27 and Rocky Mount had 11 less turnovers than Hunt.
Tonight the Lady Gryphons made an effort to take shots outside and for the first time this year there was production from Richardson, Destini Parker and Takeyra Thomas helping loosen up the middle. Rocky Mount travels to Southern Nash Wednesday for their next action.
Northern Nash girls stay tied with Rocky Mount as they won at Southern Nash 60-37. You can see a replay of tonight's boys game on WHIG-TV Sunday night as Wes Bradshaw was in the house covering for TV.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
The Hall Says No To Drugs Enhancements
Wednesday with Barry Bonds the home run king of baseball and Roger Clements probably the best pitcher in the past 40 years on the ballot for the first time since their retirement the Baseball writers said no and did not elect either to the Baseball Hall Of Fame. Many others all most Hall Of Famers did not get in either. For the first time since 1995 there will be no Hall Of Fame Induction ceremony.
Today the baseball Writers by a wide margin said no. An even deeper question to ask the voters today is this vote based on drugs or I will not vote for anybody the first year they are eligible? If they voted no because they just will not vote for anybody the first year then we will have to wait until next year to see about the drug vote. If any player during his career has to sit out because he fails a drug test will that end any chance of ever making the Hall? That question too might have to wait another year to answer.
The Hall Of Fame has already told Pete Rose that gambling after he was finished as a player can keep you out and anyone who uses enhancements will be out too. If that is the feeling of the writers then anyone convicted of drug use should never be eligible for the Hall. Why waste your time putting people on the ballot that should not be eligible if that is the way you are going to vote?
I think the Hall of Fame is for the immortals of any sports. Like women's golf which said unless you win 30 tournaments you are not worthy of Hall Of Fame. Baseball of all sports is a league of statistics. Batting average, Home runs, Doubles, Singles. You can be great in one like home runs and get in. I do think drug use giving you an edge of strength or speed is unworthy of any Hall Of Fame. You Know Barry Bonds head size increased when he used steroids. Who have you ever heard of that their head got bigger after 35 years of age. Barry Bond's head hit.
It is all set for the Duke -State Showdown in Raleigh on Saturday. Word today is Ryan Kelly for Duke will not play because of injury. If you are a State fan you had better not feel like the game is in the bag with Kelly out. Coach K is the best in the business changing his team's style to play what ever players he has available to get the maximum out of those he has. I have said this in the past. State is still a want-a-bee and want-a-bees have trouble with success until success is an every year thing. How long has it been since State Started any season 13-2. I''m telling you my goal for the Pack this year is stay under 10 losses for the season. If that happens then we will be close to not being a want-a-bee any more.
Misery for Carolina Fans? Wake beat Virginia last night. The game was in Winston Salem.
Today the baseball Writers by a wide margin said no. An even deeper question to ask the voters today is this vote based on drugs or I will not vote for anybody the first year they are eligible? If they voted no because they just will not vote for anybody the first year then we will have to wait until next year to see about the drug vote. If any player during his career has to sit out because he fails a drug test will that end any chance of ever making the Hall? That question too might have to wait another year to answer.
The Hall Of Fame has already told Pete Rose that gambling after he was finished as a player can keep you out and anyone who uses enhancements will be out too. If that is the feeling of the writers then anyone convicted of drug use should never be eligible for the Hall. Why waste your time putting people on the ballot that should not be eligible if that is the way you are going to vote?
I think the Hall of Fame is for the immortals of any sports. Like women's golf which said unless you win 30 tournaments you are not worthy of Hall Of Fame. Baseball of all sports is a league of statistics. Batting average, Home runs, Doubles, Singles. You can be great in one like home runs and get in. I do think drug use giving you an edge of strength or speed is unworthy of any Hall Of Fame. You Know Barry Bonds head size increased when he used steroids. Who have you ever heard of that their head got bigger after 35 years of age. Barry Bond's head hit.
It is all set for the Duke -State Showdown in Raleigh on Saturday. Word today is Ryan Kelly for Duke will not play because of injury. If you are a State fan you had better not feel like the game is in the bag with Kelly out. Coach K is the best in the business changing his team's style to play what ever players he has available to get the maximum out of those he has. I have said this in the past. State is still a want-a-bee and want-a-bees have trouble with success until success is an every year thing. How long has it been since State Started any season 13-2. I''m telling you my goal for the Pack this year is stay under 10 losses for the season. If that happens then we will be close to not being a want-a-bee any more.
Misery for Carolina Fans? Wake beat Virginia last night. The game was in Winston Salem.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Notre Dame Did ACC No Favors
If Notre Dame had been an ACC member playing for the National Championship Monday night then the results are about what has happened most of the time when the SEC plays the ACC. Every now and then there is an exception to the rule like Clemson over LSU but that doesn't happen often.
There is never a guarantee when ever two teams play that the game will not be a blow out one way or the other but if there had been an 8 team playoff the Fighting Irish would have never gotten to the semi finals if Monday was the real Fighting Irish. There is one thing that everyone needs to understand that conference foes who play you every year know what to expect when they play against you but Notre Dame was completely slow and not strong enough to beat Bama.
I doubt that the coaches from ND had any idea that Bama's offensive line would push them around like they did. If they were to meet in the National Championship game next year I am sure ND's coaches would not have the same game plan they had Monday night. You live and learn. I am not saying by doing it differently they would have won this game but the next time they would know more than they knew Monday.
The Lady Knights of Northern Nash are the #1 team in the state after beating Chapel Hill last week in the MAXPreps.com poll. Northern got a lot of attention from around the state when they knocked off CH. I don't care how good you are the big city teams will always get rated in preseason polls ahead of the country folks like we are until you prove that you need to be noticed. Chapel Hill I consider in the Triangle so that would classify as part of the big city. The Ladies Knights did that last week and got everybody's attention.
Rocky Mount has a home game again this week Friday night and Hunt just might be the team to give the Gryphon boys trouble during the regular season. I get asked this question all the time are the Gryphons as good as you have been saying? Why don't you come find out Friday night. If you haven't been to the new gym historically Hunt doesn't bring all that many people for basketball so I suspect there will be plenty of seats available to come look.
I would also think that Hunt girls who are tall but not athletic will push Rocky Mount for that #2 spot if Northern does prove out to be the best in the conference. That puts a premium on that girls game Friday night at 6pm for conference seeding.
There is never a guarantee when ever two teams play that the game will not be a blow out one way or the other but if there had been an 8 team playoff the Fighting Irish would have never gotten to the semi finals if Monday was the real Fighting Irish. There is one thing that everyone needs to understand that conference foes who play you every year know what to expect when they play against you but Notre Dame was completely slow and not strong enough to beat Bama.
I doubt that the coaches from ND had any idea that Bama's offensive line would push them around like they did. If they were to meet in the National Championship game next year I am sure ND's coaches would not have the same game plan they had Monday night. You live and learn. I am not saying by doing it differently they would have won this game but the next time they would know more than they knew Monday.
The Lady Knights of Northern Nash are the #1 team in the state after beating Chapel Hill last week in the MAXPreps.com poll. Northern got a lot of attention from around the state when they knocked off CH. I don't care how good you are the big city teams will always get rated in preseason polls ahead of the country folks like we are until you prove that you need to be noticed. Chapel Hill I consider in the Triangle so that would classify as part of the big city. The Ladies Knights did that last week and got everybody's attention.
Rocky Mount has a home game again this week Friday night and Hunt just might be the team to give the Gryphon boys trouble during the regular season. I get asked this question all the time are the Gryphons as good as you have been saying? Why don't you come find out Friday night. If you haven't been to the new gym historically Hunt doesn't bring all that many people for basketball so I suspect there will be plenty of seats available to come look.
I would also think that Hunt girls who are tall but not athletic will push Rocky Mount for that #2 spot if Northern does prove out to be the best in the conference. That puts a premium on that girls game Friday night at 6pm for conference seeding.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Hall Of Fame Bound
Today the North Carolina Sports Hall Of Fame added eleven members in the class of 2013 including Tarboro resident Kelvin Bryant.
I had the pleasure to do two of Tarboro's games against Ahoskie back in 1977 in Tarboro and 1978 in Ahoskie. That game in 78 was for the conference championship and in the fourth quarter Tarboro was holding on to a 14-7 lead and Tarboro tried to pitch the ball to Kelvin going around the right end at about the Tarboro 30 yard line. The pitch went over Kelvin's head and was rolling free at about the 20 yard line with three or four Ahoskie players chasing the ball and Kelvin as the only Tarboro player any where close.
Kelvin managed to kick the ball out of bounds keeping Ahoskie from getting it and at the time as a young bias broadcaster pulling for Ahoskie I lambasted Bryant on the radio for kicking the ball out of bounds and causing a penalty for an illegal kick. My color man made me see the light that Bryant just maybe had saved the game for Tarboro by keeping Ahoskie from getting it so close to their goal line and saved the game for Tarboro. In retrospect he was right on and over the years doing games on the radio it has been one of the best plays ever by a player while I was in a booth.
Bryant went on to Carolina where he is still in the top five rushers all time for the Tar Heels having rushed for over a thousand yards three straight years. 19 times Bryant rushed for over 100 in a Tar Heel game. ECU fans would like to forget 1981 when Kelvin scored 6 touchdowns against them in one game. Bryant still holds the NCAA record for scoring 11 touchdowns in two consecutive weeks and 15 touchdowns in three consecutive games. Bryant in 2002 was voted one of the 50 best football players in the history of the ACC.
He was drafted by the Philadelphia Stars of the old United states Football league and both years in Philly made the all star team and Philly won the championship in 1984. 1985 the team moved to Baltimore where they again won the championship and all three years that Bryant played in the USFL he ran for over 1,250 yards. 1986 he joined the Washington Redskins where he was a member of the Super Bowl XXLL winning team and retired from football in 1990.
Joining Bryant in the Hall Of Fame Class of 2013 is Bill Guthridge former Carolina Basketball coach, Ron Francis of the Carolina Hurricanes, Wade garrett, Tommy Helms, Marion Kirby, Rich McGeorge, Hugh Morton, Bob Quincy Mildred Southern and Marty Sheets.
Any Friday night in the fall you can find Kelvin Bryant somewhere near the Tarboro Viking football game where ever they might be playing because Kelvin Still loves those Vikings.
I had the pleasure to do two of Tarboro's games against Ahoskie back in 1977 in Tarboro and 1978 in Ahoskie. That game in 78 was for the conference championship and in the fourth quarter Tarboro was holding on to a 14-7 lead and Tarboro tried to pitch the ball to Kelvin going around the right end at about the Tarboro 30 yard line. The pitch went over Kelvin's head and was rolling free at about the 20 yard line with three or four Ahoskie players chasing the ball and Kelvin as the only Tarboro player any where close.
Kelvin managed to kick the ball out of bounds keeping Ahoskie from getting it and at the time as a young bias broadcaster pulling for Ahoskie I lambasted Bryant on the radio for kicking the ball out of bounds and causing a penalty for an illegal kick. My color man made me see the light that Bryant just maybe had saved the game for Tarboro by keeping Ahoskie from getting it so close to their goal line and saved the game for Tarboro. In retrospect he was right on and over the years doing games on the radio it has been one of the best plays ever by a player while I was in a booth.
Bryant went on to Carolina where he is still in the top five rushers all time for the Tar Heels having rushed for over a thousand yards three straight years. 19 times Bryant rushed for over 100 in a Tar Heel game. ECU fans would like to forget 1981 when Kelvin scored 6 touchdowns against them in one game. Bryant still holds the NCAA record for scoring 11 touchdowns in two consecutive weeks and 15 touchdowns in three consecutive games. Bryant in 2002 was voted one of the 50 best football players in the history of the ACC.
He was drafted by the Philadelphia Stars of the old United states Football league and both years in Philly made the all star team and Philly won the championship in 1984. 1985 the team moved to Baltimore where they again won the championship and all three years that Bryant played in the USFL he ran for over 1,250 yards. 1986 he joined the Washington Redskins where he was a member of the Super Bowl XXLL winning team and retired from football in 1990.
Joining Bryant in the Hall Of Fame Class of 2013 is Bill Guthridge former Carolina Basketball coach, Ron Francis of the Carolina Hurricanes, Wade garrett, Tommy Helms, Marion Kirby, Rich McGeorge, Hugh Morton, Bob Quincy Mildred Southern and Marty Sheets.
Any Friday night in the fall you can find Kelvin Bryant somewhere near the Tarboro Viking football game where ever they might be playing because Kelvin Still loves those Vikings.
Mobile Quarterback Dilemma
Can the mobile quarterbacks of the world like RG 3 ever become the staple of all NFL QB's? That is the dilemma for NFL executives as if you look at the history of NFL mobile QB's they just don't last. The Washington Redskins came out of the box Sunday and RG 3 looked like a world beater and then it happened an injury. It is by the way his second of the season.
Most mobile quarterbacks when the NFL tries to make them into a pocket passing quarterback to save their health they were not brought up that way and can't do it. Vince Young being a good example. Where is he any way, what he is all of 27 years old? If the mobile QB is the rage how long will it last when quarterbacks like Peyton Manning a true pocket passer can give you 15 years and a Michael Vick gives you four years and then four years of what could have been.
My next question today is why it is that the NFL does not believe in letting the backups play until it is kneel down time. I don't care what level you play I think your backup quarterback should get playing time every game the second series of the game. He needs important time in a game to get the feel of the game. The NFL never uses backups even when the starter stinks on a particular day and somebody else you know could do better.
The perfect example was just yesterday when it was clear RG 3 could not throw the ball off his injured knee. Of all the teams the Redskins have won this year with the backup in the game. It was clear coaching lost the Redskin game by the lack of changing QB's when the starter was only able to look like he was 60%. My thinking is if you backup is not at least 75% as good as the starter you might as well not have a backup if you are afraid to use them.
Yeah, the NHL is back. Maybe we will get to see the Hurricanes around the 19th of January. I have about got to the point where I don't care one way or the other whether we ever have hockey again. If the Canes can make the playoffs maybe my interest will come back.
The ACC basketball season started this weekend and Duke won but didn't blast away on Wake like I thought they would. It will be interesting to watch this team Saturday in Raleigh against State in a truly unruly atmosphere. I think Duke is real good but not Final Four good.
N C State lost games last year when they played big men. Boston College had two big men. Maybe they weren't great basketball players but State had a hard time getting to the basket. Kansas and Carolina had great big men last season and State stayed close but lost to those big men teams. That I think is their achilles Heel again this year.
I think last night Carolina gave all their fans a reality check that this year's team has a long way to go. Their point guard play is very suspect. The good news is that could get better as the season goes on but their next problem is who is their go to guy? You know Mcadoo was a roll player last year is is better than last but I don't see him being a sophomore All American like this years team needs.
Most mobile quarterbacks when the NFL tries to make them into a pocket passing quarterback to save their health they were not brought up that way and can't do it. Vince Young being a good example. Where is he any way, what he is all of 27 years old? If the mobile QB is the rage how long will it last when quarterbacks like Peyton Manning a true pocket passer can give you 15 years and a Michael Vick gives you four years and then four years of what could have been.
My next question today is why it is that the NFL does not believe in letting the backups play until it is kneel down time. I don't care what level you play I think your backup quarterback should get playing time every game the second series of the game. He needs important time in a game to get the feel of the game. The NFL never uses backups even when the starter stinks on a particular day and somebody else you know could do better.
The perfect example was just yesterday when it was clear RG 3 could not throw the ball off his injured knee. Of all the teams the Redskins have won this year with the backup in the game. It was clear coaching lost the Redskin game by the lack of changing QB's when the starter was only able to look like he was 60%. My thinking is if you backup is not at least 75% as good as the starter you might as well not have a backup if you are afraid to use them.
Yeah, the NHL is back. Maybe we will get to see the Hurricanes around the 19th of January. I have about got to the point where I don't care one way or the other whether we ever have hockey again. If the Canes can make the playoffs maybe my interest will come back.
The ACC basketball season started this weekend and Duke won but didn't blast away on Wake like I thought they would. It will be interesting to watch this team Saturday in Raleigh against State in a truly unruly atmosphere. I think Duke is real good but not Final Four good.
N C State lost games last year when they played big men. Boston College had two big men. Maybe they weren't great basketball players but State had a hard time getting to the basket. Kansas and Carolina had great big men last season and State stayed close but lost to those big men teams. That I think is their achilles Heel again this year.
I think last night Carolina gave all their fans a reality check that this year's team has a long way to go. Their point guard play is very suspect. The good news is that could get better as the season goes on but their next problem is who is their go to guy? You know Mcadoo was a roll player last year is is better than last but I don't see him being a sophomore All American like this years team needs.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Blowouts Are Not Always Good
You just don't know how many people asked me on Saturday was Nash Central that bad against Rocky Mount Friday night? My answer is this, no they weren't that bad it's just Rocky Mount is that good. If The Bulldogs are second or the third best team in the Big East then where will the close games come for the Gryphons?
Looks right now like next Friday night will answer that question when Hunt comes calling on the Gryphons. Hunt at this point seems to be the only team capable of stopping Rocky Mount from a second straight undefeated regular season. Can they give the Gryphons a test? I hope they can as the Gryphons need to have somebody give them a tussle in the fourth quarter. If Hunt can't then the only team capable of stopping the Gryphons may be the Gryphons themselves. If is extremely hard for a team to sustain the level the Gryphons are playing right now and if somebody doesn't slap the Gryphons in the face lackadaisical play could could set in over the next five weeks.
The Lady Gryphons for the third year in a row will square off with Northern Nash. If this season is a horse race Northern has about a three length lead going down the backstretch. J'Kyra Brown might be having one of the finest seasons in the history of Rocky Mount girls basketball and she is doing it with two players on her most of the time. Nash Central tried all sorts of defenses against her and I can see fatigue being an issue for her this year with the beatings teams are giving her banging her all game long.
The Lady Gryphons had a solid defense and any time Rocky Mount plays any team that is weak handling the ball they won't have a chance against The Gryphons. Certainly that is not an issue for Northern Nash. Friday Brown made a couple of threes otherwise every point came from within five feet of the basket either layups off steals, drives to the basket or put backs after rebounds. Carmen Richardson had a few attempts from the outside but none fell in. If I am Pam Gainey I want Carmen and Destini Parker to keep shooting from the outside for as this season keeps going they need to help open up the middle for Kelsey Daniels and of course J'Kyra.
If you think about it Northern Nash girls are undefeated over the last year and a half if they didn't lose to Rocky Mount. They could have easily been in Chapel Hill if the Gryphons had not had home court advantage in the sectional. They won a big one last week beating Chapel Hill who was #1 in all the polls. Northern is probably the biggest team in the state and I don't mean tallest. All five on the court play as one and they are capable of putting ten out there on the court and not lose any thing to their team concept.
Rumor Mill Time: Folks in Tarboro are scare to death that Jeff Craddock may not be back next year as coach of the Vikings now that the Vikings are dropping to 1-A in the next four year realignment. I have heard he might be heading to Greenville Rose to be their new football coach. It's not that far of a drive 19 miles to Greenville from Tarboro. I don't think the folks in Viking land would feel all that bad if they were to lose Craddock to a big program like Rose. If it is true that he has interviewed there. Rose would be crazy not to hire him. Who could possibly interview for that job that would have a better resume' that is a three time state champion and five straight state championship game appearances?
Looks right now like next Friday night will answer that question when Hunt comes calling on the Gryphons. Hunt at this point seems to be the only team capable of stopping Rocky Mount from a second straight undefeated regular season. Can they give the Gryphons a test? I hope they can as the Gryphons need to have somebody give them a tussle in the fourth quarter. If Hunt can't then the only team capable of stopping the Gryphons may be the Gryphons themselves. If is extremely hard for a team to sustain the level the Gryphons are playing right now and if somebody doesn't slap the Gryphons in the face lackadaisical play could could set in over the next five weeks.
The Lady Gryphons for the third year in a row will square off with Northern Nash. If this season is a horse race Northern has about a three length lead going down the backstretch. J'Kyra Brown might be having one of the finest seasons in the history of Rocky Mount girls basketball and she is doing it with two players on her most of the time. Nash Central tried all sorts of defenses against her and I can see fatigue being an issue for her this year with the beatings teams are giving her banging her all game long.
The Lady Gryphons had a solid defense and any time Rocky Mount plays any team that is weak handling the ball they won't have a chance against The Gryphons. Certainly that is not an issue for Northern Nash. Friday Brown made a couple of threes otherwise every point came from within five feet of the basket either layups off steals, drives to the basket or put backs after rebounds. Carmen Richardson had a few attempts from the outside but none fell in. If I am Pam Gainey I want Carmen and Destini Parker to keep shooting from the outside for as this season keeps going they need to help open up the middle for Kelsey Daniels and of course J'Kyra.
If you think about it Northern Nash girls are undefeated over the last year and a half if they didn't lose to Rocky Mount. They could have easily been in Chapel Hill if the Gryphons had not had home court advantage in the sectional. They won a big one last week beating Chapel Hill who was #1 in all the polls. Northern is probably the biggest team in the state and I don't mean tallest. All five on the court play as one and they are capable of putting ten out there on the court and not lose any thing to their team concept.
Rumor Mill Time: Folks in Tarboro are scare to death that Jeff Craddock may not be back next year as coach of the Vikings now that the Vikings are dropping to 1-A in the next four year realignment. I have heard he might be heading to Greenville Rose to be their new football coach. It's not that far of a drive 19 miles to Greenville from Tarboro. I don't think the folks in Viking land would feel all that bad if they were to lose Craddock to a big program like Rose. If it is true that he has interviewed there. Rose would be crazy not to hire him. Who could possibly interview for that job that would have a better resume' that is a three time state champion and five straight state championship game appearances?
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Never Knew Of That Rule
If you watched the Fiesta Bowl game the other night then you saw a play in college football that I didn't know existed. A safety worth one point. Didn't know there was such a rule. It does make sense however that if the defense can block the extra point attempt or cause a fumble on the extra point try and run 100 yards for two points that if the defense gets tackled in their on enzone it should count for something. It is as we all found out worth one point.
Those of you that didn't see it. Kansas State blocked an extra point try and while the ball is rolling free they attempted to run in their own enzone while trying to advance the ball all the way down to the other end of the field. They were tackled in their own enzone and a one point safety was given to the kicking team. Never heard of that rule, didn't know it existed and now my question is if the team that's kick got blocked and they can get a one point safety after the defense lost only two yards why is the two point safety worth only two points when the team blocking the kick has to run almost 100 yards to earn those two points. Seems to me all that running should be worth more than that.
Monday night Alabama and Notre Dame play for the National Championship in college football. I am picking Bama 24-10. You know the perception of the Southeastern Conference being such a powerhouse football conference that Bama is kind of the favorite in this game just because they are the SEC team playing in this game in which the SEC has won six straight times. Not so fast my friend. The SEC has taken it on the chin in Bowl games so far this year. I don't care for the excuse that the teams didn't care to go to that bowl game. Just maybe the SEC isn't the all powerful OZ this year as in the past. That maybe true but I don't see the Fighting Irish winning this one anyway.
Today starts the ritual of the NFL playoffs. Here is my flip of the coin on who's going to win.
Indy at Baltimore. I know everyone is all up in arms how great these three rookie quarterbacks are but as the season has unfolded Indy played a last place schedule and Andrew Luck only had a 75 QB rating when all the dust has settled on this year. Indy plays outside in Baltimore, Ray Lewis playing in possibly his last game in Baltimore. Ravens 27 Colts 13
Minnesota at Green Bay. Tonight just might be the frozen Tundra. Yesterdays high in Green Bay was 15 and this game is starting at 7pm Green Bay time. Minnesota plays inside and these two teams just played at the Vikes last week. Green Bay 24 Vikings 17
Seattle at Washington. The battle of the best two rookie qb's in the NFL. Most experts are picking the Hawks in this one. Russell Wilson has been great down the stretch for Seattle but they were 3-5 on the road and this game is in Washington. You know Washington played a game and a half without their stud QB when RG3 got hurt late in the season and they still won. Skins 28 Seahawks 23
Cincinnati at Houston. Six weeks ago Houston was on the way to the Super Bowl as maybe the best team in the NFL. Looks like they peaked too early. The Bengals are a solid team but the question is can they win on the road. I say yes. Bengals 35 Houston 24
The ACC basketball season gets cranked up this weekend and it all starts with Duke and Wake today.
Those of you that didn't see it. Kansas State blocked an extra point try and while the ball is rolling free they attempted to run in their own enzone while trying to advance the ball all the way down to the other end of the field. They were tackled in their own enzone and a one point safety was given to the kicking team. Never heard of that rule, didn't know it existed and now my question is if the team that's kick got blocked and they can get a one point safety after the defense lost only two yards why is the two point safety worth only two points when the team blocking the kick has to run almost 100 yards to earn those two points. Seems to me all that running should be worth more than that.
Monday night Alabama and Notre Dame play for the National Championship in college football. I am picking Bama 24-10. You know the perception of the Southeastern Conference being such a powerhouse football conference that Bama is kind of the favorite in this game just because they are the SEC team playing in this game in which the SEC has won six straight times. Not so fast my friend. The SEC has taken it on the chin in Bowl games so far this year. I don't care for the excuse that the teams didn't care to go to that bowl game. Just maybe the SEC isn't the all powerful OZ this year as in the past. That maybe true but I don't see the Fighting Irish winning this one anyway.
Today starts the ritual of the NFL playoffs. Here is my flip of the coin on who's going to win.
Indy at Baltimore. I know everyone is all up in arms how great these three rookie quarterbacks are but as the season has unfolded Indy played a last place schedule and Andrew Luck only had a 75 QB rating when all the dust has settled on this year. Indy plays outside in Baltimore, Ray Lewis playing in possibly his last game in Baltimore. Ravens 27 Colts 13
Minnesota at Green Bay. Tonight just might be the frozen Tundra. Yesterdays high in Green Bay was 15 and this game is starting at 7pm Green Bay time. Minnesota plays inside and these two teams just played at the Vikes last week. Green Bay 24 Vikings 17
Seattle at Washington. The battle of the best two rookie qb's in the NFL. Most experts are picking the Hawks in this one. Russell Wilson has been great down the stretch for Seattle but they were 3-5 on the road and this game is in Washington. You know Washington played a game and a half without their stud QB when RG3 got hurt late in the season and they still won. Skins 28 Seahawks 23
Cincinnati at Houston. Six weeks ago Houston was on the way to the Super Bowl as maybe the best team in the NFL. Looks like they peaked too early. The Bengals are a solid team but the question is can they win on the road. I say yes. Bengals 35 Houston 24
The ACC basketball season gets cranked up this weekend and it all starts with Duke and Wake today.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Gryphons Take A Bite Out Of The Dogs
By the time this season is over I think you will be able to look back and say that this year's Nash Central Bulldog team was a good one. Tonight however the Rocky Mount Gryphons made them look like a jv team playing the varsity as Rocky Mount humbles Nash Central 81-37.
Midway of the first quarter the Gryphons lead 10-8 but went on a 10-0 run to finish the quarter and then held the Bulldogs to just 6 points in the second and it was over by the half at 39-14. To make it even worse Rocky Mount came out of the half and score the first 13 points of the third and the gym emptied of Nash Central fans at 52-14.
The Gryphons are just so big and athletic that the Bulldogs never could find a opening to get open shots and when you force it most of the time you will not make it. Rocky Mount dominated the boards winning that part of the game 44-30. The Gryphons forced 29 turnovers while they had 20 most of that was sloppy second and third teamers in the game for much of the second quarter and second half.
Donte Battle lead the Gryphons with 16 and M J Gainey lit it up from the outside with 15. Nine other Gryphons scored. Michael Hines 8, Jaquel Bryant 8, Kenaz Cooper 7, Austin Warner 6, Mason Hines 6, Jaequez Jones 6, Immanuel King 4, Broderick Caudle 3 and Tony Batts 2.
Nate Pittman lead the Bulldogs with 10 and brother Daniel had 9.
The Lady Gryphons never really had a period of dominance but a steady pull-a-way lead the Ladies to a 64-47 win over the Lady Bulldogs. J'Kyra Brown didn't not make a field goal in the second half after Rocky Mount nursed a 32-28 halftime lead but Kelsey Daniels and Carmen Richardson picked up the slack. Daniels has 16 rebounds and 14 points while Richardson had 19 points. Brown who had 17 at the half finished with 20 on the game.
Timyra Staton and Niya Styles did all they could for the Bulldogs getting 20 and 16 but with the Gryphons having three leading scorers and Nash Central two the difference in the game was Nash Central didn't have a third scorer to match Rocky Mount.
The Lady Gryphons won the boards 34-21 and turnovers Nash Central had 23 to Rocky Mount's 18. During halftime the Gryphons honored the late Charles Alston with a tribute. Rocky Mount sits a a top of the Big East with Northern Nash who had little trouble with Hunt winning 55-34 while Hunt boys beat Northern 63-41.
The Gryphons don't play again until next Friday night at home against Hunt. Tonight was the first packed house in the new gym and if there is one difference in the new one over the old gym was you could feel the air conditioning keeping the place comfortable where the old barn would have been a hot house.
Midway of the first quarter the Gryphons lead 10-8 but went on a 10-0 run to finish the quarter and then held the Bulldogs to just 6 points in the second and it was over by the half at 39-14. To make it even worse Rocky Mount came out of the half and score the first 13 points of the third and the gym emptied of Nash Central fans at 52-14.
The Gryphons are just so big and athletic that the Bulldogs never could find a opening to get open shots and when you force it most of the time you will not make it. Rocky Mount dominated the boards winning that part of the game 44-30. The Gryphons forced 29 turnovers while they had 20 most of that was sloppy second and third teamers in the game for much of the second quarter and second half.
Donte Battle lead the Gryphons with 16 and M J Gainey lit it up from the outside with 15. Nine other Gryphons scored. Michael Hines 8, Jaquel Bryant 8, Kenaz Cooper 7, Austin Warner 6, Mason Hines 6, Jaequez Jones 6, Immanuel King 4, Broderick Caudle 3 and Tony Batts 2.
Nate Pittman lead the Bulldogs with 10 and brother Daniel had 9.
The Lady Gryphons never really had a period of dominance but a steady pull-a-way lead the Ladies to a 64-47 win over the Lady Bulldogs. J'Kyra Brown didn't not make a field goal in the second half after Rocky Mount nursed a 32-28 halftime lead but Kelsey Daniels and Carmen Richardson picked up the slack. Daniels has 16 rebounds and 14 points while Richardson had 19 points. Brown who had 17 at the half finished with 20 on the game.
Timyra Staton and Niya Styles did all they could for the Bulldogs getting 20 and 16 but with the Gryphons having three leading scorers and Nash Central two the difference in the game was Nash Central didn't have a third scorer to match Rocky Mount.
The Lady Gryphons won the boards 34-21 and turnovers Nash Central had 23 to Rocky Mount's 18. During halftime the Gryphons honored the late Charles Alston with a tribute. Rocky Mount sits a a top of the Big East with Northern Nash who had little trouble with Hunt winning 55-34 while Hunt boys beat Northern 63-41.
The Gryphons don't play again until next Friday night at home against Hunt. Tonight was the first packed house in the new gym and if there is one difference in the new one over the old gym was you could feel the air conditioning keeping the place comfortable where the old barn would have been a hot house.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
How Good Are These Gryphons?
Yes Rocky Mount High School is the defending State 3-A basketball Champions. They now stand at 11-1. I am not sure all of us guessers at how teams will be when seasons start out thought that the Gryphons were going to be this good. Yes we all thought they had a really nice club coming back but 11-1 good?
Conference play starts Friday so the season is just starting but so far Rocky Mount has taken on four 4-A schools at won all four by double digits. Every body knew that junior Donte Battle was becoming a man inside as last year finished up. Who knew that one of the other tall trees was going to be a defensive beast. Jaquel Bryant at times looks shaky handling the ball but when you have the ball and are heading to the basket good luck if you get a shot off without his hand some where on the ball. Then transfer big man Immanuel King gets better every game and he too doesn't like any body trying to score in the lane.
So compared to last year , this year's front court is better than last year. Where this team has to get better is ball handling. Mason Hines so far has been the point guard bringing the ball up and at times tends to not know where the ball is going when he passes to others. Despite that his defense and his driving to the basket ability make him a threat every trip down the court. Brother Michael tends to let the game flow to him and is a good rebounder for a guard. When the outside shot is needed M J Gainey has been lights out so far to help loosen up the middle for the big guys.
Those six will be able to play with anybody but in the Mike Gainey system somebody has to step up to give quality back up. Kenaz Cooper has started getting more playing time and his handling of the ball has improved every time he has been on the court. Thomas Cooper is another player giving three or so minutes especially on defense. You know regardless of which Gainey it is Mike or Pam you had better play defense or you may not find the court. Austin Warner is one of those guys that will surprise you at his couple of minutes each half. He looks like a tackle on the football team which he was but he has that knack of finding the ball when he's in.
It is still early in the season but every now and then this team show flashes. If the back ups improve and become more consistent this teams seems capable of showing more than a flash every now and then. I don't care who you are and how good you can be there is always luck involved with every team and if this bunch stays clear of any injuries there just might be more basketball in March this year.
Conference play starts Friday so the season is just starting but so far Rocky Mount has taken on four 4-A schools at won all four by double digits. Every body knew that junior Donte Battle was becoming a man inside as last year finished up. Who knew that one of the other tall trees was going to be a defensive beast. Jaquel Bryant at times looks shaky handling the ball but when you have the ball and are heading to the basket good luck if you get a shot off without his hand some where on the ball. Then transfer big man Immanuel King gets better every game and he too doesn't like any body trying to score in the lane.
So compared to last year , this year's front court is better than last year. Where this team has to get better is ball handling. Mason Hines so far has been the point guard bringing the ball up and at times tends to not know where the ball is going when he passes to others. Despite that his defense and his driving to the basket ability make him a threat every trip down the court. Brother Michael tends to let the game flow to him and is a good rebounder for a guard. When the outside shot is needed M J Gainey has been lights out so far to help loosen up the middle for the big guys.
Those six will be able to play with anybody but in the Mike Gainey system somebody has to step up to give quality back up. Kenaz Cooper has started getting more playing time and his handling of the ball has improved every time he has been on the court. Thomas Cooper is another player giving three or so minutes especially on defense. You know regardless of which Gainey it is Mike or Pam you had better play defense or you may not find the court. Austin Warner is one of those guys that will surprise you at his couple of minutes each half. He looks like a tackle on the football team which he was but he has that knack of finding the ball when he's in.
It is still early in the season but every now and then this team show flashes. If the back ups improve and become more consistent this teams seems capable of showing more than a flash every now and then. I don't care who you are and how good you can be there is always luck involved with every team and if this bunch stays clear of any injuries there just might be more basketball in March this year.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Gryphons Prune Rose
The Rocky Mount Gryphons open up 2013 hosting Rose High an nearing the half Rocky Mount nursed a 24-22 lead but finished on a 6-0 to lead 30-22 at the break. They came out of the locker room and started the second half on a15-2 run and that was all she wrote for Rose. The Gryphons crush Rose 77-45.
Time after time Rose nearing the basket for a shot found the ball batted away while the ball was in flight by the Gryphon front line of Donte Battle, Jaquel Bryant, and Immanuel King. The Gryphons out rebounded the Rampants 56-30 with Donte Battle hauling down 20 on the night and many were deflected shots that fell into his hands. Jaquel Bryant snatched 11 boards but the Gryphons had six players with at least four rebounds including guard Michael Hines who had 7.
12 Gryphons scored in this one lead by Donte Battle with 16, Jaquel Bryant with 15, M J Gainey 10, Michael Hines 7, Mason Hines 7, Kenaz Cooper 6, Austin Warner 4, J T Smith 3, Immanuel King 3, Tony Batts 2, Armad Harrell 2, Thomas Cooper 2. Cornell Powell Lead the Rampants 20
Gryphons had 26 turnovers compared to only 14 for Rose but the Gryphon tall trees didn't allowed much within ten feet of the basket and the Gryphon guards with M J Gainey outside shooting and the others driving to the basket the Gryphons were simply too tall and too quick for Rose.
The Gryphons are at home again Friday night to begin conference play and at half time of the girls game Rocky Mount High will have a Memorial Service for the late Charles Alston. The Gryphons are now 11-1 on this basketball season.
The girls game can be summed up rather quickly. Too much defense by the Gryphons for Rose. Rose had more turnovers 56 than points 18. Rose had more rebounds than points 19. J'Kyra Brown had more points than Rose 32. Carmen Richardson 14 points and Kelsey Daniels 12 had more points between the two than Rose.
Now the bad News, Rocky Mount made one outside shot all night. Just about every point came on lay ups after a Rose turnover or drives to the basket. This team has to find shooters other than J'Kyra Brown who can score ten feet or more from the basket.
Now the good news. This team can play defense. Rose scored 6 points in the first, 2 in the second, 6 in the third and 4 in the fourth. Rose had at least 10 turnovers or more every quarter including the fourth with the subs in the game. The Ladys are now 8-4 on the season after and rather easy 71-18 thumping of Rose.
Tonight at Northern Nash the top two girls teams in 3-A basketball according to the polls collided and the Lady Knights of Northern Nash just might be #1 in the state next week barring a slip up Friday in conference plays as they beat Chapel Hill by 9.
Remember a couple of weeks ago ECU gave Carolina a run for their money in basketball losing by six. Tonight those Fighting Camels of Campbell beat ECU in Greenville 85-81 in over time. I just thought I would mention that score.
Time after time Rose nearing the basket for a shot found the ball batted away while the ball was in flight by the Gryphon front line of Donte Battle, Jaquel Bryant, and Immanuel King. The Gryphons out rebounded the Rampants 56-30 with Donte Battle hauling down 20 on the night and many were deflected shots that fell into his hands. Jaquel Bryant snatched 11 boards but the Gryphons had six players with at least four rebounds including guard Michael Hines who had 7.
12 Gryphons scored in this one lead by Donte Battle with 16, Jaquel Bryant with 15, M J Gainey 10, Michael Hines 7, Mason Hines 7, Kenaz Cooper 6, Austin Warner 4, J T Smith 3, Immanuel King 3, Tony Batts 2, Armad Harrell 2, Thomas Cooper 2. Cornell Powell Lead the Rampants 20
Gryphons had 26 turnovers compared to only 14 for Rose but the Gryphon tall trees didn't allowed much within ten feet of the basket and the Gryphon guards with M J Gainey outside shooting and the others driving to the basket the Gryphons were simply too tall and too quick for Rose.
The Gryphons are at home again Friday night to begin conference play and at half time of the girls game Rocky Mount High will have a Memorial Service for the late Charles Alston. The Gryphons are now 11-1 on this basketball season.
The girls game can be summed up rather quickly. Too much defense by the Gryphons for Rose. Rose had more turnovers 56 than points 18. Rose had more rebounds than points 19. J'Kyra Brown had more points than Rose 32. Carmen Richardson 14 points and Kelsey Daniels 12 had more points between the two than Rose.
Now the bad News, Rocky Mount made one outside shot all night. Just about every point came on lay ups after a Rose turnover or drives to the basket. This team has to find shooters other than J'Kyra Brown who can score ten feet or more from the basket.
Now the good news. This team can play defense. Rose scored 6 points in the first, 2 in the second, 6 in the third and 4 in the fourth. Rose had at least 10 turnovers or more every quarter including the fourth with the subs in the game. The Ladys are now 8-4 on the season after and rather easy 71-18 thumping of Rose.
Tonight at Northern Nash the top two girls teams in 3-A basketball according to the polls collided and the Lady Knights of Northern Nash just might be #1 in the state next week barring a slip up Friday in conference plays as they beat Chapel Hill by 9.
Remember a couple of weeks ago ECU gave Carolina a run for their money in basketball losing by six. Tonight those Fighting Camels of Campbell beat ECU in Greenville 85-81 in over time. I just thought I would mention that score.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
2012 A Look Back At The Gryphons
We start the new year off with a look back at another great year for those associated with Rocky Mount High School. Not all the top moments are happy ones.
10: Gryphons Lose Coach: No, not every coach left because he wanted to but death struck the Gryphon family when Girls JV softball coach died. Rossie Tyler never had the chance to walk the new halls of the new Rocky Mount High.
9: Three former Gryphons flourish. Brain Goodwin got the call to AA level of baseball for the Washington Nationals while Benton Moss because a weekend starter leading to Freshman All American honors at Carolina. Team mate Hobbs Johnson finished the year off at Carolina joining Moss in the Carolina weekend pitching rotation.
8: Coach Of the Year. Leading his team to their second state title in three years Mike Gainey was named by the North Carolina basketball coaches association as 3-A coach of the year.
7: Jason Battle Football Coach. After being named the New Gryphon football coach lead them to the playoffs and 8-3 record making playoffs for the first time in three years.
6: Boys/Girls Reach Regional Finals. The first time in the history of Rocky Mount High both the boys and girls made it all the way to the basketball Regional finals the same year.
5: Hall Of Fame. Former Rocky Mount Great and North Carolina basketball player Phil Ford was named to the College Basketball Hall Of fame.
4: Shock Of Year. If there was ever anyone who could tell you about every Gryphon player in any sport it was Charles Alston. His death leaves a major void for keeping up with Gryphon History.
3: State Champion Runner. Paul Lilley won the one mile run in the State Indoor track Championships
2: Wells Fargo Cup. The Gryphons won the 2011/2012 Wells Fargo Cup in the Big East being the most all round athletic school in the Big East.
1: State Champs Again. Rocky Mount boys won their second basketball title in three years beating Hickory 78-64. It is their fifth title of all time.
10: Gryphons Lose Coach: No, not every coach left because he wanted to but death struck the Gryphon family when Girls JV softball coach died. Rossie Tyler never had the chance to walk the new halls of the new Rocky Mount High.
9: Three former Gryphons flourish. Brain Goodwin got the call to AA level of baseball for the Washington Nationals while Benton Moss because a weekend starter leading to Freshman All American honors at Carolina. Team mate Hobbs Johnson finished the year off at Carolina joining Moss in the Carolina weekend pitching rotation.
8: Coach Of the Year. Leading his team to their second state title in three years Mike Gainey was named by the North Carolina basketball coaches association as 3-A coach of the year.
7: Jason Battle Football Coach. After being named the New Gryphon football coach lead them to the playoffs and 8-3 record making playoffs for the first time in three years.
6: Boys/Girls Reach Regional Finals. The first time in the history of Rocky Mount High both the boys and girls made it all the way to the basketball Regional finals the same year.
5: Hall Of Fame. Former Rocky Mount Great and North Carolina basketball player Phil Ford was named to the College Basketball Hall Of fame.
4: Shock Of Year. If there was ever anyone who could tell you about every Gryphon player in any sport it was Charles Alston. His death leaves a major void for keeping up with Gryphon History.
3: State Champion Runner. Paul Lilley won the one mile run in the State Indoor track Championships
2: Wells Fargo Cup. The Gryphons won the 2011/2012 Wells Fargo Cup in the Big East being the most all round athletic school in the Big East.
1: State Champs Again. Rocky Mount boys won their second basketball title in three years beating Hickory 78-64. It is their fifth title of all time.
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