Rocky Mount did everything possible to play a vital Big East Conference baseball game today by moving the game up from 7pm to 4 but that didn't work either. By the time the game reached one out in the bottom of the second rain started and Rod Ramsey the home plate umpire wary of off in the distance rumbling of thunder the Firebirds managed to get the Gryphons out. Ramsey put a halt to play and within ten minutes the game is postponed even though the rain wasn't a down pour we all knew it was coming.
The weather forecast is for the same tomorrow and possible even Thursday. A game at Northern on Friday. There is a baseball tournament at Rocky Mount high this weekend as well as Legion Field. The game will be resumed at 5pm Monday.
Last night Hunt beat Southern Nash 10-0 so as of this writing Northern stands at 6-2. Fike and Hunt are 5-3 and Rocky Mount and Nash Central are 4-4.
Walked in the door at home just about 5pm and wife Pat is on the phone with daughter Morgan on the way home from Campbell as she had her final exam today at 3pm. She is driving up I-95 and runs up on that storm that hit Kenly. It rained so hard she stopped twice the first at the rest stop at Selma. Once the sun came out she starts up 95 and runs into the backside of that same storm and pulls off at Kenly at about the time the tornado hits just a mile back down 95. In a panic I advised her to get to the nearest business which turns out to be McDonalds and watch the weather and if she sees a funnel cloud head to bathroom. Don't worry mom and dad are on the way. The manager when he heard a tornado had hit close by he put all his employees in the bathrooms along with one scared customer.
Here we go Pat and I listening to the radio, they are talking the storm is heading right down 95 so we decide to take 301. Just about Halifax Road and 301 it starts pouring rain and by the time we went by Firestone part of the road is cover with water. There was talk that hail was falling north of Wilson so we decided to park under an over pass just in case the ice would not damage the car. About 15 minutes we move forward and at times rain was heavy on top of what had already fallen.
Once we get into Wilson traffic is heavy because there are many areas at corners of streets are under water and any low spots were covered. We made it up to near what use to be the Purina grain bins where the railroad underpass is located and of course that under pass is down in a valley. Looking ahead a car was under the underpass and the top of the car was all you could see. It is time for a detour.
It took about and hour treading many intersections under water to get over on highway 42. We had decided by this time we need to make our way to 95. By this time the rain is sporadic and once we cleared the hospital traffic there was a flow out to 95. By now the sun is shining but looking down 95 is the blackest cloud we had seen all Day and it is near Kenly
Finally just as we arrive at the McDonalds it starts raining again but by now a panicked child is smothered with hugs from a happy mother glad to see her baby. The ride home was rather simple but you talk about a tired dog papa was glad to be home from an hour forty five minute trip to Kenly and a thirty minute ride home.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
The Weather Will Be A Factor
The Rocky Mount High baseball and softball games have been moved up to 4pm trying to beat the oncoming rains and severe weather. Northern Nash's games have been also mvoed up.
The entire high school basketball season was dotted with snow and ice and by the time the last week of the season arrived teams just didn't have enough days to get in a full schedule. The conference champions The Hunt Warriors missed out out by one game getting all their conference games in.
Fast forward three months and baseball enters the last week of the season in much better shape than basketball as the only Hunt and Southern Nash gamed rainout Last Friday being only game on the schedule being behind, but then there is the weather forecast. I haven't seen at this time the results of the Warrior-Firebird Monday night.
Both Tuesday's games and any make up game lost on Tuesday due to the weather that would be played on Wednesday just might be in jeopardy because the forecast 90 per cent chance of rain both days which could push the Tuesday games all the way to Thursday and set up a Thursday/Friday back to back days this week to finish the season.
I don't want to even comment on the comments supposedly spoken by the LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling. I see there is only one answer for the NBA. A league that has 70 per cent of their players are black has to somehow or other force him to sell the team. Here is the problem. How can you punish a 82 year old man that when he bought the team for 20 million and make him sell the team when the team is worth 600 million?
Are you going to force him just turn over the team to us (NBA) for nothing? Should the players just boycott the next game. The Clippers were one of the favorites to win the west division and for the players to just lose on purpose takes playoff money out of their pocket.
Last night was the last game ever by the Charlotte Bobcats. Today is the first day of the return of the Hornets. Bring out all of that teal you have in your closet.
Fast forward three months and baseball enters the last week of the season in much better shape than basketball as the only Hunt and Southern Nash gamed rainout Last Friday being only game on the schedule being behind, but then there is the weather forecast. I haven't seen at this time the results of the Warrior-Firebird Monday night.
Both Tuesday's games and any make up game lost on Tuesday due to the weather that would be played on Wednesday just might be in jeopardy because the forecast 90 per cent chance of rain both days which could push the Tuesday games all the way to Thursday and set up a Thursday/Friday back to back days this week to finish the season.
I don't want to even comment on the comments supposedly spoken by the LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling. I see there is only one answer for the NBA. A league that has 70 per cent of their players are black has to somehow or other force him to sell the team. Here is the problem. How can you punish a 82 year old man that when he bought the team for 20 million and make him sell the team when the team is worth 600 million?
Are you going to force him just turn over the team to us (NBA) for nothing? Should the players just boycott the next game. The Clippers were one of the favorites to win the west division and for the players to just lose on purpose takes playoff money out of their pocket.
Last night was the last game ever by the Charlotte Bobcats. Today is the first day of the return of the Hornets. Bring out all of that teal you have in your closet.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Down The Stretch Neck And Neck
The final week of Big East baseball starts tonight with the rainout makeup game between Hunt and Southern Nash. After tonight all Big East teams will be down to two games each to finish the regular season.
I say regular season because I just found out Sunday that next week the Big East will have a conference tournament. The only thing that hasn't been decided yet as exactly how are they going to do the tournament? It has been discussed that one plays six, two plays five and three meets four with the top team left standing get a bye in the second. All first round games would be Monday.
If they do try this new formula and all three top seeds win then one would get a bye in the second round and two and three would play Tuesday. The winner would play the top seed Thursday. There is of course the old system one and two get a bye and three plays six and four plays five. What ever way they decide it will start Monday May 5th.
The big question is who will make the top three spots and will make the playoffs? Northern as they say has control of their own destiny. If they beat both Fike and Rocky Mount they are the champs of the regular season. Hunt becomes the first team that is still in the running for the title that must beat Southern Nash this week. Any team including Rocky Mount Tuesday and Nash Central Friday that would lose to the winless Firebirds would eliminate themselves from any chance of still tying for the title but they would hurt their playoff hopes of finishing in the top three.
So for Nash Central and Rocky Mount both needing plenty of outside help but they have got to win both of their games this week to stay alive for the playoffs. The best scenario for all three Rocky Mount teams getting the top three spots would be for Northern to beat Fike at home Tuesday. Nash Central knock off Hunt Tuesday and it wouldn't matter who won the Fike-Hunt game Friday because the loser would have five losses. The final straw to get all three in would be Rocky Mount beating Northern Friday.
The way this season has unfolded here is about how this playoff picture will be decided. I can see Northern and one of the Wilson County schools who start the week with three losses. One of them will not lose this week and there will be a three way tie for third and the third spot will be decided by next week's tournament.
I say regular season because I just found out Sunday that next week the Big East will have a conference tournament. The only thing that hasn't been decided yet as exactly how are they going to do the tournament? It has been discussed that one plays six, two plays five and three meets four with the top team left standing get a bye in the second. All first round games would be Monday.
If they do try this new formula and all three top seeds win then one would get a bye in the second round and two and three would play Tuesday. The winner would play the top seed Thursday. There is of course the old system one and two get a bye and three plays six and four plays five. What ever way they decide it will start Monday May 5th.
The big question is who will make the top three spots and will make the playoffs? Northern as they say has control of their own destiny. If they beat both Fike and Rocky Mount they are the champs of the regular season. Hunt becomes the first team that is still in the running for the title that must beat Southern Nash this week. Any team including Rocky Mount Tuesday and Nash Central Friday that would lose to the winless Firebirds would eliminate themselves from any chance of still tying for the title but they would hurt their playoff hopes of finishing in the top three.
So for Nash Central and Rocky Mount both needing plenty of outside help but they have got to win both of their games this week to stay alive for the playoffs. The best scenario for all three Rocky Mount teams getting the top three spots would be for Northern to beat Fike at home Tuesday. Nash Central knock off Hunt Tuesday and it wouldn't matter who won the Fike-Hunt game Friday because the loser would have five losses. The final straw to get all three in would be Rocky Mount beating Northern Friday.
The way this season has unfolded here is about how this playoff picture will be decided. I can see Northern and one of the Wilson County schools who start the week with three losses. One of them will not lose this week and there will be a three way tie for third and the third spot will be decided by next week's tournament.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
The ACC Tournament Needs Pack And Heels
There is all kinds of talk about the flat bat being used in college baseball that they need to make a bat next year that puts more ump in a hit ball. Regardless of what bat is being used this year if the ACC wants another year of record breaking crowds North Carolina needs to hang on to a top ten spot and somehow or other the Pack needs to pass a couple and hope nobody behind passes them in the final month of the season.
The talk at the beginning of the season was that NC State was now a baseball school. You know the way WolfPack fans are if they somehow they make the ACC Tournament then there will be that we are getting hot at the right time and will flock to Greensboro. Rodon just might pitch the Tuesday game should Pack make it just because they will need to make the top eight to get three more games.
Carolina is within the top eight but still might have to play the Tuesday play in day. Their problem they have no wiggle room with Florida State and Miami to go in weekend series. They could still fall below 10th. Do you think that even if the Heels make the tournament they are going to flock to Greensboro to watch a team that is floundering. You know in the last ten years the Tar Heels have been almost automatic for Omaha but this team looks as far from Greensboro as Omaha.
I don't think it makes much difference what kind of bat they have if you can't even get a single when you have runners on. Carlos Rodon is 2-5 for the Pack in eight conference starts. He has average over eight innings pitched in each of those games and completed three of the eight.
Benton Moss for Carolina has had more run support but has had just as much trouble for the Heels holding leads. Saturday Moss goes seven innings and had a 5-4 lead when he left but for a change the Heels added to the lead and won 6-4. It makes Benton record at 3-2 on the season.
Carolina is now 12-11 in conference play and it looks as if it will take 14 wins to make top ten and 17 wins to not have to play on Tuesday in the 7-10/ 8/9 games. State is 9-15 and is at this point they can't lose another with any hope of evening making the top ten or watch the playoffs from the beach for the summer.
It would not hurt if both the Pack and Heels get to Greensboro but one thing the ACC can't afford is neither make the tournament.
The talk at the beginning of the season was that NC State was now a baseball school. You know the way WolfPack fans are if they somehow they make the ACC Tournament then there will be that we are getting hot at the right time and will flock to Greensboro. Rodon just might pitch the Tuesday game should Pack make it just because they will need to make the top eight to get three more games.
Carolina is within the top eight but still might have to play the Tuesday play in day. Their problem they have no wiggle room with Florida State and Miami to go in weekend series. They could still fall below 10th. Do you think that even if the Heels make the tournament they are going to flock to Greensboro to watch a team that is floundering. You know in the last ten years the Tar Heels have been almost automatic for Omaha but this team looks as far from Greensboro as Omaha.
I don't think it makes much difference what kind of bat they have if you can't even get a single when you have runners on. Carlos Rodon is 2-5 for the Pack in eight conference starts. He has average over eight innings pitched in each of those games and completed three of the eight.
Benton Moss for Carolina has had more run support but has had just as much trouble for the Heels holding leads. Saturday Moss goes seven innings and had a 5-4 lead when he left but for a change the Heels added to the lead and won 6-4. It makes Benton record at 3-2 on the season.
Carolina is now 12-11 in conference play and it looks as if it will take 14 wins to make top ten and 17 wins to not have to play on Tuesday in the 7-10/ 8/9 games. State is 9-15 and is at this point they can't lose another with any hope of evening making the top ten or watch the playoffs from the beach for the summer.
It would not hurt if both the Pack and Heels get to Greensboro but one thing the ACC can't afford is neither make the tournament.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Northern Holds All The Cards
One week to go and Northern Nash was able to play two games in a week without losing a conference game. There have not many weeks anybody else has been able to say that. I have not seen any evidence that Hunt-Southern Nash got there game in last night so Hunt is faced with playing three conference games between now and by the end of Friday night.
Northern still has Fike to play a team they beat at Fike 7-3. Nash Central and Rocky Mount must win their games Tuesday but both those teams with four losses need Fike to win to leave them any chance of somehow remaining alive to get into a combo of ties for first.
Northern at 6-2 but Fike 5-3 and right now Hunt with three losses at 4-3. What both the Bulldogs and Gryphons need is Fike to beat Northern, Nash Central beat Hunt, Hunt beat Fike Friday and Rocky Mount beat the Knights Friday. All of this is reasonable as long as everyone who plays Southern Nash beats them. You know if all these scenarios happen then there is a real mess with a five way tie with the top five all being 6-4.
Northern can put a stop to the what if's if they beat Fike Tuesday. That would only leave them to watch out for Hunt who could still tie at the top but remember they will have three games to play. If Northern beats Fike then Rocky Mount and Nash Central are closer to getting playoff spots as long as they win. That word win has been big trouble for everyone in this conference this year.
Jackson Willis of Nash Central won the Big East Tennis title beating Rocky Mount's Kevin Ramirez 7-6-6-2.
The Northern doubles team of Tremel Davis and Matt Outlaw beat the Fike doubles team of Thomas Smith and Reid Harrison 6-0-6-2.
Hunt High boys and girls swim teams won the NCHSAA Scholars-Athletes team award for having the highest GPA averages in the entire state. The boys swim team had a GPA of 3.634 while the girls were a little higher with a 3.770.
The Pack has done it again. They are shutout by the other teams best pitcher when the Pack's best pitcher Carlos Rodon gives up one run. Carolina sneaks one out against Virginia Tech. The Heels have won just enough to make ACC Tournament while the Pack has lost enough to be out.
Northern still has Fike to play a team they beat at Fike 7-3. Nash Central and Rocky Mount must win their games Tuesday but both those teams with four losses need Fike to win to leave them any chance of somehow remaining alive to get into a combo of ties for first.
Northern at 6-2 but Fike 5-3 and right now Hunt with three losses at 4-3. What both the Bulldogs and Gryphons need is Fike to beat Northern, Nash Central beat Hunt, Hunt beat Fike Friday and Rocky Mount beat the Knights Friday. All of this is reasonable as long as everyone who plays Southern Nash beats them. You know if all these scenarios happen then there is a real mess with a five way tie with the top five all being 6-4.
Northern can put a stop to the what if's if they beat Fike Tuesday. That would only leave them to watch out for Hunt who could still tie at the top but remember they will have three games to play. If Northern beats Fike then Rocky Mount and Nash Central are closer to getting playoff spots as long as they win. That word win has been big trouble for everyone in this conference this year.
Jackson Willis of Nash Central won the Big East Tennis title beating Rocky Mount's Kevin Ramirez 7-6-6-2.
The Northern doubles team of Tremel Davis and Matt Outlaw beat the Fike doubles team of Thomas Smith and Reid Harrison 6-0-6-2.
Hunt High boys and girls swim teams won the NCHSAA Scholars-Athletes team award for having the highest GPA averages in the entire state. The boys swim team had a GPA of 3.634 while the girls were a little higher with a 3.770.
The Pack has done it again. They are shutout by the other teams best pitcher when the Pack's best pitcher Carlos Rodon gives up one run. Carolina sneaks one out against Virginia Tech. The Heels have won just enough to make ACC Tournament while the Pack has lost enough to be out.
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Strangle Hold
This topsy turvey Big East has five teams who have a shot at the title. Going into tonight's game at Nash Central Northern Nash got the lead by virtue of Fike's loss on Wednesday and should they lose tonight we are back in a who wants it. Tonight Northern Nash wants no part of a tie with anybody and used a seven run fifth inning and now have a strangle hold on first after a 9-4 victory over the Bulldogs.
The Knights started their ace Derrick Carter who gets the win as he pitches four plus innings but was rocked in the fourth by three straight hits but by this time the Knights had already scored seven in the top of the fifth. Tyler Barrett came in and put out the fire and secured the victory and first place for the Knights.
Northern scored one in the second but The Bulldogs scored one in their half of the second. The Knights took the lead for good on three straight hits in the fourth and the third was an RBI double by Alex Cooke.
Northern ended all suspense in the fifth plating seven runs on four hits but the Bulldog pitchers added to their troubles walking in two runs and the defense committed two errors. Northern collected ten hits on the night with Chad Nelms, Jacob Green and Tyler Barrett getting two a piece. Chad Haggerty, Derrick Carter,Nick Vester and Alex Cooke all had a hit.
The Bulldogs collected eight hits and if the score had of been different Kyle Taylor with three hits just might had of been the hero. David Sutton, Tyler King, Zack Denton, Noah Strock and Patrick Horne reach base with hits
Northern heads home with two home games next week at least a one game lead with a 6-2 record. Fike at 5-3 gets their shot at Northern Tuesday night so there is still plenty of hope for all five of the top teams in the Big East.
The Knights started their ace Derrick Carter who gets the win as he pitches four plus innings but was rocked in the fourth by three straight hits but by this time the Knights had already scored seven in the top of the fifth. Tyler Barrett came in and put out the fire and secured the victory and first place for the Knights.
Northern scored one in the second but The Bulldogs scored one in their half of the second. The Knights took the lead for good on three straight hits in the fourth and the third was an RBI double by Alex Cooke.
Northern ended all suspense in the fifth plating seven runs on four hits but the Bulldog pitchers added to their troubles walking in two runs and the defense committed two errors. Northern collected ten hits on the night with Chad Nelms, Jacob Green and Tyler Barrett getting two a piece. Chad Haggerty, Derrick Carter,Nick Vester and Alex Cooke all had a hit.
The Bulldogs collected eight hits and if the score had of been different Kyle Taylor with three hits just might had of been the hero. David Sutton, Tyler King, Zack Denton, Noah Strock and Patrick Horne reach base with hits
Northern heads home with two home games next week at least a one game lead with a 6-2 record. Fike at 5-3 gets their shot at Northern Tuesday night so there is still plenty of hope for all five of the top teams in the Big East.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Up And Out Of The Coffin
Ten days into the Big East Conference season Rocky Mount stood 0-3 and tied for last with Southern Nash. Tonight Rocky Mount travels to Fike and the last time these two met it went extra innings before Fike applied one of those first three losses. Rocky Mount scores four in the first two innings and never trails as they Knock Fike out of a tie with Northern Nash winning at Fike 11-6
Tuesday the Gryphons knocked off Hunt who had beaten the Gryphons the first time around and tonight's win get the a Gryphons to 4-4 while it knocks Fike down to 5-3. The Big East games Tuesday saw Fike beat Nash Central 10-3 and Northern got by Southern 5-3. As of tonight Northern Nash is in first with a 5-2 record, Fike is 5-3, Hunt is 4-3, Nash Central stands 4-3 Rocky Mount 4-4 and Southern is 0-7.
Friday night Nash Central travels to Northern and the Bulldogs will be in a must win situation as they trail Northern by one game with three to play and a loss to Northern would put them down two with two to play. Hunt plays Southern Friday and you would figure this is a must win for Hunt. The second time around the Firebirds are playing everyone much better than during the first cycle.
Rocky Mount having won four of their last five have played themselves right into the playoff picture. How close is Big East baseball this year? Five teams have won at least half of their games and only Southern has a losing record.
Dante Battle has announced that he has signed with Wallace State in Alabama and will play Junior College Basketball his first two seasons. This will leave him options to play D1 basketball after Juco.
Looked on the ECU Women's basketball web page today that J''Kyra Brown after averaging 5.8 points per game was named The Lady Pirates offensive player of the year. Then this afternoon saw on J's twitter account that she has asked for and has been given her release from the basketball team at ECU. Boy talk about a shocker. Way back even as a sophomore at Rocky Mount J pretty much told all the recruiters that she was going to ECU no need to try to recruit her.
Saw on FaceBook earlier this week that Tia Hudgins has a leg problem and will no longer play basketball for Queens University. Tia had a really nice freshman year having to learn the guard position after playing small forward at Rocky Mount.
Finally tonight looked up the Lander Division 2 baseball page and former Gryphon Thomas Berry leads the nation in walks on the season in D2 having walked 45 times in 46 games. He is also hitting 331 on the year for the Bearcats. You also might remember that Baseball Britt Johnson is the assistant for Lander and they stand 40-6 on the season and are ranked 2nd in the nation. Wouldn't 't be great if Lander makes it to the D2 World Series in Cary.
Tuesday the Gryphons knocked off Hunt who had beaten the Gryphons the first time around and tonight's win get the a Gryphons to 4-4 while it knocks Fike down to 5-3. The Big East games Tuesday saw Fike beat Nash Central 10-3 and Northern got by Southern 5-3. As of tonight Northern Nash is in first with a 5-2 record, Fike is 5-3, Hunt is 4-3, Nash Central stands 4-3 Rocky Mount 4-4 and Southern is 0-7.
Friday night Nash Central travels to Northern and the Bulldogs will be in a must win situation as they trail Northern by one game with three to play and a loss to Northern would put them down two with two to play. Hunt plays Southern Friday and you would figure this is a must win for Hunt. The second time around the Firebirds are playing everyone much better than during the first cycle.
Rocky Mount having won four of their last five have played themselves right into the playoff picture. How close is Big East baseball this year? Five teams have won at least half of their games and only Southern has a losing record.
Dante Battle has announced that he has signed with Wallace State in Alabama and will play Junior College Basketball his first two seasons. This will leave him options to play D1 basketball after Juco.
Looked on the ECU Women's basketball web page today that J''Kyra Brown after averaging 5.8 points per game was named The Lady Pirates offensive player of the year. Then this afternoon saw on J's twitter account that she has asked for and has been given her release from the basketball team at ECU. Boy talk about a shocker. Way back even as a sophomore at Rocky Mount J pretty much told all the recruiters that she was going to ECU no need to try to recruit her.
Saw on FaceBook earlier this week that Tia Hudgins has a leg problem and will no longer play basketball for Queens University. Tia had a really nice freshman year having to learn the guard position after playing small forward at Rocky Mount.
Finally tonight looked up the Lander Division 2 baseball page and former Gryphon Thomas Berry leads the nation in walks on the season in D2 having walked 45 times in 46 games. He is also hitting 331 on the year for the Bearcats. You also might remember that Baseball Britt Johnson is the assistant for Lander and they stand 40-6 on the season and are ranked 2nd in the nation. Wouldn't 't be great if Lander makes it to the D2 World Series in Cary.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Ain't Dead Yet
Tonight Rocky Mount High with one foot in the coffin for no playoff life knock off one of the four leaders tied at the top of Big East Baseball beating Hunt 4-3 in nine innings.
Cody Smith did all he could do but gets a no decision for his pitching effort. Josh Carter who on the night made three errors in the field but gets the winning hit in the bottom of the ninth gets the Gryphons a much needed win. Blake Helms in relief gets the pitching win.
The Gryphons raised their conference record to 3-4 while Hunt who entered the night in a four way tie for first drops to 4-3 with three conference games to play. Hunt has it's next conference game at home Friday hosting Southern Nash while the Gryphons have no celebration time they travel to Fike Wednesday night in another one foot in the coffin game.
That game begins at 6pm tonight.
Tonight I was in Raleigh and went to the Campbell/State baseball game won by Campbell 9-0. Boy with all the expectations N C State had and even started 14-2 they are playing like a team going the wrong way on a one way street.
I ran into Derrick Whittenburg and we spoke to each other and I asked him if he remembered me. If you are a dedicated reader of this blog at some point I have told the story about playing basketball in an ACC All Star traveling show way back in 1986.
To remind you of the story while living in Ahoskie I was the play by play voice of Chowan College basketball during the time Nate McMillan play there and later he played two years at State. McMillan's senior year someone gets Nate and the Senior all stars to come to Murfreesboro high school and I am playing for the news media.
This just happens to be the first Duke team in 86 that made it to the final four and their four seniors Jay Bilas, Johnny Dawkins, Mark Allarie and David Henderson are playing as well as McMillan and McMillan brings along a friend to play in the game Derrick Whittenburg who is three years removed from college basketball.
The news media clowns are warming up shooting lay ups like a regular team would do and each all star is announced one at a time and a full house of about 800 stands and cheers but the big roar is for home town hero Nate McMillan.
The last player announced was the surprise player who is the sixth player Derrick Whittenburg. I am just shooting a layup and I am running back to the end of the line while Whit is being introduced. All of a sudden I feel this arm go around my shoulder and it is Whittenburg and he says to me "Hey man how you doing"? The whole time he is leading me down to the far end of the court where the all stars are warming up.
The entire 20 yard walk he is just talking away to me still with his arm around my shoulders. Everybody in the place thinks I'm buddies with Whittenburg. Finally when it's time to start warming up he leans over to me and says "I need to ask you a question. What's a fat guy like you playing in this game"? I told him I would show him why I was playing.
I did too scored three points in the game and we loss about 139-49. We had'em for a while.
Cody Smith did all he could do but gets a no decision for his pitching effort. Josh Carter who on the night made three errors in the field but gets the winning hit in the bottom of the ninth gets the Gryphons a much needed win. Blake Helms in relief gets the pitching win.
The Gryphons raised their conference record to 3-4 while Hunt who entered the night in a four way tie for first drops to 4-3 with three conference games to play. Hunt has it's next conference game at home Friday hosting Southern Nash while the Gryphons have no celebration time they travel to Fike Wednesday night in another one foot in the coffin game.
That game begins at 6pm tonight.
Tonight I was in Raleigh and went to the Campbell/State baseball game won by Campbell 9-0. Boy with all the expectations N C State had and even started 14-2 they are playing like a team going the wrong way on a one way street.
I ran into Derrick Whittenburg and we spoke to each other and I asked him if he remembered me. If you are a dedicated reader of this blog at some point I have told the story about playing basketball in an ACC All Star traveling show way back in 1986.
To remind you of the story while living in Ahoskie I was the play by play voice of Chowan College basketball during the time Nate McMillan play there and later he played two years at State. McMillan's senior year someone gets Nate and the Senior all stars to come to Murfreesboro high school and I am playing for the news media.
This just happens to be the first Duke team in 86 that made it to the final four and their four seniors Jay Bilas, Johnny Dawkins, Mark Allarie and David Henderson are playing as well as McMillan and McMillan brings along a friend to play in the game Derrick Whittenburg who is three years removed from college basketball.
The news media clowns are warming up shooting lay ups like a regular team would do and each all star is announced one at a time and a full house of about 800 stands and cheers but the big roar is for home town hero Nate McMillan.
The last player announced was the surprise player who is the sixth player Derrick Whittenburg. I am just shooting a layup and I am running back to the end of the line while Whit is being introduced. All of a sudden I feel this arm go around my shoulder and it is Whittenburg and he says to me "Hey man how you doing"? The whole time he is leading me down to the far end of the court where the all stars are warming up.
The entire 20 yard walk he is just talking away to me still with his arm around my shoulders. Everybody in the place thinks I'm buddies with Whittenburg. Finally when it's time to start warming up he leans over to me and says "I need to ask you a question. What's a fat guy like you playing in this game"? I told him I would show him why I was playing.
I did too scored three points in the game and we loss about 139-49. We had'em for a while.
Wide Open Two Weeks
There is a tie at the top of Big East Baseball with two weeks and four games to go. Just who is going to win the three playoff spots is wide open for debate. Looking at the first six games nobody seems to have an edge. There is one thing for sure somebody who is just as good as everybody else will not make the playoffs because these next four games they will lose more than they win.
The four teams tied at the top are Hunt, Fike, Northern Nash and Nash Central. So far through six conference games Hunt by far has the best offense. They have scored 54 runs in six games which is just short of nine runs per game. 25 of those runs came in one game against Southern. Against all others they are scoring just under six per game.
The other end of the offense machine is Northern Nash who has scored only sixteen runs in their six conferences. That is a measly two and a half runs per contest. Rocky Mount who stands in fifth spot in the standings has scored twenty six runs. That's almost two runs per game more than Northern has scored. Both Fike and Nash Central have crossed the plate twenty nine times which is still twenty five runs behind Hunt. Poor old Southern has scored but three runs in six games. It is easy to see why they are winless in six games.
The opposite end of the spectrum is the defense. Northern Nash despite scoring but sixteen has given up only 13. That is a tad more than two per game given up but less than half run per game difference every game. Hunt not only has scored the most runs but they are tied with Northern giving up the least. It begs the question how has Hunt lost twice in conference scoring the most and tied giving up the least.
Fike has given up twenty three runs while Nash Central has allowed thirty one. Fike has score one run a game more than they have given up while the Bulldogs have given up more than they have scored.
Rocky Mount who sits in fifth a full two games behind the top four has scored the fourth most in twenty six while they are third best in runs allowed in twenty two. This does point to how close all five teams are and if Rocky Mount won all of their remaining four games they could not only make the playoff but just might tie for the top.
One would think that of the four tied for the lead the one that wins three of the final four will win the conference. There is a good chance two or three just might tie for the top and then how are they going to figure seedings. It is for sure if one team tied at the top wins all four of their remaining games they will win the conference title. Just who is that going to be is wide open.
The four teams tied at the top are Hunt, Fike, Northern Nash and Nash Central. So far through six conference games Hunt by far has the best offense. They have scored 54 runs in six games which is just short of nine runs per game. 25 of those runs came in one game against Southern. Against all others they are scoring just under six per game.
The other end of the offense machine is Northern Nash who has scored only sixteen runs in their six conferences. That is a measly two and a half runs per contest. Rocky Mount who stands in fifth spot in the standings has scored twenty six runs. That's almost two runs per game more than Northern has scored. Both Fike and Nash Central have crossed the plate twenty nine times which is still twenty five runs behind Hunt. Poor old Southern has scored but three runs in six games. It is easy to see why they are winless in six games.
The opposite end of the spectrum is the defense. Northern Nash despite scoring but sixteen has given up only 13. That is a tad more than two per game given up but less than half run per game difference every game. Hunt not only has scored the most runs but they are tied with Northern giving up the least. It begs the question how has Hunt lost twice in conference scoring the most and tied giving up the least.
Fike has given up twenty three runs while Nash Central has allowed thirty one. Fike has score one run a game more than they have given up while the Bulldogs have given up more than they have scored.
Rocky Mount who sits in fifth a full two games behind the top four has scored the fourth most in twenty six while they are third best in runs allowed in twenty two. This does point to how close all five teams are and if Rocky Mount won all of their remaining four games they could not only make the playoff but just might tie for the top.
One would think that of the four tied for the lead the one that wins three of the final four will win the conference. There is a good chance two or three just might tie for the top and then how are they going to figure seedings. It is for sure if one team tied at the top wins all four of their remaining games they will win the conference title. Just who is that going to be is wide open.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Staying The Same Is Backing Up
Last June after both Carolina and NC State both assumed that the road to return to Omaha was a fore gone conclusion they have found this year to be a different. Both this weekend lost two out of three games. Yes, Carolina lost to the top team in the country while State lost the the last place team in the league. State was starting a 15 game home stand that would catapult them into the ACC Tournament.
Carolina at 10-11 in conference play is in the midst of their hardest stretch of games they will play all year. They have their finger nails dug in hanging and clinging to a spot to make ACC Tournament.
The Pack losing two of three puts them in a position where they really don't need to lose another conference the rest of the way. They are 7-14 and are closer to 14th spot than 10th to get in the tournament.
We live every day with expectations of what we want to accomplish and we set goals to reach those expectations. Who in the world would expect Duke and Wake to be vastly improved. Who would expect Carolina and State to be such average hitting teams. Neither is getting hits when they need them. It's called getting a big hit and neither is getting them this year.
Every time two teams take the field one wins and the other loses. When you add all the wins and losses up they come out to 50-50 wins and losses. Duke and Wake have improve their win totals greatly. State and Carolina have basically flip flopped records this year.
Virginia, Florida State, Are top five teams. Maryland who was awful in the past is top 30 along with Miami. Clemson and Georgia Tech are top forty. There are six teams right there ahead of State and Carolina and that list doesn't include Duke and Wake.
Every year in baseball juniors get drafted and both Carolina and State lost their share. Each had valuable seniors that the newcomers have not replaced them as they played a year ago. Regardless of the sport you had better be improving or somebody is going to pass you who is when you are not. Looks as though if the ACC gets a team or teams back in Omaha it will not be two from the Triangle.
Carolina at 10-11 in conference play is in the midst of their hardest stretch of games they will play all year. They have their finger nails dug in hanging and clinging to a spot to make ACC Tournament.
The Pack losing two of three puts them in a position where they really don't need to lose another conference the rest of the way. They are 7-14 and are closer to 14th spot than 10th to get in the tournament.
We live every day with expectations of what we want to accomplish and we set goals to reach those expectations. Who in the world would expect Duke and Wake to be vastly improved. Who would expect Carolina and State to be such average hitting teams. Neither is getting hits when they need them. It's called getting a big hit and neither is getting them this year.
Every time two teams take the field one wins and the other loses. When you add all the wins and losses up they come out to 50-50 wins and losses. Duke and Wake have improve their win totals greatly. State and Carolina have basically flip flopped records this year.
Virginia, Florida State, Are top five teams. Maryland who was awful in the past is top 30 along with Miami. Clemson and Georgia Tech are top forty. There are six teams right there ahead of State and Carolina and that list doesn't include Duke and Wake.
Every year in baseball juniors get drafted and both Carolina and State lost their share. Each had valuable seniors that the newcomers have not replaced them as they played a year ago. Regardless of the sport you had better be improving or somebody is going to pass you who is when you are not. Looks as though if the ACC gets a team or teams back in Omaha it will not be two from the Triangle.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
It Is A Matter of Timing
Last season North Carolina won 38 out of their first 39 games. Once they lost their second game of the year they had a struggle all the way to Omaha. Heard today a stat on Virginia that they have given up more than three runs in any game only five times all year. If they keep that up they will be Omaha bound.
Benton Moss has caught the Carlos Rodon disease. Saturday Benton had his second longest outing of the season gave up only three hits and lost. Carolina scores only once and loses three to one. This drops the Tar Heels to 9-11 and they like NC State just might not make the ACC Tournament. The rainout from the other night between the Pack and the Heels just might not be made up. There is possibility that if both do finish at least in the top ten in the standings they just might square off in either the 7/10 or 8/9 winner take all first round ACC tournament. Wouldn't that be a high pressure affair. I don't see either one at this time making the NCAA playoffs without making the top eight who will play in ACC tournament.
Today is Easter which is the highest day for church attendance every year. I hope if you are a Christer who only attends church Christmas and Easter then today is your day to attend either a sunrise service or a regular services.
There is nothing in our lives that is guaranteed. If you are not a believer I don't know why you would waste you time to even go to church twice a year. I would suspect that going twice a year is because you are guilty and know you should do better.
Today is a good day to start. One thing that those who don't believe have trouble with is they believe That Jesus freaks are suppose to be sin free and they watch those who claim Jesus sinning and think they they are only trying to fool them. All of us who believe that Jesus Rose on this day sin every day. Though we try not too we ask for forgiveness when we do sin.
If you trust that you will be here Christmas so you can go to church again then you will not have an everlasting life in Heaven as Jesus promised. If you are planning to go to church Christmas then deep down in your soul you believe but some where you have lost in your heart that love of Jesus. I invite you today to go to the alter during the invitation today and make sure that Jesus has your heart.
Benton Moss has caught the Carlos Rodon disease. Saturday Benton had his second longest outing of the season gave up only three hits and lost. Carolina scores only once and loses three to one. This drops the Tar Heels to 9-11 and they like NC State just might not make the ACC Tournament. The rainout from the other night between the Pack and the Heels just might not be made up. There is possibility that if both do finish at least in the top ten in the standings they just might square off in either the 7/10 or 8/9 winner take all first round ACC tournament. Wouldn't that be a high pressure affair. I don't see either one at this time making the NCAA playoffs without making the top eight who will play in ACC tournament.
Today is Easter which is the highest day for church attendance every year. I hope if you are a Christer who only attends church Christmas and Easter then today is your day to attend either a sunrise service or a regular services.
There is nothing in our lives that is guaranteed. If you are not a believer I don't know why you would waste you time to even go to church twice a year. I would suspect that going twice a year is because you are guilty and know you should do better.
Today is a good day to start. One thing that those who don't believe have trouble with is they believe That Jesus freaks are suppose to be sin free and they watch those who claim Jesus sinning and think they they are only trying to fool them. All of us who believe that Jesus Rose on this day sin every day. Though we try not too we ask for forgiveness when we do sin.
If you trust that you will be here Christmas so you can go to church again then you will not have an everlasting life in Heaven as Jesus promised. If you are planning to go to church Christmas then deep down in your soul you believe but some where you have lost in your heart that love of Jesus. I invite you today to go to the alter during the invitation today and make sure that Jesus has your heart.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Two Weeks To Make Season
Everyone has put the Easter Tournament games behind them and very few wins were feasted by Big East Baseball teams during the week. First impression would think the three teams who play the best the next two weeks and wind up being the three teams who make the playoffs will not last long unlike the other two major sports football and basketball.
Hunt travels to Rocky Mount and for the Gryphons it will be their last stand should they lose. They stand fifth and and have everyone ahead of them except Nash Central so should they finish 6-4 by winning all four games left. If they can pull off that feat they just might slip into third. Hunt part of the four way tie at the top needs to win to make the top three.
Northern should have the easy game of the night as they travel to Southern Nash Tuesday. Southern gives up ten runs to everybody but Fike but if they can somehow slowdown somebody they can cause trouble the last two weeks.
The big game of the night has Fike meeting Nash Central. The loser will drop out of third unless any one of the other two loss teams join them. Once Tuesday passes then there is the second game of the week.
UNC lost 3-2 Friday to UVA and if the Carolina pitching rotation stays as it has Benton Moss will be the pitcher on the mound should they play the game at 1pm Saturday. Rain is expected. It is schedule for the ACC network.
The Pack finally scored some runs for Carlos Rodon and they beat BC Friday.
A couple weeks ago I told you here of the situation where a Fike batter thought he had walked on ball three and the runners on base slowly walked to second and three and the umpire made them go back to their original base when he made the batter go back to bat, well in a Florida State game this week the same thing happened and the dugout urged the Seminole defense to tag out the runner slowly walking to second to end the inning.
Hunt travels to Rocky Mount and for the Gryphons it will be their last stand should they lose. They stand fifth and and have everyone ahead of them except Nash Central so should they finish 6-4 by winning all four games left. If they can pull off that feat they just might slip into third. Hunt part of the four way tie at the top needs to win to make the top three.
Northern should have the easy game of the night as they travel to Southern Nash Tuesday. Southern gives up ten runs to everybody but Fike but if they can somehow slowdown somebody they can cause trouble the last two weeks.
The big game of the night has Fike meeting Nash Central. The loser will drop out of third unless any one of the other two loss teams join them. Once Tuesday passes then there is the second game of the week.
UNC lost 3-2 Friday to UVA and if the Carolina pitching rotation stays as it has Benton Moss will be the pitcher on the mound should they play the game at 1pm Saturday. Rain is expected. It is schedule for the ACC network.
The Pack finally scored some runs for Carlos Rodon and they beat BC Friday.
A couple weeks ago I told you here of the situation where a Fike batter thought he had walked on ball three and the runners on base slowly walked to second and three and the umpire made them go back to their original base when he made the batter go back to bat, well in a Florida State game this week the same thing happened and the dugout urged the Seminole defense to tag out the runner slowly walking to second to end the inning.
Friday, April 18, 2014
Gainey Wins NCHSAA Toby Webb Award
Rocky Mount High School Athletic Director and basketball coach Michael Gainey will receive the Toby Webb award as the male outstanding coach of the Year in North Carolina during the NCHSAA year end awards on May first at the Dean Smith Center. The Smith Center is the site of Mike Gainey's greatest triumphs with two 3-A basketball titles in 2010 and 2012.
The last 41 years I don't have the exact numbers but I would suspect that Rocky Mount High school has lost more baseball games to Rose High more than any other team in that span. The main reason of course is Ronald (RV)Vincent who has been the baseball coach there since 1973. Vincent has won six state titles and about two weeks ago he was inducted NCHSAA Hall of Fame. The winningest coach in the history of North Carolina isn't slowing down one bit. His 2014 Rampants are undefeated And have a real shot at title number 7.
Ragsdale High from Jamestown won the 1st annual Golden Leaf Challenge beating Hunt in the championship game 12-1 in five innings at Fleming Stadium in Wilson.
I have taped the three night special on the Golf Channel of Arnold Palmer. You know Palmer who was a go for broke player won the hearts of those who saw him and became part of Arnie's Army. During his playing career he made less than five million dollars on tour but his net worth is near 3/4 of a billion dollars.
I had forgotten about Palmer becomig the first person to circle the globe in a Lear Jet in 1976 in 58 hours. He also had a boy hood friend back in his home in Latrobe Pennsylvania. His friend who lived down the road was Fred Rogers who would become famous in his own right for his neighborhood. Mr Rogers neighborhood on PBS.
The news of Jabari Parker leaving Duke is no surprise but a shocker just eight miles down the road when the national womens Freshman player of the year Diamond Deshields announced she is transferring from Carolina. How odd is it that both the National freshman players of the year are leaving. At this point head coach Sylvia Hatchell is at a lost for words as why Deshields is leaving.
The last 41 years I don't have the exact numbers but I would suspect that Rocky Mount High school has lost more baseball games to Rose High more than any other team in that span. The main reason of course is Ronald (RV)Vincent who has been the baseball coach there since 1973. Vincent has won six state titles and about two weeks ago he was inducted NCHSAA Hall of Fame. The winningest coach in the history of North Carolina isn't slowing down one bit. His 2014 Rampants are undefeated And have a real shot at title number 7.
Ragsdale High from Jamestown won the 1st annual Golden Leaf Challenge beating Hunt in the championship game 12-1 in five innings at Fleming Stadium in Wilson.
I have taped the three night special on the Golf Channel of Arnold Palmer. You know Palmer who was a go for broke player won the hearts of those who saw him and became part of Arnie's Army. During his playing career he made less than five million dollars on tour but his net worth is near 3/4 of a billion dollars.
I had forgotten about Palmer becomig the first person to circle the globe in a Lear Jet in 1976 in 58 hours. He also had a boy hood friend back in his home in Latrobe Pennsylvania. His friend who lived down the road was Fred Rogers who would become famous in his own right for his neighborhood. Mr Rogers neighborhood on PBS.
The news of Jabari Parker leaving Duke is no surprise but a shocker just eight miles down the road when the national womens Freshman player of the year Diamond Deshields announced she is transferring from Carolina. How odd is it that both the National freshman players of the year are leaving. At this point head coach Sylvia Hatchell is at a lost for words as why Deshields is leaving.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Gryphons Fall In Wilson
Day three of the 1st annual Golden Leaf baseball Tournament came to a close today for the Rocky Mount Gryphons. The first game of the day the Gryphons faced off against 4-A Ragsdale who coming into this week had lost only three times all year. The Gryphons fail to score and lose 7-0.
The Gryphons drop to 5-10 on the season and now with only four games left in conference their hopes for the playoffs now totally depend on as of now fifth place in the Big East they must win probably all four games to climb to third. They have Hunt, Southern Nash, Fike and Northern Nash left on their schedule. The Southern game will be the only one they will be favored in. However, the way this conference season has gone anything is possible.
UNC held their year end Rammy's which is the all sports banquet. Gryphon Benton Moss who as a Morehead winner as well as varsity pitcher was voted the athlete most likely to become famous in something other than the sport he plays.
His career in Chapel Hill has produced 17 wins while losing 5 times. There is the possibility that after his junior year he just might be drafted this year in the baseball draft. As a Business Major and his high grade point average any one who has been around him can see he has many talents other than baseball. During this years Rammys Benton played his guitar and sang as part of the student entertainment.
Brian Goodwin has started swinging a better bat after his first week where he was averaging 100. He has worked his average up 229. His rate of strikeouts per at bats his improved as he is making better contact and making contact with his speed means hits.
Hobbs Johnson's second start for Brevard Fl was no where near as good as his first start of the season.
Hobbs goes five innings giving up five runs and he takes the loss for the first time in the upper A ball. His record now stands at 1-1 and his ERA ballooned to 4.77.
Former North Edgecombe basketball player Montrezl Harrell announced this week that he will return to Louisville to play his junior year for Rick Pitino. I surely believe that NBA teams have more money than they have basketball sense. Throwing millions to players who hardly can make free throws and in some cases can't even play basketball all that well they are just big and tall.
Sports only last for some only to about the age of 35 and most who don't stick around to get a degree especially business degrees have a hard time holding on to their money and most is gone by the time they retire from basketball. Harrell' decision to come back for his third year of college gets him that much closer to staying in school to get that degree.
The Gryphons drop to 5-10 on the season and now with only four games left in conference their hopes for the playoffs now totally depend on as of now fifth place in the Big East they must win probably all four games to climb to third. They have Hunt, Southern Nash, Fike and Northern Nash left on their schedule. The Southern game will be the only one they will be favored in. However, the way this conference season has gone anything is possible.
UNC held their year end Rammy's which is the all sports banquet. Gryphon Benton Moss who as a Morehead winner as well as varsity pitcher was voted the athlete most likely to become famous in something other than the sport he plays.
His career in Chapel Hill has produced 17 wins while losing 5 times. There is the possibility that after his junior year he just might be drafted this year in the baseball draft. As a Business Major and his high grade point average any one who has been around him can see he has many talents other than baseball. During this years Rammys Benton played his guitar and sang as part of the student entertainment.
Brian Goodwin has started swinging a better bat after his first week where he was averaging 100. He has worked his average up 229. His rate of strikeouts per at bats his improved as he is making better contact and making contact with his speed means hits.
Hobbs Johnson's second start for Brevard Fl was no where near as good as his first start of the season.
Hobbs goes five innings giving up five runs and he takes the loss for the first time in the upper A ball. His record now stands at 1-1 and his ERA ballooned to 4.77.
Former North Edgecombe basketball player Montrezl Harrell announced this week that he will return to Louisville to play his junior year for Rick Pitino. I surely believe that NBA teams have more money than they have basketball sense. Throwing millions to players who hardly can make free throws and in some cases can't even play basketball all that well they are just big and tall.
Sports only last for some only to about the age of 35 and most who don't stick around to get a degree especially business degrees have a hard time holding on to their money and most is gone by the time they retire from basketball. Harrell' decision to come back for his third year of college gets him that much closer to staying in school to get that degree.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Never Got Inside
The North Carolina State-North Carolina baseball game, a game six months ago figured that two top teams in the country would be squaring off but on a rainy night neither team looks like a return to Omaha is possible. It was as if neither one wanted to play because at this point the loser will be hovering just above 500 on the season and the other not much better.
Finally just after 7:30 it was official the game was postponed until April 30th. By then they will either be playing better or bumbling along as they have all season. Both need to get in gear down the stretch if they think they can be an impact in the playoffs.
It is hard to believe there are people in this world that hate this country enough that they would harm anyone who calls themselves an American. Tuesday almost in the same spot where bombs were placed last year during the running of the Boston Marathon two other back packs have been found and at this writing one has been exploded by the Boston bomb squad. One man has been arrested.
What have we done to the world that makes them hate us so much? Tuesday was the one year anniversary of last years bombings. Luckily this year the Marathon is next Monday which puts doubts whether it should be run.
I say we as Americans still need to go to where ever we want to go. We can not cower down and not go and run in the marathon. We need to go stand at that finish line and say see I am here. You as haters of our great country can't scare us into a closet to hide.
The Rocky Mount Gryphons game at Fleming Stadium in Wilson was rained out Tuesday against SW Guilford. Their third game of the tournament against Ragsdale will be played at 9:00 am Wednesday morning. The rained out game with SW Guilford will not be made up.
Finally just after 7:30 it was official the game was postponed until April 30th. By then they will either be playing better or bumbling along as they have all season. Both need to get in gear down the stretch if they think they can be an impact in the playoffs.
It is hard to believe there are people in this world that hate this country enough that they would harm anyone who calls themselves an American. Tuesday almost in the same spot where bombs were placed last year during the running of the Boston Marathon two other back packs have been found and at this writing one has been exploded by the Boston bomb squad. One man has been arrested.
What have we done to the world that makes them hate us so much? Tuesday was the one year anniversary of last years bombings. Luckily this year the Marathon is next Monday which puts doubts whether it should be run.
I say we as Americans still need to go to where ever we want to go. We can not cower down and not go and run in the marathon. We need to go stand at that finish line and say see I am here. You as haters of our great country can't scare us into a closet to hide.
The Rocky Mount Gryphons game at Fleming Stadium in Wilson was rained out Tuesday against SW Guilford. Their third game of the tournament against Ragsdale will be played at 9:00 am Wednesday morning. The rained out game with SW Guilford will not be made up.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Well Worth Watching
If I am at a sporting event at night most of the time just after that game I come home and write my blog and I will hit publish so it will appear as soon as possible. This blog I wrote about 9pm last night but did not publish it until early this morning. Sunday night right after the Masters I wrote that Monday article at 9pm. I spoke about being part of Arnie's Army. 10pm Sunday night the Golf Channel ran the hour special of a three hour documentary about Arnie. I have to say it is well worth trying to record all three as it was in just the first hour one of the best features I have ever seen on any body. I know any thing positive about a hero is on you will like it a lot better than one that has criticism of them.
I am sure that after winning the Masters on Sunday that Bubba Watson had interviews well past 10pm Sunday night. Augusta Georgia is not the Capitol of eating establishments. I know in New York City the world is just waking up at ten at night. By ten Augusta is beginning to roll up the streets. So where does Bubba go out to dinner to celebrate his second Masters? The Waffle House. Can you see Phil or Tiger going to a Waffle House. Really helps with the image of being a good old boy.
Monday the summer Olympic world heard the news that Michael Phelps is coming out of retirement and will try two win more swimming metals in his already record holdings of Olympic Metals. You know I would suspect money has a lot to do with his return. The world can be rough on people who only know how to swim. To me Michael Phelps and Tiger Woods are a lot a like. Both think they can lay off for periods of time and be just as good as before when events they show up to perform. The more time you take off the harder is each time to reach the level you once were.
The Rocky Mount Gryphons baseball team has three games lined up this week and these three might be the toughest three all season. Monday night at Fleming Stadium the Gryphons played Pinecrest of 4-A and after five innings the Gryphons were holding their own trailing 3-1. This teams doesn't have enough pitching depth to play three rather good 4-A schools in three straight days. The sixth and seventh the Gryphons gave up seven runs losing 10-1. Tonight they play SouthWest Guilford. Going in to last night games SWG was 7-7 on the season. This game could be the best chance they have all week.
I am sure that after winning the Masters on Sunday that Bubba Watson had interviews well past 10pm Sunday night. Augusta Georgia is not the Capitol of eating establishments. I know in New York City the world is just waking up at ten at night. By ten Augusta is beginning to roll up the streets. So where does Bubba go out to dinner to celebrate his second Masters? The Waffle House. Can you see Phil or Tiger going to a Waffle House. Really helps with the image of being a good old boy.
Monday the summer Olympic world heard the news that Michael Phelps is coming out of retirement and will try two win more swimming metals in his already record holdings of Olympic Metals. You know I would suspect money has a lot to do with his return. The world can be rough on people who only know how to swim. To me Michael Phelps and Tiger Woods are a lot a like. Both think they can lay off for periods of time and be just as good as before when events they show up to perform. The more time you take off the harder is each time to reach the level you once were.
The Rocky Mount Gryphons baseball team has three games lined up this week and these three might be the toughest three all season. Monday night at Fleming Stadium the Gryphons played Pinecrest of 4-A and after five innings the Gryphons were holding their own trailing 3-1. This teams doesn't have enough pitching depth to play three rather good 4-A schools in three straight days. The sixth and seventh the Gryphons gave up seven runs losing 10-1. Tonight they play SouthWest Guilford. Going in to last night games SWG was 7-7 on the season. This game could be the best chance they have all week.
Monday, April 14, 2014
The Passion Of Dedication
Everyone in life has goals they would like to reach. Some of us never get to reach goals that those who are special can obtain. Having been able to go to Augusta Georgia this past week for a practice round and see the beauty of one of the hollowed grounds of golf was a goal for me. Bubba Watson reached another goal and you can just see in his emotions after winning his second green jacket and crying probably more than he did after his first win. His goal was to win where I just wanted to be there.
Listening to his news conference this man has more in life than being a golf winner. It was very refreshing to watch the final two talking on the practice tee even warming up side by side. The putting green continued the conversation between the two and even after they teed off they walked the fairways in conversation. Bubba is one of us a player who has never had any formal teaching of the game just one of those guys that says let's go hit it and see where it goes.
Now looking at Jordan Spieth this kid looks as if he could be the next Tiger. How many players have you ever seen that was part of the final group that would explode and shoot 78 but Spieth shot par a score that not many beat on the final day. You know the best thing in his life might be that he didn't win. A major win at such and early age might smothered him and yet as he gets up on Monday he sees how close he came.
There were those who said without a Tiger that the TV ratings would be down. I think everyone has forgotten that Tiger withdrew last year after the controversy over his drop after hitting a ball in the water. We will see today how the ratings are but if this tournament this year needed Bubba in contention, a 20 year old phenom to make for good golfing TV.
The front nine with both charging in putts topping each other's to make TV as good as anyone could asked for. I think the turning point was the drive Bubba made I think it was number eight when he out drove Jordan by about 75 yards. It was like Bubba said son I'm tired of playing around. From that point on Spieth just could match Bubba.
TV coverage of the Masters began while I was seven or eight years old and with TV there was a golfer from Wake Forest College who tried to make every shot. I was a member of Arnie's Army from my living room and quite frankly hated Jack Nicklaus coming along and dethroning the King. Wednesday watching the big three play the par 3 tournament you can see there are not many shots left on a golf course for the King. 84 years old his hips seem to be about hit their last shots. If there is one thing I can say from being at the Masters this week. I was as close as ten feet from the man that put golf on TV and kept it there. He sat on the veranda in front of the club house.
Do you remember the Seniors got started because Arnie turned fifty and TV wanted Arnie's Army. When Tiger turns fifty will TV change like it did for Arnie?
Listening to his news conference this man has more in life than being a golf winner. It was very refreshing to watch the final two talking on the practice tee even warming up side by side. The putting green continued the conversation between the two and even after they teed off they walked the fairways in conversation. Bubba is one of us a player who has never had any formal teaching of the game just one of those guys that says let's go hit it and see where it goes.
Now looking at Jordan Spieth this kid looks as if he could be the next Tiger. How many players have you ever seen that was part of the final group that would explode and shoot 78 but Spieth shot par a score that not many beat on the final day. You know the best thing in his life might be that he didn't win. A major win at such and early age might smothered him and yet as he gets up on Monday he sees how close he came.
There were those who said without a Tiger that the TV ratings would be down. I think everyone has forgotten that Tiger withdrew last year after the controversy over his drop after hitting a ball in the water. We will see today how the ratings are but if this tournament this year needed Bubba in contention, a 20 year old phenom to make for good golfing TV.
The front nine with both charging in putts topping each other's to make TV as good as anyone could asked for. I think the turning point was the drive Bubba made I think it was number eight when he out drove Jordan by about 75 yards. It was like Bubba said son I'm tired of playing around. From that point on Spieth just could match Bubba.
TV coverage of the Masters began while I was seven or eight years old and with TV there was a golfer from Wake Forest College who tried to make every shot. I was a member of Arnie's Army from my living room and quite frankly hated Jack Nicklaus coming along and dethroning the King. Wednesday watching the big three play the par 3 tournament you can see there are not many shots left on a golf course for the King. 84 years old his hips seem to be about hit their last shots. If there is one thing I can say from being at the Masters this week. I was as close as ten feet from the man that put golf on TV and kept it there. He sat on the veranda in front of the club house.
Do you remember the Seniors got started because Arnie turned fifty and TV wanted Arnie's Army. When Tiger turns fifty will TV change like it did for Arnie?
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Wolfpack Retire 16
Russell Wilson the Super Bowl winning quarterback came back home from the place where he was asked to leave but he did it after he graduated college and took up baseball until baseball did the same thing the Pack did ask him to decide on football or baseball.
His number 16 hangs on the south end of the west grand stand opposite to 17 the number Philip Rivers wore which hangs at the north end of the west grand stand. His number will however stay as official number to be worn by future Wolfpack players.
Former Gryphon Benton Moss has had a few more runs scored for him this year but his earn run average is the highest of his three year career at North Carolina. After a no decision Saturday Benton's record this season stands at 2-1.
This Tuesday North Carolina and North Carolina State play at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. This will be the only time the two will meet this season. This is of course results of expanding the ACC to 15 teams. Both at this point in the season are not yet shew ins to make the ACC tournament. Last year the ACC tournament set all sorts of attendance record because of the outstanding seasons both the Tar Heels and Wolfpack had. If one or both fail to make the field don't expect any attendance
Records this year.
This week is Easter week break for most schools in the area so many are playing in tournaments. Rocky Mount is playing at Fleming Stadium in Wilson and they couldn't pick a harder three games. They play three 4-A schools SEGuilford, Pinecrest and Ragsdale.
His number 16 hangs on the south end of the west grand stand opposite to 17 the number Philip Rivers wore which hangs at the north end of the west grand stand. His number will however stay as official number to be worn by future Wolfpack players.
Former Gryphon Benton Moss has had a few more runs scored for him this year but his earn run average is the highest of his three year career at North Carolina. After a no decision Saturday Benton's record this season stands at 2-1.
This Tuesday North Carolina and North Carolina State play at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. This will be the only time the two will meet this season. This is of course results of expanding the ACC to 15 teams. Both at this point in the season are not yet shew ins to make the ACC tournament. Last year the ACC tournament set all sorts of attendance record because of the outstanding seasons both the Tar Heels and Wolfpack had. If one or both fail to make the field don't expect any attendance
Records this year.
This week is Easter week break for most schools in the area so many are playing in tournaments. Rocky Mount is playing at Fleming Stadium in Wilson and they couldn't pick a harder three games. They play three 4-A schools SEGuilford, Pinecrest and Ragsdale.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Rodon Breaks Wolfpack Strikeout Record
The Greatest strikeout pitcher in NC State History broke Terry Harvey's record last night and like what has happened all year the Pack fails to score a run and are shutout by Duke 2-0. Rodon on the year falls to 2-6 and his ERA hovers near two runs per game.
Last year Carlos Rodon pitched against Duke, Carolina in the ACC Tournament, against Cuba in the Summer and yesterday against Duke again all at the DBAP in Durham. He has allowed only 15 hits and struck out 52 in just 32 innings pitched. The last five games that Rodon has pitched for the Pack the Wolfpack offense has scored one run. His three year strikeout total now stands at 391 and the three year ACC record is 397. He is sixth all time in ACC history.
Rumors are flying that Hank Jones is having a hard time giving up Legion coaching and just might come back again this year. It surely would be good for Legion baseball if Hank can work it out to follow his daughter in travel league softball and keep coaching Legion. The success RMA had during the high school baseball season last year kept Hank occupied with playoffs and he was unable to scout at all the local high school games as he would like. RMA is not having the type season this year that they had last year.
Having gone to the Masters for the Tuesday practice round and riding in a car and being around the old ball coach BW Holt for about 36 hours not only do you get to hear a football clinic as you ride and talk but you hear information in which coach is proud of. His six years as head coach of the Rocky Mount Gryphons 29 players received athletic scholarships and after graduations coming up in May 21 will have graduated from college. It is hard not to love a man who can tell you where every player he has ever coached what they are doing years after they left his football nest.
The NHL hockey season ends Sunday and the playoffs start mid week and the Carolina Hurricanes will miss the playoffs for the fifth straight year. Seems so long ago 2006 and the Stanley Cup Champions Carolina Hurricanes.
Still another week to go in the NBA season and the Charlotte Bobcats will make the playoffs and are right now sitting in 6th spots which if they finish there will avoid Indy and Miami in the first round. Bring on the Hornets and the teal Jerseys.
I have not said anything this week about U Conn winning both NCAA titles in basketball. The only good thing in the whole deal is the one and done Kentucky Wildcats didn't win it. It is no surprise to me that TJ Warren will enter the draft. If the NBA draft on potential then the big center from Kansas will be the number one pick.
Last year Carlos Rodon pitched against Duke, Carolina in the ACC Tournament, against Cuba in the Summer and yesterday against Duke again all at the DBAP in Durham. He has allowed only 15 hits and struck out 52 in just 32 innings pitched. The last five games that Rodon has pitched for the Pack the Wolfpack offense has scored one run. His three year strikeout total now stands at 391 and the three year ACC record is 397. He is sixth all time in ACC history.
Rumors are flying that Hank Jones is having a hard time giving up Legion coaching and just might come back again this year. It surely would be good for Legion baseball if Hank can work it out to follow his daughter in travel league softball and keep coaching Legion. The success RMA had during the high school baseball season last year kept Hank occupied with playoffs and he was unable to scout at all the local high school games as he would like. RMA is not having the type season this year that they had last year.
Having gone to the Masters for the Tuesday practice round and riding in a car and being around the old ball coach BW Holt for about 36 hours not only do you get to hear a football clinic as you ride and talk but you hear information in which coach is proud of. His six years as head coach of the Rocky Mount Gryphons 29 players received athletic scholarships and after graduations coming up in May 21 will have graduated from college. It is hard not to love a man who can tell you where every player he has ever coached what they are doing years after they left his football nest.
The NHL hockey season ends Sunday and the playoffs start mid week and the Carolina Hurricanes will miss the playoffs for the fifth straight year. Seems so long ago 2006 and the Stanley Cup Champions Carolina Hurricanes.
Still another week to go in the NBA season and the Charlotte Bobcats will make the playoffs and are right now sitting in 6th spots which if they finish there will avoid Indy and Miami in the first round. Bring on the Hornets and the teal Jerseys.
I have not said anything this week about U Conn winning both NCAA titles in basketball. The only good thing in the whole deal is the one and done Kentucky Wildcats didn't win it. It is no surprise to me that TJ Warren will enter the draft. If the NBA draft on potential then the big center from Kansas will be the number one pick.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Trio Make All State
Two Big East women and one male from Nash county have made the NCPreps.Com All State basketball Team. Alexus Hill from Northern Nash and Ni'ya Styles from Nash Central represent the gals. The boys have Dante Battle from the Rocky Mount Gryphons as an all state selection. Joining Battle on the boys all state team is Quan Hunt from Hunt giving Wilson County a member on the all state team. If you have not heard by now Derrick Carter was in control last night for Northern Nash and the Knights knock off the top team in the Big East Hunt. Fike for some reason has had more trouble than anyone else in the league with Southern Nash and won by a 3-1. The first time they played they beat Southern only 2-0. In no other conference game this year has Southern held any other team to less than ten runs. Nash Central's win over Rocky Mount put the standings into a four way tie for first place with four conference games to play. Hunt 4-2 still has Rocky Mount, Nash Central, Southern and Fike to play. Northern Nash 4-2 has remaining on their schedule Fike, Southern, Nash Central and Rocky Mount. Nash Central 4-2 is still looking at Hunt, Southern, Northern Nash and Fike. Fike 4-2 still faces Rocky Mount,Northern, Nash Central and Northern. The combination of games left to play seems to me Fike has the hardest schedule left as they are the only one left that doesn't play Southern which for any team trying to win a conference championship you can't lose to them. Northern would seem to have the easiest since they already have Hunt out of the way having beaten them twice. This year to me is the poorest year of conference baseball I have witnessed since the formation of Northern and Rocky Mount dropping from 4-A and forming the NEW and Big East conference. There is not a great defensive team in the bunch. Up to last night Hunt was the only one that had shown any consistant hitting and now Northern's pitching has trottled them twice. Just about every team in the league has shown poor defense at some point and poor defense with lack of hitting can kill a great pitching performance in a heart beat. This weekend is the big weekend of spring championships for the teams playing in USA-South with NC Wesleyan serving as the host school along with the city of Rocky Mount. In the past Rocky Mount has served at Northgreen as the host for the ACC golf championship. it is quite an honor to be the host for anything and lack of support from the local community will be the quickest way to have some other town snatch it way from Rocky Mount. You know the sports complex less than ten years ago was the best complex anywhere and now you will find those type facilities everywhere. They say if you will built it they will come. If you don't come support NC Wesleyan's efforts to be the host school for this USA-South event somebody else has built it and they will go.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Pitching Duel
Tonight Rocky Mount hosted Nash Central in a vital game for both and in the end just maybe the best pitcher in the Big East stood strong down the stretch. All three Rocky Mount runs were aided by errors on the Bulldogs part. The first three that crossed the plate for the Bulldogs were aided by Gryphon errors but down the stretch King allowed only one of the Gryphon six hits in the game while in the seventh Will Edwards walked three batters and up to the seventh had only one other walk in the game. Loaded bases with three walks DH Zack Denton delivered a double off the wall and Nash Central wins again over Rocky Mount 5-3.
The Bulldogs who find themselves now standing at 4-2 still are alive for the top spot while Rocky Mount drops to 2-4 and their chances of making the playoffs took a big hit as they are in fifth with four conference games to play.
Tyler King wins his third conference game this season beating the Gryphons twice went the distance giving up six hits while fanning 10. Two of the three runs the Gryphons scored were unearned. Will Edwards gave up eight hits walked four and struck out two. All five runs either came from errors or walks.
The seventh and ninth hitters in the Bulldog lineup collected half their hits getting two a piece. Matt Askew, Tyler King, Zack Denton and David Sutton each had a single. Ben Yates had half the Gryphon hits with three while Andy Morris, Micah Varnell,and Rashawn Harris had the other half. Rocky Mount gets a week of from conference play but they play Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday at Fleming Stadium against three 4-A schools. All three games begin at 5pm.
The first two weeks of AAA baseball has not been good for Brian Goodwin as he has collected only 2 hits in 20 tries which adds up to a cool 100 batting average. Hobbs Johnson is being tested as starter and he wins his first start of the upper A level Brevard Fl. Johnson pitched six shutout innings in recording his first win go the season giving up just two hits and struck out four.
The Bulldogs who find themselves now standing at 4-2 still are alive for the top spot while Rocky Mount drops to 2-4 and their chances of making the playoffs took a big hit as they are in fifth with four conference games to play.
Tyler King wins his third conference game this season beating the Gryphons twice went the distance giving up six hits while fanning 10. Two of the three runs the Gryphons scored were unearned. Will Edwards gave up eight hits walked four and struck out two. All five runs either came from errors or walks.
The seventh and ninth hitters in the Bulldog lineup collected half their hits getting two a piece. Matt Askew, Tyler King, Zack Denton and David Sutton each had a single. Ben Yates had half the Gryphon hits with three while Andy Morris, Micah Varnell,and Rashawn Harris had the other half. Rocky Mount gets a week of from conference play but they play Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday at Fleming Stadium against three 4-A schools. All three games begin at 5pm.
The first two weeks of AAA baseball has not been good for Brian Goodwin as he has collected only 2 hits in 20 tries which adds up to a cool 100 batting average. Hobbs Johnson is being tested as starter and he wins his first start of the upper A level Brevard Fl. Johnson pitched six shutout innings in recording his first win go the season giving up just two hits and struck out four.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Half Way Home Hunt Stands Alone
Fike and Hunt squared off as three teams tied at the top of Big East baseball going into Tuesday night. So there was a good chance only two would be tied by midnight Tuesday.
Between them Fike and Hunt committed 6 errors and most of those made by Fike hurt worse as Hunt beats Fike 9-5 to take over the lead in Big East Baseball. Hunt by far is the best hitting team in the league and are just out scoring the other teams in the league's best pitching. Fike has now lost two straight after winning their first three games in conference.
Over in Rocky Mount Cody Smith is all you need to know about this one as Smith pitches a one hitter striking out 15 of the 21 outs in the game. It is not like Northern didn't get opportunities as Smith walked nine batters and hit two others so Northern had their chances but scored only when Smith walked a run home after having walked two batters and hit another. Rocky Mount scores five times in tripping up Northern 5-1.
The loss drops Northern out of the three way tie for first and are now in a three way time for second. Since there are just two and a half weeks left in conference play that could mean a three way tie for fourth with only three teams going to the play offs. Rocky Mount is now 2-3 a game back of the three tied for second.
Nash Central is the other team in the three way tie for second as they clip Southern Nash in six innings 10-0. The good news for the Bulldogs is they did gamble in not pitching Tyler King against Southern so he will be set for Rocky Mount. Southern continues to plummet getting mercy ruled again.
You know every team has a weakness and when teams are able to attack your weakness you fall. Those that are able to hide their short comings can win for another day. Thursday the Gryphons host Nash Central and boy how big is that game for each team? Hunt squares off with Northern and a Hunt Victory starts putting space between them and those chasing. Northern needs to stop the bleeding and stay in the race. Fike plays Southern so you would suspect Fike stays at no worse than tied for second.
I am still spewing my praise of Augusta National and the Practice Round I attended Tuesday. Did you know this? They have on their staff a professional squirrel trapper. The gentleman that I sat down beside on one of the holes heard us talking about how beautiful it was and leans over and says "do you see any squirrels here"? I said 'can't say I have so far'. He said "you won't. Since squirrels dig in the ground, and do damage to buildings they catch squirrels and take them to other places for release." You know I didn't see a squirrel all day.
Between them Fike and Hunt committed 6 errors and most of those made by Fike hurt worse as Hunt beats Fike 9-5 to take over the lead in Big East Baseball. Hunt by far is the best hitting team in the league and are just out scoring the other teams in the league's best pitching. Fike has now lost two straight after winning their first three games in conference.
Over in Rocky Mount Cody Smith is all you need to know about this one as Smith pitches a one hitter striking out 15 of the 21 outs in the game. It is not like Northern didn't get opportunities as Smith walked nine batters and hit two others so Northern had their chances but scored only when Smith walked a run home after having walked two batters and hit another. Rocky Mount scores five times in tripping up Northern 5-1.
The loss drops Northern out of the three way tie for first and are now in a three way time for second. Since there are just two and a half weeks left in conference play that could mean a three way tie for fourth with only three teams going to the play offs. Rocky Mount is now 2-3 a game back of the three tied for second.
Nash Central is the other team in the three way tie for second as they clip Southern Nash in six innings 10-0. The good news for the Bulldogs is they did gamble in not pitching Tyler King against Southern so he will be set for Rocky Mount. Southern continues to plummet getting mercy ruled again.
You know every team has a weakness and when teams are able to attack your weakness you fall. Those that are able to hide their short comings can win for another day. Thursday the Gryphons host Nash Central and boy how big is that game for each team? Hunt squares off with Northern and a Hunt Victory starts putting space between them and those chasing. Northern needs to stop the bleeding and stay in the race. Fike plays Southern so you would suspect Fike stays at no worse than tied for second.
I am still spewing my praise of Augusta National and the Practice Round I attended Tuesday. Did you know this? They have on their staff a professional squirrel trapper. The gentleman that I sat down beside on one of the holes heard us talking about how beautiful it was and leans over and says "do you see any squirrels here"? I said 'can't say I have so far'. He said "you won't. Since squirrels dig in the ground, and do damage to buildings they catch squirrels and take them to other places for release." You know I didn't see a squirrel all day.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
I've Been To Heaven Today
Everyone that goes to many sporting events in this area has seen David Hahula taking photos. This past November he asked me if I would be interested in going with him, his son Nick and B W Holt on a trip? I did not know at the time that going on this trip would require me to miss my PA gig at Rocky Mount tonight. I can assure you now that I have been to heaven I would go again Tomorrow.
Monday at noon BW Holt pulls in front of my home to find only David Hahula in the car but no Nick because he is in Murfreesboro with spring football practice at Chowan. Last night we spent in Columbia South Carolina where Holt and I shared a room and had a night of N C State baseball and the national championship basketball on TV.
6 am we were on I 20 crossing into Georgia heading to the Tuesday practice Round in Augusta Georgia of the Masters. I have done many things in my life time but I can tell you right now Tuesday April 8th 2014 will go down in my history book as the greatest sports day in my life.
If you know nothing about the Masters other than what you hear on the news about it being a private club where in order to be a member you need to be a billionaire, those snootie high brows. If that is what you know about the Masters you should try to get a ticket to either the Monday or Tuesday practice round.
I have never been into any business in my life run as well as this tournament. Yes we were in bumper to bumper traffic for 15 minutes but once you hit the parking lot it is all effiency. The walkin entrance had about 40 metal detector in the mob of people heading in were inside of the gate within five minutes. From the people parking the car to the attendance in the bathrooms every one spoke to you with hello. Have a nice day.
There was a line of maybe 200 going into the bathroom but were inside in five minutes. There was a greeter going into the bathroom, a person directing you to an open stall, two people monitoring the electic paper towel dispenser and a person telling you to have a great day going back outside. There are more people working in only one of the bathrooms at the Masters than at and golf course in Nash County. Even the concession stands were just as good and a bar-b-que sandwich was only three dollars and a 12 ounce Masters cup Pepsi was only $1.50.
I can tell you right now it is biggest golf course I have ever seen. TV does not do justice to the beauty, or how hilly it is. You think you are on a mountain course. B W and I walk with Phil Mickelson's group who had just gone off the first tee when we arrived. We left them at third hole and moved over to the tee grand stand at 16 to watch the shots in to 15 and the entire play on 16 which included a chant from the grandstand for each player to try to skip a shot off the water at 16 while walking to the green and more than half the players could get it on the green.
We eventually are made way to the 12 tee box where has now come my favorite at the Masters. You can watch the hit into the green at 11 watch the entire shots at 12 and the drive at 13. I can assure you the most beautiful spot on earth it from the right rough at 13 looking across the fairway to the Azaleas that line the fairway which we were told are only 30 per cent in bloom. Lord what will that place look like Sunday.
I went to a place today called the Masters and it was only a practice round and the people who worked there made me like everyone else seem as if I was the only person there. Walmart management needs to go there and learn how to run people by Cash registers. Disney needs to look at how to get people through a line. There is no way until you go to see how beautiful the place is.
Thank you David Hahula for inviting me and to B W Holt for help making this the best sports trip of my life.
Monday at noon BW Holt pulls in front of my home to find only David Hahula in the car but no Nick because he is in Murfreesboro with spring football practice at Chowan. Last night we spent in Columbia South Carolina where Holt and I shared a room and had a night of N C State baseball and the national championship basketball on TV.
6 am we were on I 20 crossing into Georgia heading to the Tuesday practice Round in Augusta Georgia of the Masters. I have done many things in my life time but I can tell you right now Tuesday April 8th 2014 will go down in my history book as the greatest sports day in my life.
If you know nothing about the Masters other than what you hear on the news about it being a private club where in order to be a member you need to be a billionaire, those snootie high brows. If that is what you know about the Masters you should try to get a ticket to either the Monday or Tuesday practice round.
I have never been into any business in my life run as well as this tournament. Yes we were in bumper to bumper traffic for 15 minutes but once you hit the parking lot it is all effiency. The walkin entrance had about 40 metal detector in the mob of people heading in were inside of the gate within five minutes. From the people parking the car to the attendance in the bathrooms every one spoke to you with hello. Have a nice day.
There was a line of maybe 200 going into the bathroom but were inside in five minutes. There was a greeter going into the bathroom, a person directing you to an open stall, two people monitoring the electic paper towel dispenser and a person telling you to have a great day going back outside. There are more people working in only one of the bathrooms at the Masters than at and golf course in Nash County. Even the concession stands were just as good and a bar-b-que sandwich was only three dollars and a 12 ounce Masters cup Pepsi was only $1.50.
I can tell you right now it is biggest golf course I have ever seen. TV does not do justice to the beauty, or how hilly it is. You think you are on a mountain course. B W and I walk with Phil Mickelson's group who had just gone off the first tee when we arrived. We left them at third hole and moved over to the tee grand stand at 16 to watch the shots in to 15 and the entire play on 16 which included a chant from the grandstand for each player to try to skip a shot off the water at 16 while walking to the green and more than half the players could get it on the green.
We eventually are made way to the 12 tee box where has now come my favorite at the Masters. You can watch the hit into the green at 11 watch the entire shots at 12 and the drive at 13. I can assure you the most beautiful spot on earth it from the right rough at 13 looking across the fairway to the Azaleas that line the fairway which we were told are only 30 per cent in bloom. Lord what will that place look like Sunday.
I went to a place today called the Masters and it was only a practice round and the people who worked there made me like everyone else seem as if I was the only person there. Walmart management needs to go there and learn how to run people by Cash registers. Disney needs to look at how to get people through a line. There is no way until you go to see how beautiful the place is.
Thank you David Hahula for inviting me and to B W Holt for help making this the best sports trip of my life.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Almost Halfway
Tuesday's round of Big East baseball is the halfway point in a baseball season that has just seen warm weather for the first time this week. Rocky Mount who found the win column for the first time Friday faces a week where their entire season can go up in smoke when they play one of the teams tied at the top and the other beat them first time around.
Tuesday Northern Nash visits Rocky Mount and on Friday Nash Central comes to the Gryphon campus. Five of their last six conference games are against teams that are ahead of the Gryphons in the standings. A winning streak in middle of the season would come at the perfect time for the Gryphons.
Northern tied at the top can't get any higher with a win but a lost and they could fall into the middle of the pack. You know there always seems to be one team who continues to win while others stumble. Northern just might be that team that keeps winning.
Nash Central plays Southern Tuesday and Friday at Rocky Mount. So far Nash Central is unbeatable when Tyler King pitches and play Southern Tuesday do you as coach Guzzo try to hold Tyler King to Rocky Mount on Friday? You know Rocky Mount wants King to pitch Tuesday.
Fike and Hunt are the other two teams tied at the top so one will walk a way Tuesday with their second loss. If Northern beats Rocky Mount there will be two at the top with one loss.
Tonight U Conn plays Kentucky for the National championship tonight. Over the weekend the college club championships in Triathlons were held in Arizona. NC State coached by a member of the family Brooks Doughtie finished 21st which is the highest the State club team has ever finished.
Tuesday Northern Nash visits Rocky Mount and on Friday Nash Central comes to the Gryphon campus. Five of their last six conference games are against teams that are ahead of the Gryphons in the standings. A winning streak in middle of the season would come at the perfect time for the Gryphons.
Northern tied at the top can't get any higher with a win but a lost and they could fall into the middle of the pack. You know there always seems to be one team who continues to win while others stumble. Northern just might be that team that keeps winning.
Nash Central plays Southern Tuesday and Friday at Rocky Mount. So far Nash Central is unbeatable when Tyler King pitches and play Southern Tuesday do you as coach Guzzo try to hold Tyler King to Rocky Mount on Friday? You know Rocky Mount wants King to pitch Tuesday.
Fike and Hunt are the other two teams tied at the top so one will walk a way Tuesday with their second loss. If Northern beats Rocky Mount there will be two at the top with one loss.
Tonight U Conn plays Kentucky for the National championship tonight. Over the weekend the college club championships in Triathlons were held in Arizona. NC State coached by a member of the family Brooks Doughtie finished 21st which is the highest the State club team has ever finished.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
One Of My Favorite Players
Now that the basketball season has come and gone it has come to the point where one of my favorite players career is over and he will be moving on to the college level. There are not many players who are asked as freshman to play varsity basketball.
Dante Battle as a freshman was six feet five his very first varsity game. We all thought as good as he was then by his senior year he would be six nine or better and look every coach in the country will be here after our monster of a basketball player.
The first game at Nash Central as a freshman Pat and I sat on the top row beside this lady and it wasn't to long before we realized she was pulling for Rocky Mount. It didn't take me long for me to ask 'Do you have someone on the Rocky Mount team?' It was Dante's grandmother Janice. I told her then that I like the way he played.
Little did I know then how much the person Dante is today has come from her. Dante lost his mother in a auto accident when he was only seven. There are way too many kids in this world we live in that their parents don't have any idea where they are right now. Grand Ma Janice knew where Dante was and it wasn't on the street corner.
Dante's demeanor of soft spoken and laid back attitude was taught to him and I have never spoken to him when it wasn't yes sir. The world we live in today where children disrespect their elders there is a warm place in my heart for Dante because of what he has missed without having parents but he surely has listened to those especially Mama Janice and he was able to understand right from wrong.
Dante does have a mother and her name is Janice Battle.
Today Dante is still six feet five never became that Six ten or something player we all thought he would be. He has been the MVP of the 2012 state championship game and this year the player of the year in the Big East. He has been big enough to be the man for the Gryphons. He will be heading to Alabama this fall to play at Wallace State.
We all see in Dante that easy going share the ball with my team mates guy. He has never worried that he had already had his growth spurt by the tenth grade. If while in Alabama he stays the person he is off the court but gets a little mean streak in him and maybe a little selfish who knows what is left for him on the basketball court.
You see I like team players that help make their team mates better. How many slam dunks I am going to tear this goal down dunks did you see from Dante? Not many, when he did it was drop it over the goal or make a layup. I like players who don't have to show me how good they are. That's why Dante Battle has now been added to the list of my favorite players.
Dante Battle as a freshman was six feet five his very first varsity game. We all thought as good as he was then by his senior year he would be six nine or better and look every coach in the country will be here after our monster of a basketball player.
The first game at Nash Central as a freshman Pat and I sat on the top row beside this lady and it wasn't to long before we realized she was pulling for Rocky Mount. It didn't take me long for me to ask 'Do you have someone on the Rocky Mount team?' It was Dante's grandmother Janice. I told her then that I like the way he played.
Little did I know then how much the person Dante is today has come from her. Dante lost his mother in a auto accident when he was only seven. There are way too many kids in this world we live in that their parents don't have any idea where they are right now. Grand Ma Janice knew where Dante was and it wasn't on the street corner.
Dante's demeanor of soft spoken and laid back attitude was taught to him and I have never spoken to him when it wasn't yes sir. The world we live in today where children disrespect their elders there is a warm place in my heart for Dante because of what he has missed without having parents but he surely has listened to those especially Mama Janice and he was able to understand right from wrong.
Dante does have a mother and her name is Janice Battle.
Today Dante is still six feet five never became that Six ten or something player we all thought he would be. He has been the MVP of the 2012 state championship game and this year the player of the year in the Big East. He has been big enough to be the man for the Gryphons. He will be heading to Alabama this fall to play at Wallace State.
We all see in Dante that easy going share the ball with my team mates guy. He has never worried that he had already had his growth spurt by the tenth grade. If while in Alabama he stays the person he is off the court but gets a little mean streak in him and maybe a little selfish who knows what is left for him on the basketball court.
You see I like team players that help make their team mates better. How many slam dunks I am going to tear this goal down dunks did you see from Dante? Not many, when he did it was drop it over the goal or make a layup. I like players who don't have to show me how good they are. That's why Dante Battle has now been added to the list of my favorite players.
Friday, April 4, 2014
We Have A Jumbled Mess Now
It is very obvious that at least four or maybe even five teams in Big East Baseball could make the playoff this year and after tonight jumbled just might not be a good enough to describe the parity in this league.
Fike squeak one out Tuesday at Rocky Mount but they were not as lucky tonight as Northern Nash beats Fike 7-3 to lose their first conference game of the year and in the process Northern joins Fike at 3-1 in conference play.
Hunt didn't have to face Tyler King and that is a very good sign for any Big East team when they play Nash Central. Tonight Hunt continues to be the best hitting team in the Big East drubbing the Bulldogs 10-0. Hunt has scored 34 runs in two conference games this week.
In the game to get out of the the bottom of the pile Rocky Mount scored three in the top of the first and Southern scored but once in the bottom of the first but Rocky Mount kept going while Southern never crossed the plate rest of the way. Will Edwards gets a complete five inning win as the Gryphons beat Southern Nash 14-1.
Fike, Northern and Hunt are tied at the top at 3-1. Nash Central is 2-0 with Tyler King on the mound just giving up two runs while 0-2 when he doesn't pitch and giving up 23 runs. Rocky Mount is now 1-3 but the way this league is that just might have gotten themselves new life after tonight. Right now it looks as if Southern is doomed for the bottom.
Today Wake Forest announced that Danny Manning is their man but they will not have a news conference until next week in Winston. Ron Wellman the Athletic Director of the Deacs is the chairman of the NCAA selection committee and of course all college basketball people are in Dallas this weekend for the final four.
I just don't know whether two years as a head coach is enough time to judge how good a coach any coach is as far as recruiting is concerned. Having coached only two years he may have got to the tournament based on the last coaches players maybe not his on.
Fike squeak one out Tuesday at Rocky Mount but they were not as lucky tonight as Northern Nash beats Fike 7-3 to lose their first conference game of the year and in the process Northern joins Fike at 3-1 in conference play.
Hunt didn't have to face Tyler King and that is a very good sign for any Big East team when they play Nash Central. Tonight Hunt continues to be the best hitting team in the Big East drubbing the Bulldogs 10-0. Hunt has scored 34 runs in two conference games this week.
In the game to get out of the the bottom of the pile Rocky Mount scored three in the top of the first and Southern scored but once in the bottom of the first but Rocky Mount kept going while Southern never crossed the plate rest of the way. Will Edwards gets a complete five inning win as the Gryphons beat Southern Nash 14-1.
Fike, Northern and Hunt are tied at the top at 3-1. Nash Central is 2-0 with Tyler King on the mound just giving up two runs while 0-2 when he doesn't pitch and giving up 23 runs. Rocky Mount is now 1-3 but the way this league is that just might have gotten themselves new life after tonight. Right now it looks as if Southern is doomed for the bottom.
Today Wake Forest announced that Danny Manning is their man but they will not have a news conference until next week in Winston. Ron Wellman the Athletic Director of the Deacs is the chairman of the NCAA selection committee and of course all college basketball people are in Dallas this weekend for the final four.
I just don't know whether two years as a head coach is enough time to judge how good a coach any coach is as far as recruiting is concerned. Having coached only two years he may have got to the tournament based on the last coaches players maybe not his on.
Women's Basketball Equals The Men's Of The Sixties
This week is Final Four weekend both in the Men and the women's. U Conn is back for the umpteen
Year in a row. If you can sit and watch the woman play a fundamental game the way basketball is suppose to be played. When you compare them to the men's game the women's game is where the men were in the sixties.
Those of you that were here in those days might remember that there were only three teams west of the Mississippi that made the tournament in most years. The Mid Atlantic was where the power was and when the regionals were over UCLA had beaten the other two out west and all the other regionals beat themselves up to get to final four.
They dominated the final four because all the other teams had beaten each other up to get there. U Conn and Tennessee over the last 25 years of the women's have dominated. They host regionals on their home court and I don't care how good any team is how many championships can you win when you have to play on the best teams home court every year? How many championship could coach K and Duke win if they played most of their playoff games at home?
The womens game will not go to regionals like the men play until the NCAA can figure how to make money doing it. Notre Dame's best player is out this weekend so expect U Conn to win again.
Brian Goodwin went 1-4 Thursday in his first game in AAA. He struck out three times which is right now his biggest bug-a-boo getting him in a National's uniform. With his speed if he could hit it anywhere every a bat he has a chance to beat it out but not if you are walking back to the dugout after a K.
Will Danny Manning become the new basketball coach at Wake Forest? Those that can remember it Carolina thought they had Manning locked up to play for the Tar Heels until Larry Brown offered Danny Manning's dad a job at Kansas . Manning played at Paige high in Greensboro before heading to Kansas and winning a national championship his senior season.
I don't know whether you have seen this movie as of yet but I totally recommend that you go see the movie God Is Not Dead. I understand it starts this weekend in Rocky Mount. Last Saturday was a volleyball day in Virginia Beach for Campbell and Morgan came back home with us to visit with Holly Fryer. Sunday after noon we stopped in Smithfield to see it. Well worth the stop.
Year in a row. If you can sit and watch the woman play a fundamental game the way basketball is suppose to be played. When you compare them to the men's game the women's game is where the men were in the sixties.
Those of you that were here in those days might remember that there were only three teams west of the Mississippi that made the tournament in most years. The Mid Atlantic was where the power was and when the regionals were over UCLA had beaten the other two out west and all the other regionals beat themselves up to get to final four.
They dominated the final four because all the other teams had beaten each other up to get there. U Conn and Tennessee over the last 25 years of the women's have dominated. They host regionals on their home court and I don't care how good any team is how many championships can you win when you have to play on the best teams home court every year? How many championship could coach K and Duke win if they played most of their playoff games at home?
The womens game will not go to regionals like the men play until the NCAA can figure how to make money doing it. Notre Dame's best player is out this weekend so expect U Conn to win again.
Brian Goodwin went 1-4 Thursday in his first game in AAA. He struck out three times which is right now his biggest bug-a-boo getting him in a National's uniform. With his speed if he could hit it anywhere every a bat he has a chance to beat it out but not if you are walking back to the dugout after a K.
Will Danny Manning become the new basketball coach at Wake Forest? Those that can remember it Carolina thought they had Manning locked up to play for the Tar Heels until Larry Brown offered Danny Manning's dad a job at Kansas . Manning played at Paige high in Greensboro before heading to Kansas and winning a national championship his senior season.
I don't know whether you have seen this movie as of yet but I totally recommend that you go see the movie God Is Not Dead. I understand it starts this weekend in Rocky Mount. Last Saturday was a volleyball day in Virginia Beach for Campbell and Morgan came back home with us to visit with Holly Fryer. Sunday after noon we stopped in Smithfield to see it. Well worth the stop.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Could Somebody Tell Me How
I just don't know how T J Warren of NC State is voted the best basketball player in the ACC and yet he makes second Team All American while Jabari Parker of Duke makes the first team. Can somebody splain that one.
Tiger Woods has had back surgery this week and will not be at Augusta next week. While I will be filling a bucket list and make my first appearance there on Tuesday. The TV Networks worry that without Tiger TV ratings will be down. The Masters was the greatest golf tournament in the world before Tiger ever played there and it still will be the greatest long after he is gone.
Thursday afternoon Brian Goodwin will play his first AAA baseball game in Syracuse New York playing for the Chiefs. The Chiefs play in PNB Stadium. Brian is one step or one outfield injury by a Washington Nationals player from the major leagues.
Hobbs Johnson in June of last year was pitching for the North Carolina Tarheels. He signed with Milwaukee Brewers and started out in the short season rookie league. A couple weeks he was promoted to the lower level A league. And starting today Hobbs will be pitching in Brevard Florida in the upper level A league. Both of the former Rocky Mount Gryphons are moving forward in their efforts to make their dreams come true and the dreams are still alive of making the major leagues.
After Tuesday night there has been a slight shift in the placing of teams in Big East Baseball. Fike finds themselves as the lone team without a loss after beating Rocky Mount 3-2 in extra innings.
If you haven't heard this score brace yourself as Hunt Beat Southern Nash 24-0 Tuesday. Southern's first two conference game they had given up just 4 runs. This gets Hunt to 2-1 while Southern drops to 0-3 and tied at the bottom with Rocky Mount.
Nash Central's 3-1 victory over Northern ties them at 2-1 with Northern and now Hunt. Friday Rocky Mount travels to Southern and after then only one team will have not won a conference game.
It is obvious to me that at least four on the conference teams can beat each other at any time. Fike, Hunt, Northern and Nash Central. Rocky Mount or Southern depending on which one wins Friday just might join the other four.
DuringTuesday nights Fike-Rocky Mount game there was an incident that makes you wonder what Happened. Fike had runners on first and second and a 2-2 count on the batter. Ball three is thrown to the batter and the batter takes off to first as if he has been walked so the two runners on first and second start to slowly advance to 3rd and 2nd. The umpire calls the batter back because it is only ball three but the two runners keep going to the next base as if they have been force to the next base by ball four.
What in fact happened was to me to be the slowest double steal in the history of baseball. Since neither runner was forced Rocky Mount could have thrown both out trying to steal but in all the confusion nobody knew what to do. Finally the umpire made both runners go back to where their original base was.
During the TV interview after the game Fike coach Buck Edmonson told me the ruling was the umpire called time out. Still to me he called time out in the middle of a double steal. There is that old saying that you can see something new every time you go to a baseball game. We did see something new Tuesday.
Tiger Woods has had back surgery this week and will not be at Augusta next week. While I will be filling a bucket list and make my first appearance there on Tuesday. The TV Networks worry that without Tiger TV ratings will be down. The Masters was the greatest golf tournament in the world before Tiger ever played there and it still will be the greatest long after he is gone.
Thursday afternoon Brian Goodwin will play his first AAA baseball game in Syracuse New York playing for the Chiefs. The Chiefs play in PNB Stadium. Brian is one step or one outfield injury by a Washington Nationals player from the major leagues.
Hobbs Johnson in June of last year was pitching for the North Carolina Tarheels. He signed with Milwaukee Brewers and started out in the short season rookie league. A couple weeks he was promoted to the lower level A league. And starting today Hobbs will be pitching in Brevard Florida in the upper level A league. Both of the former Rocky Mount Gryphons are moving forward in their efforts to make their dreams come true and the dreams are still alive of making the major leagues.
After Tuesday night there has been a slight shift in the placing of teams in Big East Baseball. Fike finds themselves as the lone team without a loss after beating Rocky Mount 3-2 in extra innings.
If you haven't heard this score brace yourself as Hunt Beat Southern Nash 24-0 Tuesday. Southern's first two conference game they had given up just 4 runs. This gets Hunt to 2-1 while Southern drops to 0-3 and tied at the bottom with Rocky Mount.
Nash Central's 3-1 victory over Northern ties them at 2-1 with Northern and now Hunt. Friday Rocky Mount travels to Southern and after then only one team will have not won a conference game.
It is obvious to me that at least four on the conference teams can beat each other at any time. Fike, Hunt, Northern and Nash Central. Rocky Mount or Southern depending on which one wins Friday just might join the other four.
DuringTuesday nights Fike-Rocky Mount game there was an incident that makes you wonder what Happened. Fike had runners on first and second and a 2-2 count on the batter. Ball three is thrown to the batter and the batter takes off to first as if he has been walked so the two runners on first and second start to slowly advance to 3rd and 2nd. The umpire calls the batter back because it is only ball three but the two runners keep going to the next base as if they have been force to the next base by ball four.
What in fact happened was to me to be the slowest double steal in the history of baseball. Since neither runner was forced Rocky Mount could have thrown both out trying to steal but in all the confusion nobody knew what to do. Finally the umpire made both runners go back to where their original base was.
During the TV interview after the game Fike coach Buck Edmonson told me the ruling was the umpire called time out. Still to me he called time out in the middle of a double steal. There is that old saying that you can see something new every time you go to a baseball game. We did see something new Tuesday.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Great Effort Comes Up Short
Tonight the Rocky Mount Gryphons facing the top team in the Big East gave their best effort of the season but when the Gryphons failed to score the winning run in the bottom of the seventh the Fike Golden Demons took advantage and win in eight innings 3-2.
Gryphon Starter Cody Smith gave the Gryphons all he had going six inning struck out 10 allowed only four hits while walking six batters. The lone run charge to Smith scored in the third after he had walked Ryan Page and he came home to score to give Fike a 1-0 lead. The Gryphons lead 2-1 when Smith sat out the seventh inning.
The Gryphons tied the game in the bottom of the third after Logon Smith reached on an error and scored on a Forest Bell Single. The Gryphons took the lead in the fifth when Logan Smith single was sacrificed to second by Bikembe Kearney and scored on a single by Ben Yates got Smith to third and the left fielder bobbled the ball allowing Smith to score.
The Gryphons had chances in the fifth to add to the lead with runners on every base and a line drive was snatched out of the air and the runner on second was called out at second. The sixth the Gryphons had first and third with one out and failed to score. The Gryphons loaded the bases in the seventh and failed to score.
Fike down 2-1 batting in the top of seventh got a lead off single by Ryan Page to greet reliever Blake Helms and the very next batter Charlie Vaughn delivered a triple down the right field to tie the game. Fike failed to score another run on a base running error at third when Griffin Parker hit a ball toward second with the infield in. The runner held up on first contact and after Josh Carter made a great stop threw the runner out at home who broke home late.
Fike scored in the top of the eighth on one hit and two walks to load the bases and scored on a single by Ryan Page. Even in the eighth the Gryphons had a chance to tie or win it with runners on second and third but failed to score with only one out.
Fike takes the lead in the Big East after Nash Central's Tyler King pitched a two hit 3-1 victory over Northern Nash.
Heard some great news tonight at the ball park. The Washington National have promoted The Gryphon's Brian Goodwin to the Triple A Syracuse Chiefs which will mean Brian will be coming to Durham this season as long as he is not promoted to Washington by then.
Gryphon Starter Cody Smith gave the Gryphons all he had going six inning struck out 10 allowed only four hits while walking six batters. The lone run charge to Smith scored in the third after he had walked Ryan Page and he came home to score to give Fike a 1-0 lead. The Gryphons lead 2-1 when Smith sat out the seventh inning.
The Gryphons tied the game in the bottom of the third after Logon Smith reached on an error and scored on a Forest Bell Single. The Gryphons took the lead in the fifth when Logan Smith single was sacrificed to second by Bikembe Kearney and scored on a single by Ben Yates got Smith to third and the left fielder bobbled the ball allowing Smith to score.
The Gryphons had chances in the fifth to add to the lead with runners on every base and a line drive was snatched out of the air and the runner on second was called out at second. The sixth the Gryphons had first and third with one out and failed to score. The Gryphons loaded the bases in the seventh and failed to score.
Fike down 2-1 batting in the top of seventh got a lead off single by Ryan Page to greet reliever Blake Helms and the very next batter Charlie Vaughn delivered a triple down the right field to tie the game. Fike failed to score another run on a base running error at third when Griffin Parker hit a ball toward second with the infield in. The runner held up on first contact and after Josh Carter made a great stop threw the runner out at home who broke home late.
Fike scored in the top of the eighth on one hit and two walks to load the bases and scored on a single by Ryan Page. Even in the eighth the Gryphons had a chance to tie or win it with runners on second and third but failed to score with only one out.
Fike takes the lead in the Big East after Nash Central's Tyler King pitched a two hit 3-1 victory over Northern Nash.
Heard some great news tonight at the ball park. The Washington National have promoted The Gryphon's Brian Goodwin to the Triple A Syracuse Chiefs which will mean Brian will be coming to Durham this season as long as he is not promoted to Washington by then.
Another Day Another Big Game
Week two of conference in Big East baseball season is upon us and week two is always the week of decision. Northern Nash and Fike are the only two teams to come away from conference play still unbeaten. The other end of the spectrum. Rocky Mount and Southern Nash are the only two teams without a victory. Nash Central and Hunt are right in the middle riding the fence winning one and losing on in the opening week.
Tuesday has Fike making a road trip to Rocky Mount. Having won both games last week Fike is the top offensive team in the league. Should they win at Rocky Mount a possible battle Friday with Northern Nash. Rocky Mount is at that cross roads where they need to win desperately. A lost and they will be at the point where they can't really do anything but win out to even get themselves back into playoff talk.
Northern Nash host Nash Central tonight and a win Northern will be playing for first place in a major sport for the first time in several years Friday night. Think about it. Football has been down for a few years but is on the rise. Basketball has also fell into the pit of non winning for a while and baseball hasn't been a player in the playoffs since their eastern final run what year was it 2007.
So far the first ten games of the season Northern's pitching and defense has held everyone at bay. Their question mark is can they score enough runs to make it easy for their pitchers? You figure The Bulldogs will throw their best Tyler King which probably means a low scoring game. A 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 type game favors the team that can score. So far in two conference games the Bulldogs have scored 9 runs while the Knights have scored but 5. Sounds like a 2-1 game to me.
The third Big East game has Hunt with a win and a loss playing at Southern Nash looking for some runs as even with two losses they have given up only four runs. Hunt looks as though they might get four or five per game but Southern must hold Hunt in check and find a way to score themselves.
Southern like Rocky Mount doesn't want to find themselves three games behind first after the first three games. Just found out today that TV will be at Rocky Mount so I will be doing PA and play by play together Tuesday night .
Tuesday has Fike making a road trip to Rocky Mount. Having won both games last week Fike is the top offensive team in the league. Should they win at Rocky Mount a possible battle Friday with Northern Nash. Rocky Mount is at that cross roads where they need to win desperately. A lost and they will be at the point where they can't really do anything but win out to even get themselves back into playoff talk.
Northern Nash host Nash Central tonight and a win Northern will be playing for first place in a major sport for the first time in several years Friday night. Think about it. Football has been down for a few years but is on the rise. Basketball has also fell into the pit of non winning for a while and baseball hasn't been a player in the playoffs since their eastern final run what year was it 2007.
So far the first ten games of the season Northern's pitching and defense has held everyone at bay. Their question mark is can they score enough runs to make it easy for their pitchers? You figure The Bulldogs will throw their best Tyler King which probably means a low scoring game. A 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 type game favors the team that can score. So far in two conference games the Bulldogs have scored 9 runs while the Knights have scored but 5. Sounds like a 2-1 game to me.
The third Big East game has Hunt with a win and a loss playing at Southern Nash looking for some runs as even with two losses they have given up only four runs. Hunt looks as though they might get four or five per game but Southern must hold Hunt in check and find a way to score themselves.
Southern like Rocky Mount doesn't want to find themselves three games behind first after the first three games. Just found out today that TV will be at Rocky Mount so I will be doing PA and play by play together Tuesday night .
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